Metro language profile

Languages spoken in Salem, OR

About 40,177 people in the Salem, OR area speak English less than "very well," across 10 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.

40,177
Residents with limited English
10
Languages reported
Spanish
Most spoken besides English
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Salem, OR: 40,177 limited-English speakers
Salem, OR highlighted. Each faint dot is another U.S. metro area in the map.

Languages by interpreter demand in Salem, OR

Ranked by the number of speakers who report limited English proficiency, the measure of interpreter need.

Languages spoken in Salem, OR, with speakers, limited-English counts, and rates
# Language Speakers (± margin) Limited English (count) Limited English (rate)
1 Spanish 78,630 ±3K 37,075 47.2%
2 Russian 3,953 ±1K 1,140 28.8%
3 Chinese (not specified) 1,095 ±367 661 60.4%
4 Marshallese 1,131 ±514 490 43.3%
5 Mandarin Chinese 413 ±138 250 60.4%
6 Korean 806 ±380 241
7 German 1,180 ±329 153
8 Japanese 487 ±208 93
9 French 1,219 ±581 74
10 India N.E.C. 84 ±15 0

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 Salem, OR have limited English proficiency?
About 40,177 residents of the Salem, OR metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 10 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in Salem, OR?
By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Russian, and Chinese (not specified). Spanish leads, with about 37,075 people who speak English less than "very well."
What is the most spoken language other than English in Salem, OR?
Spanish, with about 78,630 speakers at home in the Salem, OR area.