Oct 4, 2018

Hispanic Family Facts: Language use among Latinos is changing

The U.S. Hispanic population is changing—not only in size and national origin but in language use, according to a report by the Pew Research Center.

A record high number of Latinos reported being proficient in English in 2015. Among Hispanics ages 5 and older, 35 million reported being English-proficient, and 14 million reported speaking only English at home. Among Latinos born in the United States, roughly 90 percent reported being proficient in English, versus 35 percent of foreign-born Latinos.

The number of Hispanics who speak Spanish is also at a record high: in 2015, 37 million Hispanics ages 5 and older reported speaking Spanish at home. However, the overall share of Latinos that speak Spanish at home has actually declined slightly since the early 2000s.

Suggested Citation:

National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families. (2018). Language use among Latinos is changing. (Hispanic Family Facts series). https://doi.org/10.59377/653m8126d

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