#106 most spoken · language profile
Irish in the United States
An estimated 16,623 people aged 5 and older speak Irish at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 17.2% of them, roughly 2,856 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Boston, where about 26% of Irish speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Irish is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 68 additional metro areas have Irish 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 | 3,619 ±1K | not reliable | — |
| 2 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,578 ±427 | 26% | 17.2–34.7% |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 898 ±412 | not reliable | — |
| 4 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 736 ±297 | 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 Irish 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 Irish in the United States?
- An estimated 16,623 people aged 5 and older speak Irish at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Irish speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 17.2 percent, roughly 2,856 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Irish speakers?
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, with about 3,619 Irish speakers at home.
- Where is Irish interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH stands out, where about 26 percent of Irish speakers report speaking English less than "very well."