#39 most spoken · language profile
Albanian in the United States
An estimated 180,396 people aged 5 and older speak Albanian at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 37.6% of them, roughly 67,816 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as New Haven, where about 45% of Albanian speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Albanian is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 108 additional metro areas have Albanian speakers but did not meet Census reliability standards and are not listed.
| # | Metro area | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 59,991 ±4K | 37.2% | 35.1–39.4% |
| 2 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 21,397 ±3K | 38.6% | 33.8–43.4% |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 13,978 ±3K | 36.6% | 30.5–42.7% |
| 4 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 11,416 ±2K | 44% | 38.9–49.2% |
| 5 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 6,731 ±1K | 36.8% | 28.8–44.7% |
| 6 | Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT | 4,975 ±1K | 30.7% | 21.3–40.1% |
| 7 | Worcester, MA-CT | 4,751 ±1K | 44.8% | 34.9–54.6% |
| 8 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 4,305 ±1K | 44% | 35.5–52.5% |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,857 ±952 | not reliable | — |
| 10 | New Haven-Milford, CT | 2,707 ±978 | 45% | 31.2–58.9% |
| 11 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 1,776 ±536 | 41.4% | 30.6–52.2% |
| 12 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,766 ±620 | not reliable | — |
| 13 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 1,656 ±739 | not reliable | — |
| 14 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 1,479 ±670 | not reliable | — |
| 15 | St. Louis, MO-IL | 1,306 ±497 | 39.6% | 27.1–52% |
| 16 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | 1,238 ±577 | not reliable | — |
| 17 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | 859 ±388 | not reliable | — |
Limited English means speaking English less than "very well." Margins of error are at the 90 percent confidence level. "Range" is the 90 percent confidence interval for the limited-English share.
Help Albanian speakers be understood
Every dot on this map is a person who deserves to be understood. Medical, legal, and community interpreters turn that need into access. Training is how you start.
Frequently asked questions
- How many people speak Albanian in the United States?
- An estimated 180,396 people aged 5 and older speak Albanian at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Albanian speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 37.6 percent, roughly 67,816 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Albanian speakers?
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, with about 59,991 Albanian speakers at home.
- Where is Albanian interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. New Haven-Milford, CT stands out, where about 45 percent of Albanian speakers report speaking English less than "very well."