#58 most spoken · language profile
Hokkien (Min Nan) in the United States
An estimated 74,926 people aged 5 and older speak Hokkien (Min Nan) at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 50.9% of them, roughly 38,149 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Denver, where about 71% of Hokkien (Min Nan) speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Hokkien (Min Nan) is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 84 additional metro areas have Hokkien (Min Nan) speakers but did not meet Census reliability standards and are not listed.
| # | Metro area | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 18,177 ±2K | 55.8% | 52.3–59.2% |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 9,086 ±2K | 54.6% | 47.7–61.4% |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | 5,601 ±1K | 43% | 38–47.9% |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3,889 ±659 | 53.8% | 48–59.7% |
| 5 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 3,613 ±1K | 48.4% | 39.7–57.2% |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,618 ±800 | 41.5% | 30.9–52.1% |
| 7 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 2,375 ±735 | 49.6% | 37.9–61.4% |
| 8 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,349 ±639 | 57.1% | 46.6–67.6% |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,202 ±434 | 45.2% | 35.9–54.5% |
| 10 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,183 ±649 | 57.6% | 49–66.2% |
| 11 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,777 ±447 | 48.2% | 38.2–58.2% |
| 12 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,632 ±495 | not reliable | — |
| 13 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,487 ±560 | not reliable | — |
| 14 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 973 ±371 | 61.8% | 47–76.5% |
| 15 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | 801 ±346 | not reliable | — |
| 16 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | 604 ±251 | 60.4% | 39.9–80.9% |
| 17 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 516 ±195 | 53.9% | 34–73.8% |
| 18 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 504 ±205 | not reliable | — |
| 19 | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 383 ±182 | 71% | 52.9–89.1% |
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 Hokkien speakers be understood
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Frequently asked questions
- How many people speak Hokkien (Min Nan) in the United States?
- An estimated 74,926 people aged 5 and older speak Hokkien (Min Nan) at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Hokkien (Min Nan) speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 50.9 percent, roughly 38,149 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Hokkien (Min Nan) speakers?
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, with about 18,177 Hokkien (Min Nan) speakers at home.
- Where is Hokkien (Min Nan) interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO stands out, where about 71 percent of Hokkien (Min Nan) speakers report speaking English less than "very well."