E.g., 12/09/2023
E.g., 12/09/2023
State Language Data - AZ
 

Arizona

Language & Education
2021
2000
1990
English Proficiency

Note: The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English "not at all," "not well," or "well" on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English "very well" are considered proficient in English.

Note: The term "foreign born" refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the population survey who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent immigrants (or green-card holders), refugees and asylees, certain legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or some other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization.

Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 913,824
Speak only English 17.1%
Speak English "very well" 37.3%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 45.6%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2021 15.0%
% change: 1990-2000 172.0%
English Proficiency of the Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status (age 5 and older)*

Note: The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English "not at all," "not well," or "well" on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English "very well" are considered proficient in English. Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the Census Bureau's pooled 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2021 ACS.

 
Naturalized citizens 445,378
Speak only English 22%
Speak English "very well" 42.1%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 35.9%
Noncitizens 468,446
Speak only English 12.5%
Speak English "very well" 32.8%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 54.7%

Note: The term "U.S. born" refers to people residing in the United States who were U.S. citizens in one of three categories: people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; people born in U.S. Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or people who were born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen parent.

U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 5,960,237
Speak only English 82.7%
Speak English ""very well"" 15.0%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2.4%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011 -19.8%
% change: 1990-2000 26.2%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 643,640
Speak only English 15.1%
"Speak English ""very well"" 28.7%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 56.2%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 4,109,084
Speak only English 83.4%
"Speak English ""very well"" 12.3%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4.3%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 271,380
Speak only English 20.1%
"Speak English ""very well"" 30.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 49.0%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 3,090,890
Speak only English 84.5%
"Speak English ""very well"" 11.0%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4.6%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Population (age 5 and older)
 
 
Language Spoken at Home (by age and English proficiency)

Note: The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English "not at all," "not well," or "well" on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English "very well" are considered proficient in English.

Number
Ages 5-17 1,212,029
Speak only English 905,754
Speak language other than English 306,275
Speak English "very well"
260,518
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
45,757
Speak Spanish 260,383
Speak English "very well"
221,405
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
38,978
Ages 18-64 4,328,047
Speak only English 3,063,589
Speak language other than English 1,264,458
Speak English "very well"
852,249
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
412,209
Speak Spanish 960,567
Speak English "very well"
629,949
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
330,618
65 and Older 1,333,985
Speak only English 1,113,405
Speak language other than English 220,580
Speak English "very well"
119,541
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
101,039
Speak Spanish 146,279
Speak English "very well"
76,792
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
69,487
%
65 and Older 100%
Speak only English 74.7%
Speak language other than English 25.3%
Speak English "very well" 21.5%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 3.8%
Speak Spanish 21.5%
Speak English "very well" 18.3%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 3.2%
Ages 18-64 100%
Speak only English 70.8%
Speak language other than English 29.2%
Speak English "very well" 19.7%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 9.5%
Speak Spanish 22.2%
Speak English "very well" 14.6%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 7.6%
Ages 5-17 100%
Speak only English 83.5%
Speak language other than English 16.5%
Speak English "very well" 9.0%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 7.6%
Speak Spanish 11.0%
Speak English "very well" 5.8%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 5.2%
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Population (age 5 and older)
 
 
Language Spoken at Home (detailed, by English proficiency)

Note: 1) The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English "not at all," "not well," or "well" on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English "very well" are considered proficient in English. 2) Data for Alaska, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2021 ACS.

Number
Total Household Population, Age 5 and Older 6,874,061
Speak only English 5,082,748
Speak language other than English 1,791,313
Spanish 1,367,229
Speak English "very well" 928,146
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 439,083
French (Including Cajun) 16,691
Speak English "very well" 14,189
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,502
Haitian 801
Speak English "very well" 671
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 130
Italian 6,076
Speak English "very well" 5,315
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 761
Portuguese 5,605
Speak English "very well" 4,546
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,059
German 15,790
Speak English "very well" 14,047
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,743
Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or Other West Germanic Languages 3,297
Speak English "very well" 3,006
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 291
Russian 7,151
Speak English "very well" 5,647
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,504
Polish 4,917
Speak English "very well" 2,743
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,174
Other Slavic Languages 13,990
Speak English "very well" 11,163
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,827
Armenian 816
Speak English "very well" 665
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 151
Persian (including Farsi, Dari) 5,880
Speak English "very well" 3,317
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,563
Gujarati 7,328
Speak English "very well" 5,307
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,021
Hindi 15,273
Speak English "very well" 12,868
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,405
Urdu 3,322
Speak English "very well" 2,641
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 681
Punjabi 1,811
Speak English "very well" 1,724
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 87
Bengali 4,061
Speak English "very well" 3,179
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 882
Nepali, Marathi, or Other Indic Languages 5,173
Speak English "very well" 3,060
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,113
Other Indo-European Languages 13,933
Speak English "very well" 9,919
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,014
Telugu 6,591
Speak English "very well" 5,549
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,042
Tamil 4,312
Speak English "very well" 3,497
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 815
Malayalam, Kannada, or Other Dravidian Languages 2,549
Speak English "very well" 2,192
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 357
Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese) 33,265
Speak English "very well" 16,761
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 16,504
Japanese 6,410
Speak English "very well" 4,170
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,240
Korean 11,161
Speak English "very well" 6,053
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 5,108
Hmong 72
Speak English "very well" 45
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 27
Vietnamese 24,742
Speak English "very well" 11,256
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 13,486
Khmer 1,281
Speak English "very well" 324
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 957
Thai, Lao, or Other Tai-Kadai Languages 5,377
Speak English "very well" 2,516
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,861
Other Languages of Asia 3,588
Speak English "very well" 1,707
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,881
Tagalog (including Filipino) 28,639
Speak English "very well" 21,870
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 6,769
Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or Other Austronesian Languages 8,603
Speak English "very well" 6,425
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,178
Arabic 22,774
Speak English "very well" 15,185
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 7,589
Hebrew 2,325
Speak English "very well" 1,911
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 414
Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages 12,260
Speak English "very well" 9,236
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3,024
Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or Other Languages of Western Africa 4,259
Speak English "very well" 3,728
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 531
Swahili or Other Languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa 9,792
Speak English "very well" 6,526
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3,266
Native Languages of North America 101,017
Speak English "very well" 78,959
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 22,058
Other and Unspecified Languages 3,152
Speak English "very well" 2,245
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 907
%
Field 306 100%
Field 307 73.9%
Field 308 26.1%
Field 310 100%
Field 310 67.9%
Field 310 32.1%
Field 313 100%
Field 314 85.0%
Field 315 15.0%
Field 316 100%
Field 316 83.8%
Field 316 16.2%
Field 319 100%
Field 319 87.5%
Field 319 12.5%
Field 322 100%
Field 322 81.1%
Field 322 18.9%
Field 325 100%
Field 325 89.0%
Field 325 11.0%
Field 328 100%
Field 328 91.2%
Field 328 8.8%
Field 331 100%
Field 331 79.0%
Field 331 21.0%
Field 334 100%
Field 334 55.8%
Field 334 44.2%
Field 337 100%
Field 337 79.8%
Field 337 20.2%
Field 340 100%
Field 340 81.5%
Field 340 18.5%
Field 343 100%
Field 343 56.4%
Field 343 43.6%
Field 346 100%
Field 346 72.4%
Field 346 27.6%
Field 349 100%
Field 349 84.3%
Field 349 15.7%
Field 352 100%
Field 352 79.5%
Field 352 20.5%
Field 355 100%
Field 355 95.2%
Field 355 4.8%
Field 358 100%
Field 358 78.3%
Field 358 21.7%
Field 361 100%
Field 361 59.2%
Field 361 40.8%
Field 364 100%
Field 364 71.2%
Field 364 28.8%
Field 367 100%
Field 367 84.2%
Field 367 15.8%
Field 370 100%
Field 370 81.1%
Field 370 18.9%
Field 373 100%
Field 373 86.0%
Field 373 14.0%
Field 376 100%
Field 376 50.4%
Field 376 49.6%
Field 379 100%
Field 379 65.1%
Field 379 34.9%
Field 382 100%
Field 382 54.2%
Field 382 45.8%
Field 385 100%
Field 385 62.5%
Field 385 37.5%
Field 388 100%
Field 388 45.5%
Field 388 54.5%
Field 391 100%
Field 391 25.3%
Field 391 74.7%
Field 394 100%
Field 394 46.8%
Field 394 53.2%
Field 397 100%
Field 397 47.6%
Field 397 52.4%
Field 400 100%
Field 400 76.4%
Field 400 23.6%
Field 403 100%
Field 403 74.7%
Field 403 25.3%
Field 406 100%
Field 406 66.7%
Field 406 33.3%
Field 409 100%
Field 409 82.2%
Field 409 17.8%
Field 412 100%
Field 412 75.3%
Field 412 24.7%
Field 415 100%
Field 415 87.5%
Field 415 12.5%
Field 418 100%
Field 418 66.6%
Field 418 33.4%
Field 421 100%
Field 421 78.2%
Field 421 21.8%
Field 424 100%
Field 424 71.2%
Field 424 28.8%
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Educational Attainment Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 828,097
Less than high school diploma 30.4%
High school diploma or GED 23.2%
Some college or associate's degree 20.8%
Bachelor's degree 13.7%
Graduate or professional degree 11.8%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 45.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher 13.1%
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2021 9.0%
% change: 1990-2000 125.9%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2021 182.5%
% change: 1990-2000 157.7%
Educational Attainment by U.S. Citizenship Status (foreign-born adults, age 25 and older)

Note: 1) Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2021 ACS. 2) The letter N Indicates that a number could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.

 
Naturalized citizens (%) 422,160
Less than high school diploma 21%
High school diploma or GED 21.9%
Some college or associate's degree 25.4%
Bachelor's degree 16.8%
Graduate or professional degree 14.9%
Noncitizens (%) 405,937
Less than high school diploma 40.1%
High school diploma or GED 24.6%
Some college or associate's degree 16.1%
Bachelor's degree 10.6%
Graduate or professional degree 8.7%
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 4,152,200
Less than high school diploma 7.2%
High school diploma or GED 23.5%
Some college or associate's degree 35.5%
Bachelor's degree 21.0%
Graduate or professional degree 12.8%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Nothing  
Nothing  
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2011 -23.8%
% change: 1990-2000 0.3%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2011 101.9%
% change: 1990-2000 60.1%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 476,607
Less than high school diploma 48.4%
High school diploma or GED 18.7%
Some college or associate's degree 17.2%
Bachelor's degree 8.9%
Graduate or professional degree 6.8%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 37.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher 9.7%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 2,783,320
Less than high school diploma 14.0%
High school diploma or GED 25.3%
Some college or associate's degree 35.7%
Bachelor's degree 16.3%
Graduate or professional degree 8.7%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 206,614
Less than high school diploma 49.5%
High school diploma or GED 18.4%
Some college or associate's degree 18.1%
Bachelor's degree 7.6%
Graduate or professional degree 6.5%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 20.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher 6.3%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 2,089,870
Less than high school diploma 18.6%
High school diploma or GED 27.1%
Some college or associate's degree 33.5%
Bachelor's degree 13.9%
Graduate or professional degree 6.9%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Sources: Migration Policy Institute tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and Decennial Census. Unless stated otherwise, 2021 data are from the one-year ACS file. For information about ACS definitions, click here. For ACS methodology, sampling error, and nonsampling error, click here. Estimates from 1990 and 2000 Decennial Census data as well as ACS microdata are from Steven Ruggles, Sarah Flood, Ronald Goeken, Megan Schouweiler and Matthew Sobek. IPUMS USA: Version 12.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2022. https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V12.0.

Definitions

  • The term "foreign born" refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the population survey who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent immigrants (or green-card holders), refugees and asylees, certain legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or some other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization.
  • The term "U.S. born" refers to people residing in the United States who were U.S. citizens in one of three categories: people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; people born in U.S. Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or people who were born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen parent.
  • The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English “not at all,” “not well,” or “well” on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English “very well” are considered proficient in English.

Data-related notes

  • The letter N indicates that an estimate could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.
  • For “English proficiency of the foreign born by U.S. citizenship status” and “Educational Attainment by U.S. Citizenship Status”: Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the Census Bureau's pooled 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2021 ACS. 
  • For “Language Spoken at Home (detailed, by English proficiency)”: Data for Alaska, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2021 ACS.