#69 most spoken · language profile
Krio in the United States
An estimated 50,491 people aged 5 and older speak Krio at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 24.1% of them, roughly 12,190 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Philadelphia, where about 35.8% of Krio speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Krio is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 85 additional metro areas have Krio speakers but did not meet Census reliability standards and are not listed.
| # | Metro area | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 7,483 ±1K | 24% | 18.6–29.4% |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 6,486 ±1K | 34.2% | 26.7–41.7% |
| 3 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,602 ±2K | 35.8% | 19–52.5% |
| 4 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,056 ±913 | not reliable | — |
| 5 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | 1,477 ±488 | not reliable | — |
| 6 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,472 ±639 | not reliable | — |
| 7 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,237 ±539 | not reliable | — |
| 8 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 817 ±355 | 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 Krio 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 Krio in the United States?
- An estimated 50,491 people aged 5 and older speak Krio at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Krio speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 24.1 percent, roughly 12,190 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Krio speakers?
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, with about 7,483 Krio speakers at home.
- Where is Krio interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD stands out, where about 35.8 percent of Krio speakers report speaking English less than "very well."