what percentage of americans speak spanish

About 13%–14% of Americans speak Spanish, which comes out to roughly 42–45 million people in a country of about 330 million.

Quick Scoop

• Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States after English.

• Around 13% of the U.S. population speaks Spanish at home, a share that has grown steadily over the past few decades.

• In absolute numbers, that’s over 40 million people who use Spanish regularly, putting the U.S. among the largest Spanish‑speaking countries in the world.

Context and latest trends

• National estimates cluster around 13% of residents speaking Spanish at home, though broader counts (including learners and occasional speakers) can push the total closer to 18%.

• States like California, Texas, Florida, and New Mexico have especially high shares, with around one in five or more residents speaking Spanish.

• Demographers and language researchers note that Spanish use is likely to remain strong or grow, given ongoing Latino population growth and bilingualism trends.

Mini FAQ

Is Spanish use going up or down?

• The number of Spanish speakers has risen over time, even as more Latinos also report speaking English proficiently.

Does this include bilingual people?

• The 13% figure usually refers to people who speak Spanish at home, many of whom are bilingual in English and Spanish.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.