Metro language profile
Languages spoken in San Diego, CA
About 408,432 people in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA area speak English less than "very well," across 60 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.
Languages by interpreter demand in San Diego, CA
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 | 749,527 ±8K | 263,026 | 35.1% |
| 2 | Tagalog | 69,500 ±4K | 24,680 | 35.5% |
| 3 | Vietnamese | 40,641 ±3K | 23,338 | 57.4% |
| 4 | Chinese (not specified) | 31,820 ±2K | 15,210 | 47.8% |
| 5 | Arabic | 30,311 ±4K | 14,215 | 46.9% |
| 6 | Korean | 15,021 ±1K | 7,333 | 48.8% |
| 7 | Persian | 15,245 ±2K | 5,890 | 38.6% |
| 8 | Mandarin Chinese | 12,009 ±774 | 5,741 | 47.8% |
| 9 | Japanese | 13,164 ±2K | 5,021 | 38.1% |
| 10 | Filipino | 13,608 ±1K | 4,816 | 35.4% |
| 11 | Russian | 12,500 ±2K | 4,417 | 35.3% |
| 12 | Lao | 4,661 ±966 | 2,941 | 63.1% |
| 13 | Chaldean Neo-Aramaic | 6,910 ±2K | 2,811 | 40.7% |
| 14 | Cantonese | 6,689 ±1K | 2,668 | 39.9% |
| 15 | Khmer (Cambodian) | 4,342 ±885 | 2,507 | 57.7% |
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 San Diego, CA have limited English proficiency?
- About 408,432 residents of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 60 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in San Diego, CA?
- By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Spanish leads, with about 263,026 people who speak English less than "very well."
- What is the most spoken language other than English in San Diego, CA?
- Spanish, with about 749,527 speakers at home in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA area.