#15 most spoken · language profile
Urdu in the United States
An estimated 537,374 people aged 5 and older speak Urdu at home across U.S. metropolitan areas. About 27.3% of them, roughly 146,741 people, speak English less than "very well." Interpreter demand is highest where the limited-English population is largest, such as Stockton, where about 37.1% of Urdu speakers report speaking English less than "very well."
Where Urdu is spoken: top metro areas
Ranked by number of speakers at home. 190 additional metro areas have Urdu 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 | 97,785 ±6K | 34.5% | 32.7–36.4% |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 57,999 ±4K | 25.8% | 23.9–27.8% |
| 3 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 46,152 ±4K | 27.9% | 25–30.7% |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 41,375 ±3K | 26.7% | 24.1–29.3% |
| 5 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 34,912 ±4K | 23.4% | 20.4–26.5% |
| 6 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 18,298 ±3K | 26.8% | 22.2–31.3% |
| 7 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | 12,866 ±2K | 21.2% | 17.8–24.6% |
| 8 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 12,825 ±2K | 29.6% | 24.7–34.5% |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | 12,094 ±2K | 23.5% | 19.6–27.5% |
| 10 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 11,854 ±2K | 22.7% | 19.1–26.4% |
| 11 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 11,005 ±2K | 32% | 26.6–37.4% |
| 12 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL | 7,542 ±1K | 27% | 20.7–33.2% |
| 13 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 7,369 ±2K | 21.4% | 16.3–26.5% |
| 14 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 6,972 ±1K | 32.4% | 25.4–39.5% |
| 15 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 6,340 ±1K | 27.5% | 22.6–32.4% |
| 16 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 6,245 ±1K | 18.2% | 13–23.4% |
| 17 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 6,209 ±1K | 18.1% | 13.3–22.9% |
| 18 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | 5,543 ±967 | 24.3% | 18.8–29.8% |
| 19 | Stockton, CA | 4,237 ±1K | 37.1% | 29.1–45.1% |
| 20 | Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT | 4,058 ±846 | 31.2% | 22.4–40% |
| 21 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 3,718 ±969 | 22.2% | 15.3–29.1% |
| 22 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 3,701 ±901 | 26.7% | 19–34.4% |
| 23 | Columbus, OH | 3,415 ±1K | 29.3% | 19.9–38.7% |
| 24 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | 3,217 ±986 | 32.9% | 22.2–43.6% |
| 25 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 2,873 ±891 | 24% | 14.8–33.2% |
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 Urdu 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 Urdu in the United States?
- An estimated 537,374 people aged 5 and older speak Urdu at home across U.S. metropolitan areas, based on the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
- What share of Urdu speakers have limited English proficiency?
- About 27.3 percent, roughly 146,741 people, report speaking English less than "very well." That is the population professional interpreters serve.
- Which U.S. metro area has the most Urdu speakers?
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, with about 97,785 Urdu speakers at home.
- Where is Urdu interpreter demand highest?
- Demand tracks the size of the limited-English population. Stockton, CA stands out, where about 37.1 percent of Urdu speakers report speaking English less than "very well."