E.g., 06/09/2026
E.g., 06/09/2026

State Language Data - IL

 
Illinois
United States
Language & Education
2024
2024
English Proficiency Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 1,943,716
Speak only English 13.2%
Speak English "very well" 38.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 48.0%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2024 12.8%
% change: 1990-2000 79.2%
English Proficiency of the Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status (age 5 and older)*  
Naturalized citizens 1,011,018
Speak only English 16.1%
Speak English "very well" 45.4%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 38.5%
Noncitizens 932,698
Speak only English 10.1%
Speak English "very well" 31.7%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 58.2%
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 10,111,325
Speak only English 87.5%
Speak English ""very well"" 10.7%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1.8%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011 -19.0%
% change: 1990-2000 19.5%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
English Proficiency Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 49,828,046
Speak only English 16.3%
Speak English "very well" 36.6%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 47.1%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2019 49.7%
% change: 1990-2000 71.8%
English Proficiency of the Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status (age 5 and older)*  
Naturalized citizens 25,786,696
Speak only English 20.6%
Speak English "very well" 42.8%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 36.6%
Noncitizens 24,041,350
Speak only English 11.7%
Speak English "very well" 29.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 58.4%
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 271,917,897
Speak only English 88.1%
Speak English ""very well"" 9.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2.0%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011 -3.4%
% change: 1990-2000 17.6%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Population (age 5 and older)
Population (age 5 and older)
Language Spoken at Home (by age and English proficiency) Number
Ages 5-17 2,037,543
Speak only English 1,572,181
Speak language other than English 465,362
Speak English "very well"
366,480
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
98,882
Speak Spanish 304,926
Speak English "very well"
237,849
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
67,077
Ages 18-64 7,742,916
Speak only English 5,649,556
Speak language other than English 2,093,360
Speak English "very well"
1,308,977
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
784,383
Speak Spanish 1,225,718
Speak English "very well"
727,827
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
497,891
65 and Older 2,274,582
Speak only English 1,879,631
Speak language other than English 394,951
Speak English "very well"
161,013
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
233,938
Speak Spanish 172,172
Speak English "very well"
57,889
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
114,283
%
65 and Older 100%
Speak only English 77.2%
Speak language other than English 22.8%
Speak English "very well" 18.0%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 4.9%
Speak Spanish 15.0%
Speak English "very well" 11.7%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 3.3%
Ages 18-64 100%
Speak only English 73.0%
Speak language other than English 27.0%
Speak English "very well" 16.9%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 10.1%
Speak Spanish 15.8%
Speak English "very well" 9.4%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 6.4%
Ages 5-17 100%
Speak only English 82.6%
Speak language other than English 17.4%
Speak English "very well" 7.1%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 10.3%
Speak Spanish 7.6%
Speak English "very well" 2.5%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 5.0%
Language Spoken at Home (by age and English proficiency) Number
Ages 5-17 54,564,265
Speak only English 42,535,284
Speak language other than English 12,028,981
Speak English "very well"
9,135,742
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
2,893,239
Speak Spanish 8,180,233
Speak English "very well"
6,197,548
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
1,982,685
Ages 18-64 205,936,395
Speak only English 153,806,200
Speak language other than English 52,130,195
Speak English "very well"
31,670,049
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
20,460,146
Speak Spanish 31,758,986
Speak English "very well"
18,188,756
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
13,570,230
65 and Older 61,245,283
Speak only English 51,353,626
Speak language other than English 9,891,657
Speak English "very well"
4,326,294
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
5,565,363
Speak Spanish 4,928,480
Speak English "very well"
2,049,174
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
2,879,306
%
65 and Older 100%
Speak only English 78.0%
Speak language other than English 22.0%
Speak English "very well" 16.7%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 5.3%
Speak Spanish 15.0%
Speak English "very well" 11.4%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 3.6%
Ages 18-64 100%
Speak only English 74.7%
Speak language other than English 25.3%
Speak English "very well" 15.4%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 9.9%
Speak Spanish 15.4%
Speak English "very well" 8.8%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 6.6%
Ages 5-17 100%
Speak only English 83.8%
Speak language other than English 16.2%
Speak English "very well" 7.1%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 9.1%
Speak Spanish 8.0%
Speak English "very well" 3.3%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 4.7%
 
Population (age 5 and older)
Population (age 5 and older)
Language Spoken at Home (detailed, by English proficiency) Number
Total Household Population, Age 5 and Older 12,055,041
Speak only English 9,101,368
Speak language other than English 2,953,673
Spanish 1,702,816
Speak English "very well" 1,023,565
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 679,251
French (Including Cajun) 32,123
Speak English "very well" 22,246
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 9,877
Haitian 4,152
Speak English "very well" 2,885
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,267
Italian 26,447
Speak English "very well" 20,137
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 6,310
Portuguese 10,926
Speak English "very well" 8,689
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,237
German 31,013
Speak English "very well" 27,615
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3,398
Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or Other West Germanic Languages 6,674
Speak English "very well" 4,739
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,935
Russian 48,066
Speak English "very well" 29,164
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 18,902
Polish 157,649
Speak English "very well" 91,821
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 65,828
Other Slavic Languages 93,918
Speak English "very well" 47,434
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 46,484
Armenian 2,146
Speak English "very well" 1,263
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 883
Persian (including Farsi, Dari) 10,394
Speak English "very well" 6,883
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3,511
Gujarati 50,397
Speak English "very well" 31,231
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 19,166
Hindi 52,252
Speak English "very well" 43,189
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 9,063
Urdu 57,097
Speak English "very well" 42,070
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 15,027
Punjabi 8,942
Speak English "very well" 5,983
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,959
Bengali 9,858
Speak English "very well" 5,665
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,193
Nepali, Marathi, or Other Indic Languages 14,829
Speak English "very well" 12,319
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,510
Other Indo-European Languages 76,955
Speak English "very well" 54,666
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 22,289
Telugu 26,141
Speak English "very well" 22,309
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3,832
Tamil 15,843
Speak English "very well" 12,903
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,940
Malayalam, Kannada, or Other Dravidian Languages 18,392
Speak English "very well" 13,427
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,965
Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese) 117,166
Speak English "very well" 58,357
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 58,809
Japanese 13,194
Speak English "very well" 8,385
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,809
Korean 46,881
Speak English "very well" 24,793
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 22,088
Hmong 181
Speak English "very well" 181
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) N
Vietnamese 24,412
Speak English "very well" 10,103
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 14,309
Khmer 1,794
Speak English "very well" 1,009
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 785
Thai, Lao, or Other Tai-Kadai Languages 11,243
Speak English "very well" 5,555
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 5,688
Other Languages of Asia 25,907
Speak English "very well" 13,398
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 12,509
Tagalog (including Filipino) 84,264
Speak English "very well" 63,292
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 20,972
Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or Other Austronesian Languages 10,542
Speak English "very well" 6,024
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,518
Arabic 78,419
Speak English "very well" 55,695
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 22,724
Hebrew 5,531
Speak English "very well" 4,950
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 581
Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages 23,110
Speak English "very well" 14,523
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 8,587
Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or Other Languages of Western Africa 34,854
Speak English "very well" 26,703
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 8,151
Swahili or Other Languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa 8,829
Speak English "very well" 6,318
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,511
Native Languages of North America 851
Speak English "very well" 806
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 45
Other and Unspecified Languages 9,465
Speak English "very well" 6,175
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3,290
%
Field 306 100%
Field 307 75.5%
Field 308 24.5%
Field 310 100%
Field 310 60.1%
Field 310 39.9%
Field 313 100%
Field 314 69.3%
Field 315 30.7%
Field 316 100%
Field 316 69.5%
Field 316 30.5%
Field 319 100%
Field 319 76.1%
Field 319 23.9%
Field 322 100%
Field 322 79.5%
Field 322 20.5%
Field 325 100%
Field 325 89.0%
Field 325 11.0%
Field 328 100%
Field 328 71.0%
Field 328 29.0%
Field 331 100%
Field 331 60.7%
Field 331 39.3%
Field 334 100%
Field 334 58.2%
Field 334 41.8%
Field 337 100%
Field 337 50.5%
Field 337 49.5%
Field 340 100%
Field 340 58.9%
Field 340 41.1%
Field 343 100%
Field 343 66.2%
Field 343 33.8%
Field 346 100%
Field 346 62.0%
Field 346 38.0%
Field 349 100%
Field 349 82.7%
Field 349 17.3%
Field 352 100%
Field 352 73.7%
Field 352 26.3%
Field 355 100%
Field 355 66.9%
Field 355 33.1%
Field 358 100%
Field 358 57.5%
Field 358 42.5%
Field 361 100%
Field 361 83.1%
Field 361 16.9%
Field 364 100%
Field 364 71.0%
Field 364 29.0%
Field 367 100%
Field 367 85.3%
Field 367 14.7%
Field 370 100%
Field 370 81.4%
Field 370 18.6%
Field 373 100%
Field 373 73.0%
Field 373 27.0%
Field 376 100%
Field 376 49.8%
Field 376 50.2%
Field 379 100%
Field 379 63.6%
Field 379 36.4%
Field 382 100%
Field 382 52.9%
Field 382 47.1%
Field 385 100%
Field 385 100.0%
Field 385 N
Field 388 100%
Field 388 41.4%
Field 388 58.6%
Field 391 100%
Field 391 56.2%
Field 391 43.8%
Field 394 100%
Field 394 49.4%
Field 394 50.6%
Field 397 100%
Field 397 51.7%
Field 397 48.3%
Field 400 100%
Field 400 75.1%
Field 400 24.9%
Field 403 100%
Field 403 57.1%
Field 403 42.9%
Field 406 100%
Field 406 71.0%
Field 406 29.0%
Field 409 100%
Field 409 89.5%
Field 409 10.5%
Field 412 100%
Field 412 62.8%
Field 412 37.2%
Field 415 100%
Field 415 76.6%
Field 415 23.4%
Field 418 100%
Field 418 71.6%
Field 418 28.4%
Field 421 100%
Field 421 94.7%
Field 421 5.3%
Field 424 100%
Field 424 65.2%
Field 424 34.8%
Language Spoken at Home (detailed, by English proficiency) Number
Total Household Population, Age 5 and Older 321,745,943
Speak only English 247,695,110
Speak language other than English 74,050,833
Spanish 44,867,699
Speak English "very well" 26,435,478
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 18,432,221
French (Including Cajun) 1,276,702
Speak English "very well" 997,472
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 279,230
Haitian 1,041,231
Speak English "very well" 586,261
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 454,970
Italian 507,347
Speak English "very well" 398,703
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 108,644
Portuguese 1,099,503
Speak English "very well" 705,493
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 394,010
German 874,078
Speak English "very well" 746,428
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 127,650
Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or Other West Germanic Languages 650,320
Speak English "very well" 425,211
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 225,109
Russian 1,021,165
Speak English "very well" 591,787
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 429,378
Polish 508,512
Speak English "very well" 322,757
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 185,755
Other Slavic Languages 789,577
Speak English "very well" 477,881
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 311,696
Armenian 267,904
Speak English "very well" 158,274
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 109,630
Persian (including Farsi, Dari) 570,013
Speak English "very well" 356,447
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 213,566
Gujarati 491,551
Speak English "very well" 343,056
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 148,495
Hindi 1,059,933
Speak English "very well" 885,303
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 174,630
Urdu 561,196
Speak English "very well" 413,018
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 148,178
Punjabi 382,413
Speak English "very well" 231,966
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 150,447
Bengali 494,034
Speak English "very well" 284,491
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 209,543
Nepali, Marathi, or Other Indic Languages 508,113
Speak English "very well" 343,244
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 164,869
Other Indo-European Languages 934,495
Speak English "very well" 657,728
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 276,767
Telugu 605,544
Speak English "very well" 501,345
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 104,199
Tamil 359,838
Speak English "very well" 310,178
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 49,660
Malayalam, Kannada, or Other Dravidian Languages 325,060
Speak English "very well" 255,960
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 69,100
Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese) 3,734,956
Speak English "very well" 1,839,955
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,895,001
Japanese 471,742
Speak English "very well" 292,644
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 179,098
Korean 1,150,701
Speak English "very well" 584,712
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 565,989
Hmong 230,698
Speak English "very well" 139,414
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 91,284
Vietnamese 1,599,409
Speak English "very well" 681,199
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 918,210
Khmer 190,601
Speak English "very well" 88,001
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 102,600
Thai, Lao, or Other Tai-Kadai Languages 301,051
Speak English "very well" 147,035
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 154,016
Other Languages of Asia 535,684
Speak English "very well" 286,508
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 249,176
Tagalog (including Filipino) 1,921,526
Speak English "very well" 1,336,802
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 584,724
Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or Other Austronesian Languages 502,152
Speak English "very well" 328,913
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 173,239
Arabic 1,484,439
Speak English "very well" 971,146
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 513,293
Hebrew 243,747
Speak English "very well" 210,823
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 32,924
Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages 638,785
Speak English "very well" 399,799
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 238,986
Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or Other Languages of Western Africa 773,238
Speak English "very well" 624,013
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 149,225
Swahili or Other Languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa 404,069
Speak English "very well" 265,181
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 138,888
Native Languages of North America 299,827
Speak English "very well" 239,197
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 60,630
Other and Unspecified Languages 371,980
Speak English "very well" 268,262
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 103,718
%
Field 306 100%
Field 307 77.0%
Field 308 23.0%
Field 310 100%
Field 310 58.9%
Field 310 41.1%
Field 313 100%
Field 314 78.1%
Field 315 21.9%
Field 316 100%
Field 316 56.3%
Field 316 43.7%
Field 319 100%
Field 319 78.6%
Field 319 21.4%
Field 322 100%
Field 322 64.2%
Field 322 35.8%
Field 325 100%
Field 325 85.4%
Field 325 14.6%
Field 328 100%
Field 328 65.4%
Field 328 34.6%
Field 331 100%
Field 331 58.0%
Field 331 42.0%
Field 334 100%
Field 334 63.5%
Field 334 36.5%
Field 337 100%
Field 337 60.5%
Field 337 39.5%
Field 340 100%
Field 340 59.1%
Field 340 40.9%
Field 343 100%
Field 343 62.5%
Field 343 37.5%
Field 346 100%
Field 346 69.8%
Field 346 30.2%
Field 349 100%
Field 349 83.5%
Field 349 16.5%
Field 352 100%
Field 352 73.6%
Field 352 26.4%
Field 355 100%
Field 355 60.7%
Field 355 39.3%
Field 358 100%
Field 358 57.6%
Field 358 42.4%
Field 361 100%
Field 361 67.6%
Field 361 32.4%
Field 364 100%
Field 364 70.4%
Field 364 29.6%
Field 367 100%
Field 367 82.8%
Field 367 17.2%
Field 370 100%
Field 370 86.2%
Field 370 13.8%
Field 373 100%
Field 373 78.7%
Field 373 21.3%
Field 376 100%
Field 376 49.3%
Field 376 50.7%
Field 379 100%
Field 379 62.0%
Field 379 38.0%
Field 382 100%
Field 382 50.8%
Field 382 49.2%
Field 385 100%
Field 385 60.4%
Field 385 39.6%
Field 388 100%
Field 388 42.6%
Field 388 57.4%
Field 391 100%
Field 391 46.2%
Field 391 53.8%
Field 394 100%
Field 394 48.8%
Field 394 51.2%
Field 397 100%
Field 397 53.5%
Field 397 46.5%
Field 400 100%
Field 400 69.6%
Field 400 30.4%
Field 403 100%
Field 403 65.5%
Field 403 34.5%
Field 406 100%
Field 406 65.4%
Field 406 34.6%
Field 409 100%
Field 409 86.5%
Field 409 13.5%
Field 412 100%
Field 412 62.6%
Field 412 37.4%
Field 415 100%
Field 415 80.7%
Field 415 19.3%
Field 418 100%
Field 418 65.6%
Field 418 34.4%
Field 421 100%
Field 421 79.8%
Field 421 20.2%
Field 424 100%
Field 424 72.1%
Field 424 27.9%
Educational Attainment Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 1,749,178
Less than high school diploma 23.4%
High school diploma or GED 22.7%
Some college or associate's degree 16.8%
Bachelor's degree 20.0%
Graduate or professional degree 17.0%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 49.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher 18.7%
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2024 -9.3%
% change: 1990-2000 43.2%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2024 114.7%
% change: 1990-2000 92.9%
Educational Attainment by U.S. Citizenship Status (foreign-born adults, age 25 and older)  
Naturalized citizens (%) 956,476
Less than high school diploma 17.8%
High school diploma or GED 20.8%
Some college or associate's degree 19.7%
Bachelor's degree 23.3%
Graduate or professional degree 18.5%
Noncitizens (%) 792,702
Less than high school diploma 30.2%
High school diploma or GED 25.1%
Some college or associate's degree 13.3%
Bachelor's degree 16.1%
Graduate or professional degree 15.3%
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 7,100,270
Less than high school diploma 5.8%
High school diploma or GED 25.1%
Some college or associate's degree 29.4%
Bachelor's degree 24.1%
Graduate or professional degree 15.6%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Nothing  
Nothing  
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2011 -59.9%
% change: 1990-2000 -27.4%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2011 59.1%
% change: 1990-2000 29.1%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Educational Attainment Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 44,136,455
Less than high school diploma 24.3%
High school diploma or GED 22.0%
Some college or associate's degree 17.8%
Bachelor's degree 19.6%
Graduate or professional degree 16.2%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 45.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher 18.2%
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2018 15.4%
% change: 1990-2000 47.9%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2018 169.8%
% change: 1990-2000 88.9%
Educational Attainment by U.S. Citizenship Status (foreign-born adults, age 25 and older)  
Naturalized citizens (%) 24,273,785
Less than high school diploma 17.4%
High school diploma or GED 20.6%
Some college or associate's degree 21.5%
Bachelor's degree 22.6%
Graduate or professional degree 17.9%
Noncitizens (%) 19,862,670
Less than high school diploma 32.8%
High school diploma or GED 23.7%
Some college or associate's degree 13.3%
Bachelor's degree 15.9%
Graduate or professional degree 14.3%
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 191,774,264
Less than high school diploma 6.8%
High school diploma or GED 26.6%
Some college or associate's degree 29.5%
Bachelor's degree 22.7%
Graduate or professional degree 14.4%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Nothing  
Nothing  
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2011 -50.6%
% change: 1990-2000 -19.8%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2011 84.4%
% change: 1990-2000 32.4%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Sources: Migration Policy Institute tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and Decennial Census. Unless stated otherwise, 2024 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, Matthew Sobek, Daniel Backman, Grace Cooper, Julia A. Rivera Drew, Stephanie Richards, Renae Rodgers, Jonathan Schroeder, and Kari C.W. Williams. IPUMS USA: Version 16.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2025. https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V16.0.

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.
  • “English proficiency of the foreign born by U.S. citizenship status” and “Educational Attainment by U.S. Citizenship Status”: Data for Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the Census Bureau's pooled 2020-2024 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2024 ACS. 
  • “Language Spoken at Home (detailed, by English proficiency)”: Data for Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2020-2024 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2024 ACS.