Metro language profile
Languages spoken in Milwaukee, WI
About 60,367 people in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI area speak English less than "very well," across 26 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.
60,367
Residents with limited English
26
Languages reported
Spanish
Most spoken besides English
Languages by interpreter demand in Milwaukee, WI
Ranked by the number of speakers who report limited English proficiency, the measure of interpreter need.
| # | Language | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English (count) | Limited English (rate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spanish | 119,109 ±4K | 43,873 | 36.8% |
| 2 | Hmong | 9,323 ±1K | 3,152 | 33.8% |
| 3 | Arabic | 6,129 ±2K | 1,712 | 27.9% |
| 4 | Chinese (not specified) | 2,641 ±601 | 1,284 | 48.6% |
| 5 | Lao | 1,630 ±694 | 1,227 | — |
| 6 | Karen languages | 1,713 ±822 | 1,065 | — |
| 7 | German | 8,312 ±1K | 1,058 | 12.7% |
| 8 | Russian | 2,447 ±711 | 907 | 37.1% |
| 9 | Vietnamese | 1,532 ±540 | 838 | — |
| 10 | Albanian | 1,656 ±739 | 606 | — |
| 11 | French | 4,171 ±1K | 601 | — |
| 12 | Filipino | 1,062 ±492 | 540 | — |
| 13 | Serbian | 1,382 ±605 | 505 | — |
| 14 | Mandarin Chinese | 997 ±227 | 485 | 48.6% |
| 15 | Korean | 1,526 ±630 | 410 | — |
Limited English means speaking English less than "very well." Counts are the population an interpreter program serves. Margins of error are at the 90 percent confidence level; a rate of "—" means the estimate was suppressed for reliability.
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Frequently asked questions
- How many people in Milwaukee, WI have limited English proficiency?
- About 60,367 residents of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 26 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in Milwaukee, WI?
- By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Hmong, and Arabic. Spanish leads, with about 43,873 people who speak English less than "very well."
- What is the most spoken language other than English in Milwaukee, WI?
- Spanish, with about 119,109 speakers at home in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI area.