#49 most spoken · language profile
Bosnian in the United States
An estimated 108,336 people aged 5 and older speak Bosnian at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 37.4% of them, roughly 40,542 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Utica, where about 45.1% of Bosnian speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Bosnian is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 86 additional metro areas have Bosnian speakers but did not meet Census reliability standards and are not listed.
| # | Metro area | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis, MO-IL | 11,019 ±2K | 39.1% | 33.5–44.6% |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 10,301 ±3K | 32.6% | 27.4–37.8% |
| 3 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | 5,477 ±1K | 27.7% | 21–34.4% |
| 4 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 5,111 ±1K | 41.7% | 29.8–53.7% |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 4,740 ±1K | 33.4% | 26.2–40.6% |
| 6 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 3,834 ±1K | 39.1% | 28.3–49.8% |
| 7 | Utica-Rome, NY | 3,828 ±1K | 45.1% | 37.9–52.2% |
| 8 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 3,309 ±825 | 35.7% | 24.5–47% |
| 9 | Jacksonville, FL | 2,940 ±959 | 37.6% | 24.3–50.9% |
| 10 | Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT | 2,814 ±966 | 38.3% | 27.4–49.1% |
| 11 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,519 ±600 | 31% | 20.5–41.6% |
| 12 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,447 ±981 | not reliable | — |
| 13 | Salt Lake City, UT | 2,273 ±779 | 35.6% | 24.2–47% |
| 14 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 2,047 ±887 | not reliable | — |
| 15 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,898 ±659 | 38% | 26.6–49.5% |
| 16 | Bowling Green, KY | 1,811 ±680 | 39.9% | 30.5–49.3% |
| 17 | Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI | 1,699 ±634 | not reliable | — |
| 18 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,638 ±627 | not reliable | — |
| 19 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,565 ±621 | not reliable | — |
| 20 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,505 ±705 | 34.4% | 25.7–43% |
| 21 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1,360 ±561 | not reliable | — |
| 22 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 1,202 ±553 | not reliable | — |
| 23 | Syracuse, NY | 1,177 ±481 | 42.4% | 32.1–52.7% |
| 24 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,059 ±385 | not reliable | — |
| 25 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 954 ±468 | 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 Bosnian 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 Bosnian in the United States?
- An estimated 108,336 people aged 5 and older speak Bosnian at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Bosnian speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 37.4 percent, roughly 40,542 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Bosnian speakers?
- St. Louis, MO-IL, with about 11,019 Bosnian speakers at home.
- Where is Bosnian interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Utica-Rome, NY stands out, where about 45.1 percent of Bosnian speakers report speaking English less than "very well."