Metro language profile
Languages spoken in New Orleans, LA
About 61,983 people in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA area speak English less than "very well," across 19 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.
61,983
Residents with limited English
19
Languages reported
Spanish
Most spoken besides English
Languages by interpreter demand in New Orleans, LA
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 | 97,282 ±3K | 46,017 | 47.3% |
| 2 | Vietnamese | 13,463 ±1K | 6,460 | 48% |
| 3 | Arabic | 6,509 ±2K | 2,380 | 36.6% |
| 4 | French | 8,059 ±992 | 1,320 | 16.4% |
| 5 | Chinese (not specified) | 2,763 ±534 | 1,104 | 39.9% |
| 6 | Haitian | 3,267 ±1K | 908 | — |
| 7 | Urdu | 1,527 ±605 | 766 | 50.2% |
| 8 | Portuguese | 1,747 ±470 | 616 | 35.3% |
| 9 | Mandarin Chinese | 1,043 ±201 | 416 | 39.9% |
| 10 | Tagalog | 1,754 ±470 | 380 | — |
| 11 | Korean | 743 ±269 | 232 | — |
| 12 | German | 1,414 ±463 | 227 | — |
| 13 | Persian | 553 ±221 | 220 | — |
| 14 | Thai | 359 ±162 | 189 | — |
| 15 | Italian | 1,271 ±530 | 183 | — |
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 New Orleans, LA have limited English proficiency?
- About 61,983 residents of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 19 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in New Orleans, LA?
- By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Vietnamese, and Arabic. Spanish leads, with about 46,017 people who speak English less than "very well."
- What is the most spoken language other than English in New Orleans, LA?
- Spanish, with about 97,282 speakers at home in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA area.