Metro language profile
Languages spoken in Portland, OR-WA
About 155,607 people in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area speak English less than "very well," across 53 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.
Languages by interpreter demand in Portland, OR-WA
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 | 213,307 ±5K | 76,061 | 35.7% |
| 2 | Vietnamese | 27,127 ±2K | 16,070 | 59.2% |
| 3 | Russian | 25,583 ±3K | 10,512 | 41.1% |
| 4 | Chinese (not specified) | 16,042 ±1K | 7,716 | 48.1% |
| 5 | Ukrainian | 11,801 ±2K | 6,384 | 54.1% |
| 6 | Korean | 9,467 ±1K | 4,156 | 43.9% |
| 7 | Arabic | 9,559 ±2K | 2,987 | 31.2% |
| 8 | Mandarin Chinese | 6,054 ±521 | 2,912 | 48.1% |
| 9 | Japanese | 9,191 ±1K | 2,507 | 27.3% |
| 10 | Cantonese | 5,089 ±954 | 2,468 | 48.5% |
| 11 | Tagalog | 7,544 ±1K | 1,660 | 22% |
| 12 | Persian | 4,454 ±1K | 1,653 | 37.1% |
| 13 | Romanian | 6,380 ±2K | 1,635 | 25.6% |
| 14 | Thai | 2,756 ±789 | 1,556 | 56.5% |
| 15 | Nepali | 2,451 ±936 | 1,463 | — |
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 Portland, OR-WA have limited English proficiency?
- About 155,607 residents of the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 53 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in Portland, OR-WA?
- By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Vietnamese, and Russian. Spanish leads, with about 76,061 people who speak English less than "very well."
- What is the most spoken language other than English in Portland, OR-WA?
- Spanish, with about 213,307 speakers at home in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area.