#46 most spoken · language profile
Lao in the United States
An estimated 123,461 people aged 5 and older speak Lao at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 49.4% of them, roughly 61,034 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Philadelphia, where about 68.6% of Lao speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Lao is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 118 additional metro areas have Lao speakers but did not meet Census reliability standards and are not listed.
| # | Metro area | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 6,965 ±1K | 44.4% | 37.9–50.9% |
| 2 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 5,647 ±1K | 52.8% | 44.4–61.2% |
| 3 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 5,023 ±1K | 45% | 35.2–54.7% |
| 4 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 4,661 ±966 | 63.1% | 56.8–69.4% |
| 5 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 4,451 ±879 | 41.5% | 33.4–49.6% |
| 6 | Fresno, CA | 4,025 ±910 | 48.4% | 39.6–57.1% |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,858 ±993 | 43.3% | 37.1–49.6% |
| 8 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 3,636 ±941 | 57.1% | 48.3–65.9% |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | 3,558 ±1K | 49.7% | 38.1–61.3% |
| 10 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | 2,974 ±752 | 45% | 37.6–52.3% |
| 11 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,868 ±828 | 41.7% | 28.5–54.9% |
| 12 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 2,781 ±947 | 46.1% | 35.4–56.8% |
| 13 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,751 ±747 | 38% | 27.1–48.9% |
| 14 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 2,635 ±660 | 54.6% | 43.6–65.7% |
| 15 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | 2,362 ±665 | 57.5% | 46.8–68.1% |
| 16 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,326 ±849 | 49.6% | 38.3–61% |
| 17 | Stockton, CA | 2,303 ±689 | 36.3% | 27.8–44.8% |
| 18 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 2,062 ±555 | 49.8% | 37.5–62.1% |
| 19 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 2,010 ±548 | 57% | 44.8–69.1% |
| 20 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,999 ±642 | 36.2% | 26.4–46% |
| 21 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,936 ±511 | 45.5% | 33.6–57.4% |
| 22 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,856 ±759 | 68.6% | 51.9–85.2% |
| 23 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 1,667 ±537 | 59% | 44–73.9% |
| 24 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 1,630 ±694 | not reliable | — |
| 25 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 1,548 ±462 | 41.2% | 31.3–51.1% |
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 Lao 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 Lao in the United States?
- An estimated 123,461 people aged 5 and older speak Lao at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Lao speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 49.4 percent, roughly 61,034 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Lao speakers?
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, with about 6,965 Lao speakers at home.
- Where is Lao interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD stands out, where about 68.6 percent of Lao speakers report speaking English less than "very well."