#93 most spoken · language profile
Marshallese in the United States
An estimated 24,337 people aged 5 and older speak Marshallese at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 41% of them, roughly 9,988 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Evansville, where about 57.9% of Marshallese speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Marshallese is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 29 additional metro areas have Marshallese speakers but did not meet Census reliability standards and are not listed.
| # | Metro area | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 5,602 ±1K | 50.7% | 37.5–63.9% |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,440 ±971 | 39.5% | 27–52% |
| 3 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 1,276 ±405 | 53.1% | 43.3–62.9% |
| 4 | Salem, OR | 1,131 ±514 | 43.3% | 32.2–54.4% |
| 5 | Texarkana, TX-AR | 242 ±67 | not reliable | — |
| 6 | Evansville, IN-KY | 242 ±63 | 57.9% | 50.5–65.2% |
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 Marshallese 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 Marshallese in the United States?
- An estimated 24,337 people aged 5 and older speak Marshallese at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Marshallese speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 41 percent, roughly 9,988 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Marshallese speakers?
- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR, with about 5,602 Marshallese speakers at home.
- Where is Marshallese interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Evansville, IN-KY stands out, where about 57.9 percent of Marshallese speakers report speaking English less than "very well."