#36 most spoken · language profile
Khmer (Cambodian) in the United States
An estimated 196,171 people aged 5 and older speak Khmer (Cambodian) at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 53.2% of them, roughly 104,307 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Philadelphia, where about 67.7% of Khmer (Cambodian) speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Khmer (Cambodian) is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 124 additional metro areas have Khmer (Cambodian) 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 | 31,155 ±2K | 54.7% | 51.9–57.4% |
| 2 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 20,367 ±2K | 52.5% | 48.5–56.4% |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 13,789 ±2K | 55.2% | 50.1–60.4% |
| 4 | Stockton, CA | 9,663 ±2K | 49.7% | 44.1–55.3% |
| 5 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 8,770 ±2K | 67.7% | 61.2–74.2% |
| 6 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 5,499 ±1K | 48.4% | 40–56.7% |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | 5,494 ±1K | 51.7% | 42.7–60.7% |
| 8 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,800 ±1K | 50.9% | 41.8–60% |
| 9 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,733 ±1K | 58% | 50.4–65.7% |
| 10 | Fresno, CA | 4,651 ±1K | 48.3% | 40.5–56.1% |
| 11 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 4,342 ±902 | 46% | 38.7–53.2% |
| 12 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 4,342 ±885 | 57.7% | 50.4–65.1% |
| 13 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 4,275 ±1K | 56.8% | 46.5–67.1% |
| 14 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,073 ±791 | 50.9% | 43.2–58.6% |
| 15 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3,903 ±814 | 57% | 50.6–63.3% |
| 16 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | 3,777 ±876 | 44.2% | 36.6–51.7% |
| 17 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 3,270 ±1K | 34.1% | 19.3–48.8% |
| 18 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 2,628 ±668 | 61.9% | 53–70.7% |
| 19 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 2,621 ±692 | 49.4% | 39.2–59.6% |
| 20 | Modesto, CA | 2,269 ±653 | 47.9% | 34–61.9% |
| 21 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2,226 ±532 | 53.3% | 42.3–64.2% |
| 22 | Jacksonville, FL | 1,790 ±623 | 51.2% | 40.3–62.1% |
| 23 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,713 ±503 | 45.6% | 33–58.3% |
| 24 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,643 ±715 | 51.2% | 34.3–68.2% |
| 25 | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 1,430 ±524 | 61.4% | 49–73.8% |
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 Khmer 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 Khmer (Cambodian) in the United States?
- An estimated 196,171 people aged 5 and older speak Khmer (Cambodian) at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Khmer (Cambodian) speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 53.2 percent, roughly 104,307 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Khmer (Cambodian) speakers?
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, with about 31,155 Khmer (Cambodian) speakers at home.
- Where is Khmer (Cambodian) interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD stands out, where about 67.7 percent of Khmer (Cambodian) speakers report speaking English less than "very well."