percentage of americans who speak spanish
About 13–14% of Americans speak Spanish, depending on how you define “speak Spanish.”
Quick Scoop: Percentage of Americans Who Speak Spanish
Core numbers (latest data)
- Around 13% of the U.S. population speaks Spanish at home , which is roughly 41–43 million people.
- One detailed 2023 estimate puts it at 43.4 million people, or about 13.7% of the population, speaking Spanish at home.
- When you include bilinguals and second‑language learners, total Spanish speakers in the U.S. are around 59 million (about 18% of the population).
So, if you just want one headline figure for “percentage of Americans who speak Spanish,” a fair current range is:
- About 14% speak Spanish at home.
- Up to about 18% if you count all who speak any Spanish at all (native, heritage, second‑language).
How this has changed over time
Spanish use has grown steadily across the last few decades.
- 1980: 5% of the U.S. population were native Spanish speakers.
- 1990: 7%.
- 2000: 10%.
- 2010: 12.8%.
- 2015: 13.3%.
- 2023: 13.7% native/at‑home speakers.
This shows a clear long‑term upward trend, though growth has slowed slightly in recent years.
Quick state‑level flavor
Spanish is much more common in some states than others.
- California: about 26% of people speak Spanish.
- Texas: about 24%.
- New Mexico: about 23%.
- Florida: about 19%.
Nationally, an aggregate estimate of about 12–14% Spanish speakers matches these state numbers when rolled up to the whole U.S.
Why this matters now
- Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States , after English.
- The U.S. is among the largest Spanish‑speaking populations in the world and is projected to see Spanish remain a major presence through mid‑century.
In simple terms: roughly 1 in 7 Americans speaks Spanish at home today , and closer to 1 in 5 can speak some Spanish when you include bilingual and second‑language speakers.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.