67.8 million
people in the United States spoke a language other than English at home
That was almost one in five people age 5 and older in 2019.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community SurveyReference page
Spanish language statistics in the United States.
A concise, sourced snapshot for educators, healthcare professionals, students, and writers. Last updated August 25, 2026.
At a glance
These figures bring together the latest data currently published by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics for each measure. The data years differ by source and are shown with every statistic.
62%
of people who spoke a language other than English at home spoke Spanish
Spanish was the most common non-English language spoken at home in the United States in 2019.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey55%
of Spanish speakers in the United States were born in the United States
This reflects the broad, multigenerational role Spanish plays in communities across the country.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey39%
of Spanish speakers spoke English less than “very well”
The Census measure describes self-reported English ability among people who speak Spanish at home.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey5.3 million
public school students were English learners
English learners made up 10.6% of public school enrollment in fall 2021.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, fall 20214.0 million
English learners reported Spanish as their home language
That represented 76.4% of English learners and 8.4% of all public school students in fall 2021.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, fall 2021What the numbers show
Spanish is central to everyday communication, learning, and public service in the United States.
Spanish language use reaches well beyond one setting or one generation. For teachers, the data adds context to the students and families they serve. For healthcare professionals, it reinforces why clear, respectful language access matters. For learners, it is a reminder that Spanish is used across communities throughout the country.
These numbers do not measure Spanish fluency, language preference, or the need for an interpreter in a specific situation. They describe the survey measures named by each source.
Methodology and sources
How this page is maintained
Each statistic is taken directly from a named public source and linked above. Spanish Help Fast will review this page regularly and update a figure when a newer comparable source is available. Sources are not combined to create new estimates.
- U.S. Census Bureau, “Languages We Speak in the United States”, published December 6, 2022, using 2019 American Community Survey data.
- National Center for Education Statistics, “English Learners in Public Schools”, using fall 2021 enrollment data.