Metro language profile
Languages spoken in Seattle, WA
About 372,192 people in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area speak English less than "very well," across 77 languages. These tables show which languages those residents speak and where interpreter demand is highest.
372,192
Residents with limited English
77
Languages reported
Spanish
Most spoken besides English
Languages by interpreter demand in Seattle, 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 | 269,313 ±5K | 105,571 | 39.2% |
| 2 | Vietnamese | 60,052 ±4K | 35,033 | 58.3% |
| 3 | Chinese (not specified) | 77,429 ±3K | 33,048 | 42.7% |
| 4 | Korean | 47,216 ±3K | 24,973 | 52.9% |
| 5 | Russian | 43,880 ±4K | 17,979 | 41% |
| 6 | Ukrainian | 24,199 ±4K | 13,252 | 54.8% |
| 7 | Mandarin Chinese | 29,223 ±975 | 12,473 | 42.7% |
| 8 | Tagalog | 36,260 ±3K | 12,042 | 33.2% |
| 9 | Cantonese | 17,235 ±2K | 8,718 | 50.6% |
| 10 | Khmer (Cambodian) | 13,789 ±2K | 7,619 | 55.3% |
| 11 | Japanese | 20,811 ±2K | 7,172 | 34.5% |
| 12 | Amharic | 16,840 ±2K | 7,094 | 42.1% |
| 13 | Arabic | 19,559 ±3K | 6,111 | 31.2% |
| 14 | Punjabi | 14,160 ±2K | 5,962 | 42.1% |
| 15 | Somali | 13,109 ±2K | 4,834 | 36.9% |
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 Seattle, WA have limited English proficiency?
- About 372,192 residents of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area speak English less than "very well," across the 77 languages reported there. They are the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which languages have the highest interpreter demand in Seattle, WA?
- By number of residents with limited English proficiency, the top languages are Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese (not specified). Spanish leads, with about 105,571 people who speak English less than "very well."
- What is the most spoken language other than English in Seattle, WA?
- Spanish, with about 269,313 speakers at home in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area.