Metro language profile
Languages spoken in San Jose, CA
About 368,973 people in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA area speak English less than "very well," across 56 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.
Languages by interpreter demand in San Jose, 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 | 307,719 ±4K | 124,028 | 40.3% |
| 2 | Vietnamese | 118,688 ±5K | 71,053 | 59.9% |
| 3 | Chinese (not specified) | 118,165 ±4K | 50,520 | 42.8% |
| 4 | Mandarin Chinese | 44,597 ±1K | 19,067 | 42.8% |
| 5 | Tagalog | 40,152 ±3K | 13,301 | 33.1% |
| 6 | Korean | 28,443 ±2K | 12,784 | 44.9% |
| 7 | Cantonese | 21,915 ±2K | 9,607 | 43.8% |
| 8 | Hindi | 53,589 ±3K | 7,297 | 13.6% |
| 9 | Persian | 19,311 ±2K | 6,055 | 31.4% |
| 10 | Russian | 16,760 ±2K | 5,766 | 34.4% |
| 11 | Japanese | 12,964 ±2K | 5,561 | 42.9% |
| 12 | Punjabi | 11,891 ±2K | 4,465 | 37.5% |
| 13 | Telugu | 19,955 ±2K | 3,280 | 16.4% |
| 14 | Portuguese | 10,540 ±1K | 3,257 | 30.9% |
| 15 | Tamil | 22,598 ±2K | 3,098 | 13.7% |
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 Jose, CA have limited English proficiency?
- About 368,973 residents of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 56 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in San Jose, CA?
- By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese (not specified). Spanish leads, with about 124,028 people who speak English less than "very well."
- What is the most spoken language other than English in San Jose, CA?
- Spanish, with about 307,719 speakers at home in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA area.