Metro language profile
Languages spoken in San Francisco, CA
About 726,053 people in the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA area speak English less than "very well," across 76 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.
Languages by interpreter demand in San Francisco, 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 | 717,160 ±8K | 290,724 | 40.5% |
| 2 | Chinese (not specified) | 192,501 ±4K | 97,746 | 50.8% |
| 3 | Cantonese | 127,709 ±5K | 73,075 | 57.2% |
| 4 | Tagalog | 129,065 ±5K | 42,261 | 32.7% |
| 5 | Mandarin Chinese | 72,652 ±2K | 36,890 | 50.8% |
| 6 | Vietnamese | 47,228 ±4K | 26,606 | 56.3% |
| 7 | Korean | 34,620 ±2K | 15,489 | 44.7% |
| 8 | Russian | 31,454 ±2K | 11,979 | 38.1% |
| 9 | Hindi | 67,948 ±3K | 10,106 | 14.9% |
| 10 | Persian | 30,455 ±3K | 9,731 | 32% |
| 11 | Punjabi | 26,224 ±3K | 9,083 | 34.6% |
| 12 | Filipino | 27,263 ±2K | 8,657 | 31.8% |
| 13 | Japanese | 20,094 ±1K | 7,834 | 39% |
| 14 | Arabic | 24,694 ±3K | 7,831 | 31.7% |
| 15 | Portuguese | 20,623 ±2K | 6,461 | 31.3% |
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 Francisco, CA have limited English proficiency?
- About 726,053 residents of the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 76 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in San Francisco, CA?
- By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Chinese (not specified), and Cantonese. Spanish leads, with about 290,724 people who speak English less than "very well."
- What is the most spoken language other than English in San Francisco, CA?
- Spanish, with about 717,160 speakers at home in the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA area.