If you’re an American, chances are you only speak one language. A 2001 Gallup poll reported that only one in four Americans can speak a language other than English. In a 2010 estimate, United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan pegged the number even lower, at just 18 percent. Compare America to Europe, where 54 percent of citizens know at least two languages, and 25 percent know at least three.
That said, America still boasts a variety of multi-language regions — you just have to know where to look. Our data geeks at FindTheHome compiled 2014 figures (latest available) from the American Community Survey to determine the most linguistically diverse city in every state.
How did we determine what was “most diverse?” We started with five language categories, as defined by the ACS: English, Spanish, Asian or Pacific Islander languages, Indo-European languages and other languages (including Navajo, Hungarian, Arabic, Hebrew and others). Specifically, the ACS tracks “language spoken at home,” which we’ll use for this particular analysis. Using this data, we set out to determine which cities in each state had the most even representation of each.
To determine even representation, we turned to the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, a classic economic metric used to determine market diversity between companies. The same approach works for any other diversity calculation, including languages. We calculated this index* for every city in America, where scores approaching a low end of 2,000 represent lots of diversity, while scores approaching a high end of 10,000 represent no diversity at all (i.e. only one language). For this piece, we’ll refer to the HHI as the “Linguistic Diversity Index.”
The following cities emerged as the linguistic capitals. Note that many of the early cities on this list — despite being the most diverse in their respective states — still have little diversity. This is because the overwhelming majority of people in these states (ex: Vermont) speak English. By the latter half of the list, however, we’ll see far more diverse cities emerge. For each city, we’ll provide an interactive visualization to compare the city, county, state and national linguistic diversity.
*For the math geeks out there: we calculated the sum of the squares of each of the five percentages. The lower the resulting score, the more diverse the city.
#50. Vermont: Winooski
Linguistic Diversity Index: 7,642*
Population: 7,250
English: 87.1%
Spanish: 0.9%
Asian Languages: 2.1%
Indo-European Languages: 4.2%
Other Languages: 5.7%
*Once again, the Linguistic Diversity Index ranges from a score of 2,000 (lots of diversity) to 10,000 (no diversity).
#49. West Virginia: Ranson Corpora
Linguistic Diversity Index: 6,699
Population: 4,602
English: 80.5%
Spanish: 14%
Asian Languages: 4.7%
Indo-European Languages: 0.8%
Other Languages: 0%
#48. New Hampshire: Nashua
Linguistic Diversity Index: 6,540
Population: 86,799
English: 80%
Spanish: 8.5%
Asian Languages: 3.5%
Indo-European Languages: 7.4%
Other Languages: 0.6%
#47. North Dakota: Tioga
Linguistic Diversity Index: 6,528
Population: 1,097
English: 79.7%
Spanish: 9.4%
Asian Languages: 1.7%
Indo-European Languages: 9.2%
Other Languages: 0%
#46. Tennessee: Shelbyville
Linguistic Diversity Index: 6,285
Population: 20,616
English: 76.4%
Spanish: 21.1%
Asian Languages: 1.5%
Indo-European Languages: 0.4%
Other Languages: 0.5%
#45. Wyoming: Jackson Hole
Linguistic Diversity Index: 5,889
Population: 9,967
English: 72.6%
Spanish: 24.8%
Asian Languages: 0.6%
Indo-European Languages: 1.6%
Other Languages: 0.4%
#44. Wisconsin: West Milwaukee
Linguistic Diversity Index: 5,723
Population: 4,214
English: 72.7%
Spanish: 20.3%
Asian Languages: 4.8%
Indo-European Languages: 1.5%
Other Languages: 0.8%
#43. Ohio: Berlin
Linguistic Diversity Index: 5,558
Population: 1,346
English: 66.7%
Spanish: 0%
Asian Languages: 0%
Indo-European Languages: 33.3%
Other Languages: 0%
#42. South Dakota: Oglala
Linguistic Diversity Index: 5,551
Population: 1,321
English: 66.6%
Spanish: 0%
Asian Languages: 0%
Indo-European Languages: 0%
Other Languages: 33.4%
#41. Mississippi: Conehatta
Linguistic Diversity Index: 5,260
Population: 1,177
English: 38.6%
Spanish: 0%
Asian Languages: 0%
Indo-European Languages: 0%
Other Languages: 61.4%
#40. Alabama: Bayou La Batre
Linguistic Diversity Index: 5,053
Population: 2,661
English: 64.9%
Spanish: 6.3%
Asian Languages: 28.3%
Indo-European Languages: 0.5%
Other Languages: 0%
#39. Delaware: Blades
Linguistic Diversity Index: 5,052
Population: 1,335
English: 67.4%
Spanish: 15.5%
Asian Languages: 0.7%
Indo-European Languages: 16.4%
Other Languages: 0%
#38. Kentucky: Hurstbourne Acres
Linguistic Diversity Index: 5,018
Population: 1,611
English: 67.7%
Spanish: 2.8%
Asian Languages: 14.5%
Indo-European Languages: 14.7%
Other Languages: 0.3%
#37. Idaho: Aberdeen
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,970
Population: 2,047
English: 47.6%
Spanish: 52%
Asian Languages: 0%
Indo-European Languages: 0%
Other Languages: 0.4%
#36. Indiana: Topeka
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,944
Population: 1,010
English: 65.8%
Spanish: 0%
Asian Languages: 0.3%
Indo-European Languages: 21.4%
Other Languages: 12.5%
#35. Montana: Crow Agency
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,931
Population: 1,821
English: 49.8%
Spanish: 0%
Asian Languages: 0%
Indo-European Languages: 0.8%
Other Languages: 49.5%
#34. Hawaii: Waipahu
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,885
Population: 40,532
English: 50.7%
Spanish: 1%
Asian Languages: 48.1%
Indo-European Languages: 0.2%
Other Languages: 0%
#33. Arkansas: Springdale
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,843
Population: 73,789
English: 62.3%
Spanish: 30.2%
Asian Languages: 7%
Indo-European Languages: 0.5%
Other Languages: 0%
#32. South Carolina: Southern Shops
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,723
Population: 4,394
English: 49.2%
Spanish: 47.9%
Asian Languages: 0%
Indo-European Languages: 2.9%
Other Languages: 0%
#31. Utah: West Valley City
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,697
Population: 132,329
English: 62%
Spanish: 28.3%
Asian Languages: 6.9%
Indo-European Languages: 1.6%
Other Languages: 1.2%
#30. Oklahoma: Guymon
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,606
Population: 11,921
English: 54.9%
Spanish: 39.7%
Asian Languages: 1.9%
Indo-European Languages: 0%
Other Languages: 3.5%
#29. Colorado: Federal Heights
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,539
Population: 11,835
English: 55.9%
Spanish: 37.3%
Asian Languages: 4.4%
Indo-European Languages: 0.9%
Other Languages: 1.6%
#28. North Carolina: Morrisville
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,530
Population: 20,728
English: 63.7%
Spanish: 4.2%
Asian Languages: 15%
Indo-European Languages: 15%
Other Languages: 2.1%
#27. Arizona: Tsaile
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,522
Population: 1,234
English: 39.5%
Spanish: 2.2%
Asian Languages: 1.4%
Indo-European Languages: 2.5%
Other Languages: 54.3%
#26. Kansas: Liberal
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,476
Population: 20,846
English: 41.5%
Spanish: 52.3%
Asian Languages: 3.2%
Indo-European Languages: 0.1%
Other Languages: 2.8%
#25. Nebraska: South Sioux City
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,403
Population: 13,375
English: 52.7%
Spanish: 40%
Asian Languages: 2.7%
Indo-European Languages: 0.3%
Other Languages: 4.3%
#24. Louisiana: Henderson
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,243
Population: 1,696
English: 58.9%
Spanish: 10.1%
Asian Languages: 5.6%
Indo-European Languages: 25.3%
Other Languages: 0%
#23. Oregon: Woodburn
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,215
Population: 24,282
English: 41.7%
Spanish: 49.3%
Asian Languages: 0.3%
Indo-European Languages: 6.4%
Other Languages: 2.2%
#22. Minnesota: Worthington
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,199
Population: 12,920
English: 59%
Spanish: 23.1%
Asian Languages: 5.1%
Indo-European Languages: 0.1%
Other Languages: 12.6%
#21. Nevada: Spring Valley
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,125
Population: 183,937
English: 60%
Spanish: 16.1%
Asian Languages: 14.9%
Indo-European Languages: 5.7%
Other Languages: 3.3%
#20. Rhode Island: Providence
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,026
Population: 178,562
English: 51.6%
Spanish: 36.1%
Asian Languages: 4.8%
Indo-European Languages: 5.9%
Other Languages: 1.5%
#19. New Mexico: Ohkay Owingeh
Linguistic Diversity Index: 4,020
Population: 1,549
English: 37.1%
Spanish: 12.8%
Asian Languages: 0.3%
Indo-European Languages: 0%
Other Languages: 49.8%
#18. Maine: Gray
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,993
Population: 1,139
English: 56.4%
Spanish: 21%
Asian Languages: 0%
Indo-European Languages: 18.9%
Other Languages: 3.7%
#17. Iowa: Storm Lake
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,888
Population: 10,743
English: 48.2%
Spanish: 37.3%
Asian Languages: 13.1%
Indo-European Languages: 0.3%
Other Languages: 1.2%
#16. Connecticut: New Britain
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,710
Population: 73,095
English: 50%
Spanish: 30.5%
Asian Languages: 1.6%
Indo-European Languages: 16.6%
Other Languages: 1.3%
#15. Missouri: Noel
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,628
Population: 2,012
English: 42.5%
Spanish: 41.6%
Asian Languages: 4.5%
Indo-European Languages: 4%
Other Languages: 7.4%
#14. Alaska: Sand Point
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,311
Population: 1,371
English: 47.2%
Spanish: 13.9%
Asian Languages: 28.4%
Indo-European Languages: 1.6%
Other Languages: 9%
#13. Michigan: Hamtramck
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,298
Population: 22,256
English: 34.8%
Spanish: 0.6%
Asian Languages: 1%
Indo-European Languages: 37.4%
Other Languages: 26.2%
#12. Massachusetts: Malden
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,213
Population: 60,309
English: 48.9%
Spanish: 8.9%
Asian Languages: 19.5%
Indo-European Languages: 18.6%
Other Languages: 4.1%
#11. Maryland: Adelphi
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,142
Population: 15,885
English: 41.5%
Spanish: 34.5%
Asian Languages: 5.3%
Indo-European Languages: 13%
Other Languages: 5.7%
#10. Florida: North Miami Beach
Linguistic Diversity Index: 3,061
Population: 43,028
English: 33.4%
Spanish: 31.7%
Asian Languages: 2.8%
Indo-European Languages: 30.5%
Other Languages: 1.6%
#9. Illinois: Skokie
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,926
Population: 65,056
English: 45.8%
Spanish: 8%
Asian Languages: 15.5%
Indo-European Languages: 20.4%
Other Languages: 10.4%
#8. Washington: Tukwila
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,916
Population: 19,573
English: 46.4%
Spanish: 10.2%
Asian Languages: 19%
Indo-European Languages: 12.2%
Other Languages: 12.2%
#7. New Jersey: Cliffside Park
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,846
Population: 24,532
English: 40.8%
Spanish: 26.7%
Asian Languages: 12.8%
Indo-European Languages: 17.3%
Other Languages: 2.4%
#6. Georgia: Clarkston
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,809
Population: 7,717
English: 40.8%
Spanish: 1.4%
Asian Languages: 15.9%
Indo-European Languages: 18.1%
Other Languages: 23.7%
#5. Virginia: Oak Grove
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,770
Population: 1,625
English: 25.5%
Spanish: 16.8%
Asian Languages: 12.8%
Indo-European Languages: 40.7%
Other Languages: 4.2%
#4. New York: Manhasset Hills
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,759
Population: 3,697
English: 38%
Spanish: 10.7%
Asian Languages: 20.3%
Indo-European Languages: 27.9%
Other Languages: 3.1%
#3. California: Artesia
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,643
Population: 16,698
English: 33.1%
Spanish: 27.6%
Asian Languages: 22.5%
Indo-European Languages: 16.7%
Other Languages: 0.2%
#2. Texas: Four Corners
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,570
Population: 13,973
English: 29.2%
Spanish: 33.3%
Asian Languages: 13.2%
Indo-European Languages: 20.5%
Other Languages: 3.8%
#1. Pennsylvania: Millbourne
Linguistic Diversity Index: 2,566
Population: 1,291
English: 37.3%
Spanish: 14.8%
Asian Languages: 15.1%
Indo-European Languages: 26.1%
Other Languages: 6.8%