Chinese, Tagalog among top languages spoken at US homes

A lot of people in the United States speak Chinese and Tagalog. English is sstill the dominant language of the US.

Overall, almost 22% of Americans speak a language other than English at home. However, Americans are overwhelmingly monolingual. Over three-quarters (78.3%) of the nation age 5 and older spoke only English at home, according to the 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS), 5-year estimates released Dec. 7. This is a decrease from 78.7% in 2013-2017, the most recent nonoverlapping five-year period. 

Among those that spoke a language other than English in 2018-2022, it is not surprising that Spanish (61.1%) is the next most common language spoken at home reflecting the proximity of Mexico and the rest of Latin America and the United States'  erratic policies on immigration.

The next two languages spoken at home are Chinese (which includes all dialects) (5.1%), and Tagalog (including Filipino) (2.5%).

However, among the population age 5 and older that spoke a language other than English at home, Tagalog speakers, 69.8%, said that they spoke English "very well,"  the most of any foreign language speakers. The high English fluency rate among Filipinos is attributed to the wide use of English in the Philippines, a former colony of the US.

The Filipino Americans were followed 61% of Spanish speakers, most of whom come from Mexico, the largest source of immigrants to the US.  Meanwhile, 48% of Chinese speakers said they spoke English "very well."

"English remains the most commonly spoken language," said Adrienne Griffiths, survey statistician in the Education and Social Stratification Branch. “Across most age groups, the majority of the population who spoke a language other than English at home still spoke English very well.”

Among specific age groups that spoke a language other than English at home:

• In 2018-2022, 70.0% of those ages 5-17 spoke Spanish. Of these Spanish speakers, 79.8% spoke English “very well.” In comparison, in 2013-2017, 72.0% of those ages 5-17 spoke Spanish, and 80.3% of these Spanish speakers spoke English “very well.”

• In 2018-2022, 61.0% of those ages 18-64 spoke Spanish. Of these Spanish speakers, 58.3% spoke English “very well.” 

• In comparison, in 2013-2017, 61.6% of those ages 18-64 spoke Spanish, and 54.8% of these Spanish speakers spoke English “very well.”

• In 2018-2022, 49.0% of those age 65 and older spoke Spanish. Of these Spanish speakers, 41.6% spoke English “very well.” In comparison, in 2013-2017, 47.3% of those age 65 and older spoke Spanish, and 38.0% of these Spanish speakers spoke English “very well.”

Local, state, tribal, and federal agencies use language data to plan government programs for adults and children who do not speak English well. These data are also used to ensure that information about public health, law, regulations, voting, and safety is communicated in languages that community members understand.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.