#85 most spoken · language profile
Oromo in the United States
An estimated 30,646 people aged 5 and older speak Oromo at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 41% of them, roughly 12,561 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Minneapolis, where about 37% of Oromo speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Oromo is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 47 additional metro areas have Oromo speakers but did not meet Census reliability standards and are not listed.
| # | Metro area | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 12,256 ±3K | 37% | 28.7–45.4% |
| 2 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,573 ±544 | 29.6% | 19–40.2% |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,464 ±682 | not reliable | — |
Limited English means speaking English less than "very well." Margins of error are at the 90 percent confidence level. "Range" is the 90 percent confidence interval for the limited-English share.
Help Oromo speakers be understood
Every dot on this map is a person who deserves to be understood. Medical, legal, and community interpreters turn that need into access. Training is how you start.
Frequently asked questions
- How many people speak Oromo in the United States?
- An estimated 30,646 people aged 5 and older speak Oromo at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Oromo speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 41 percent, roughly 12,561 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Oromo speakers?
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, with about 12,256 Oromo speakers at home.
- Where is Oromo interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI stands out, where about 37 percent of Oromo speakers report speaking English less than "very well."