Metro language profile
Languages spoken in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD
About 415,773 people in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area speak English less than "very well," across 64 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.
Languages by interpreter demand in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD
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 | 437,678 ±7K | 180,793 | 41.3% |
| 2 | Chinese (not specified) | 53,575 ±3K | 30,128 | 56.2% |
| 3 | Russian | 39,803 ±4K | 20,365 | 51.2% |
| 4 | Vietnamese | 32,419 ±3K | 20,107 | 62% |
| 5 | Korean | 22,479 ±2K | 12,777 | 56.8% |
| 6 | Portuguese | 22,412 ±4K | 11,534 | 51.5% |
| 7 | Mandarin Chinese | 20,220 ±975 | 11,370 | 56.2% |
| 8 | Arabic | 28,481 ±4K | 10,172 | 35.7% |
| 9 | Bengali | 18,244 ±2K | 7,786 | 42.7% |
| 10 | French | 25,753 ±3K | 7,745 | 30.1% |
| 11 | Haitian | 18,471 ±3K | 7,420 | 40.2% |
| 12 | Gujarati | 20,455 ±2K | 7,340 | 35.9% |
| 13 | Khmer (Cambodian) | 8,770 ±2K | 5,935 | 67.7% |
| 14 | Ukrainian | 11,795 ±2K | 5,812 | 49.3% |
| 15 | Italian | 18,467 ±2K | 5,505 | 29.8% |
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 Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD have limited English proficiency?
- About 415,773 residents of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 64 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
- By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Chinese (not specified), and Russian. Spanish leads, with about 180,793 people who speak English less than "very well."
- What is the most spoken language other than English in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
- Spanish, with about 437,678 speakers at home in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area.