E.g., 10/01/2023
E.g., 10/01/2023
State Language Data - NM
 

New Mexico

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) (%) 192,478
Speak only English 15.0%
Speak English "very well" 36.2%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 48.8%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2021 12.5%
% change: 1990-2000 110.9%
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 87,364
Speak only English 18.8%
Speak English "very well" 43.2%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 38%
Noncitizens 105,114
Speak only English 11.9%
Speak English "very well" 30.3%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 57.8%

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) (%) 1,808,297
Speak only English 74.5%
Speak English ""very well"" 21.2%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4.3%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011 -34.5%
% change: 1990-2000 0.2%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 147,292
Speak only English 14.3%
"Speak English ""very well"" 29.0%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 56.7%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 1,542,619
Speak only English 68.2%
"Speak English ""very well"" 24.2%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 7.6%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 77,841
Speak only English 16.2%
"Speak English ""very well"" 32.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 50.9%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 1,305,168
Speak only English 67.5%
"Speak English ""very well"" 23.5%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 9.0%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
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 5-17 356,706
Speak only English 275,060
Speak language other than English 81,646
Speak English "very well"
64,742
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
16,904
Speak Spanish 66,203
Speak English "very well"
52,251
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
13,952
Ages 18-64 1,252,272
Speak only English 835,428
Speak language other than English 416,844
Speak English "very well"
302,946
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
113,898
Speak Spanish 320,533
Speak English "very well"
228,398
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
92,135
65 and Older 391,797
Speak only English 265,516
Speak language other than English 126,281
Speak English "very well"
86,078
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
40,203
Speak Spanish 102,479
Speak English "very well"
71,673
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
30,806
%
65 and Older 100%
Speak only English 77.1%
Speak language other than English 22.9%
Speak English "very well" 18.1%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 4.7%
Speak Spanish 18.6%
Speak English "very well" 14.6%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 3.9%
Ages 18-64 100%
Speak only English 66.7%
Speak language other than English 33.3%
Speak English "very well" 24.2%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 9.1%
Speak Spanish 25.6%
Speak English "very well" 18.2%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 7.4%
Ages 5-17 100%
Speak only English 67.8%
Speak language other than English 32.2%
Speak English "very well" 22.0%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 10.3%
Speak Spanish 26.2%
Speak English "very well" 18.3%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 7.9%
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
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 1,988,650
Speak only English 1,332,627
Speak language other than English 656,023
Spanish 510,402
Speak English "very well" 372,023
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 138,379
French (Including Cajun) 4,014
Speak English "very well" 3,446
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 568
Haitian 180
Speak English "very well" 140
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 40
Italian 1,213
Speak English "very well" 1,061
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 152
Portuguese 499
Speak English "very well" 356
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 143
German 5,334
Speak English "very well" 4,825
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 509
Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or Other West Germanic Languages 534
Speak English "very well" 500
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 34
Russian 755
Speak English "very well" 579
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 176
Polish 593
Speak English "very well" 448
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 145
Other Slavic Languages 888
Speak English "very well" 802
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 86
Armenian 47
Speak English "very well" 47
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) N
Persian (including Farsi, Dari) 1,232
Speak English "very well" 909
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 323
Gujarati 357
Speak English "very well" 273
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 84
Hindi 748
Speak English "very well" 607
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 141
Urdu 667
Speak English "very well" 526
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 141
Punjabi 207
Speak English "very well" 150
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 57
Bengali 353
Speak English "very well" 176
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 177
Nepali, Marathi, or Other Indic Languages 817
Speak English "very well" 615
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 202
Other Indo-European Languages 1,687
Speak English "very well" 1,299
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 388
Telugu 480
Speak English "very well" 448
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 32
Tamil 120
Speak English "very well" 83
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 37
Malayalam, Kannada, or Other Dravidian Languages 413
Speak English "very well" 274
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 139
Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese) 4,730
Speak English "very well" 2,898
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,832
Japanese 1,412
Speak English "very well" 981
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 431
Korean 2,158
Speak English "very well" 1,390
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 768
Hmong 11
Speak English "very well" 11
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) N
Vietnamese 4,586
Speak English "very well" 1,993
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,593
Khmer 42
Speak English "very well" 12
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 30
Thai, Lao, or Other Tai-Kadai Languages 875
Speak English "very well" 515
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 360
Other Languages of Asia 671
Speak English "very well" 483
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 188
Tagalog (including Filipino) 5,294
Speak English "very well" 4,126
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,168
Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or Other Austronesian Languages 865
Speak English "very well" 612
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 253
Arabic 2,584
Speak English "very well" 1,949
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 635
Hebrew 147
Speak English "very well" 129
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 18
Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages 170
Speak English "very well" 148
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 22
Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or Other Languages of Western Africa 1,249
Speak English "very well" 917
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 332
Swahili or Other Languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa 1,693
Speak English "very well" 1,011
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 682
Native Languages of North America 97,202
Speak English "very well" 75,976
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 21,226
Other and Unspecified Languages 794
Speak English "very well" 549
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 245
%
Field 306 100%
Field 307 67.0%
Field 308 33.0%
Field 310 100%
Field 310 72.9%
Field 310 27.1%
Field 313 100%
Field 314 85.8%
Field 315 14.2%
Field 316 100%
Field 316 77.8%
Field 316 22.2%
Field 319 100%
Field 319 87.5%
Field 319 12.5%
Field 322 100%
Field 322 71.3%
Field 322 28.7%
Field 325 100%
Field 325 90.5%
Field 325 9.5%
Field 328 100%
Field 328 93.6%
Field 328 6.4%
Field 331 100%
Field 331 76.7%
Field 331 23.3%
Field 334 100%
Field 334 75.5%
Field 334 24.5%
Field 337 100%
Field 337 90.3%
Field 337 9.7%
Field 340 100%
Field 340 100.0%
Field 340 N
Field 343 100%
Field 343 73.8%
Field 343 26.2%
Field 346 100%
Field 346 76.5%
Field 346 23.5%
Field 349 100%
Field 349 81.1%
Field 349 18.9%
Field 352 100%
Field 352 78.9%
Field 352 21.1%
Field 355 100%
Field 355 72.5%
Field 355 27.5%
Field 358 100%
Field 358 49.9%
Field 358 50.1%
Field 361 100%
Field 361 75.3%
Field 361 24.7%
Field 364 100%
Field 364 77.0%
Field 364 23.0%
Field 367 100%
Field 367 93.3%
Field 367 6.7%
Field 370 100%
Field 370 69.2%
Field 370 30.8%
Field 373 100%
Field 373 66.3%
Field 373 33.7%
Field 376 100%
Field 376 61.3%
Field 376 38.7%
Field 379 100%
Field 379 69.5%
Field 379 30.5%
Field 382 100%
Field 382 64.4%
Field 382 35.6%
Field 385 100%
Field 385 100.0%
Field 385 N
Field 388 100%
Field 388 43.5%
Field 388 56.5%
Field 391 100%
Field 391 28.6%
Field 391 71.4%
Field 394 100%
Field 394 58.9%
Field 394 41.1%
Field 397 100%
Field 397 72.0%
Field 397 28.0%
Field 400 100%
Field 400 77.9%
Field 400 22.1%
Field 403 100%
Field 403 70.8%
Field 403 29.2%
Field 406 100%
Field 406 75.4%
Field 406 24.6%
Field 409 100%
Field 409 87.8%
Field 409 12.2%
Field 412 100%
Field 412 87.1%
Field 412 12.9%
Field 415 100%
Field 415 73.4%
Field 415 26.6%
Field 418 100%
Field 418 59.7%
Field 418 40.3%
Field 421 100%
Field 421 78.2%
Field 421 21.8%
Field 424 100%
Field 424 69.1%
Field 424 30.9%
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Educational Attainment Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 171,685
Less than high school diploma 38.0%
High school diploma or GED 22.4%
Some college or associate's degree 18.0%
Bachelor's degree 10.4%
Graduate or professional degree 11.1%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 36.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher 8.5%
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2021 3.1%
% change: 1990-2000 92.6%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2021 129.9%
% change: 1990-2000 89.7%
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 (%) 83,758
Less than high school diploma 25.1%
High school diploma or GED 22.5%
Some college or associate's degree 24.3%
Bachelor's degree 14.3%
Graduate or professional degree 13.7%
Noncitizens (%) 87,927
Less than high school diploma 50.3%
High school diploma or GED 22.3%
Some college or associate's degree 12%
Bachelor's degree 6.7%
Graduate or professional degree 8.6%
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 1,278,864
Less than high school diploma 9.1%
High school diploma or GED 26.1%
Some college or associate's degree 33.6%
Bachelor's degree 16.7%
Graduate or professional degree 14.5%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Nothing  
Nothing  
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2011 -34.1%
% change: 1990-2000 -10.2%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2011 59.7%
% change: 1990-2000 39.5%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 114,805
Less than high school diploma 55.2%
High school diploma or GED 17.2%
Some college or associate's degree 13.6%
Bachelor's degree 6.6%
Graduate or professional degree 7.4%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 26.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 6.1%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 1,017,181
Less than high school diploma 17.3%
High school diploma or GED 27.5%
Some college or associate's degree 30.6%
Bachelor's degree 14.6%
Graduate or professional degree 10.0%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 59,724
Less than high school diploma 55.1%
High school diploma or GED 16.3%
Some college or associate's degree 14.4%
Bachelor's degree 7.1%
Graduate or professional degree 7.1%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 14.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher 4.5%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 856,812
Less than high school diploma 22.9%
High school diploma or GED 29.3%
Some college or associate's degree 26.8%
Bachelor's degree 12.5%
Graduate or professional degree 8.4%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

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.