#117 most spoken · language profile
Standard Latvian in the United States
An estimated 11,503 people aged 5 and older speak Standard Latvian at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 15.8% of them, roughly 1,818 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as New York, where about 18.9% of Standard Latvian speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Standard Latvian is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 46 additional metro areas have Standard Latvian speakers but did not meet Census reliability standards and are not listed.
| # | Metro area | Speakers (± margin) | Limited English | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 1,552 ±631 | 18.9% | 10.1–27.6% |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 972 ±414 | not reliable | — |
| 3 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 748 ±348 | not reliable | — |
| 4 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 730 ±329 | not reliable | — |
| 5 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 585 ±245 | not reliable | — |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 466 ±218 | 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 Standard Latvian 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 Standard Latvian in the United States?
- An estimated 11,503 people aged 5 and older speak Standard Latvian at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Standard Latvian speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 15.8 percent, roughly 1,818 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Standard Latvian speakers?
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, with about 1,552 Standard Latvian speakers at home.
- Where is Standard Latvian interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA stands out, where about 18.9 percent of Standard Latvian speakers report speaking English less than "very well."