E.g., 04/20/2024
E.g., 04/20/2024
State Language Data - MO
 

Missouri

Language & Education
2022
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) (%) 250,404
Speak only English 20.5%
Speak English "very well" 42.2%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 37.3%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2022 53.9%
% change: 1990-2000 133.9%
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 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS.

 
Naturalized citizens 129,254
Speak only English 24.8%
Speak English "very well" 45.3%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 29.9%
Noncitizens 121,150
Speak only English 16%
Speak English "very well" 38.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 45.1%

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) (%) 5,577,905
Speak only English 96.9%
Speak English ""very well"" 2.5%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 0.6%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011 -26.3%
% change: 1990-2000 8.3%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 147,656
Speak only English 23.2%
"Speak English ""very well"" 35.7%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 41.1%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 5,078,366
Speak only English 97.0%
"Speak English ""very well"" 2.1%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 0.8%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 81,794
Speak only English 33.1%
"Speak English ""very well"" 35.2%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 31.7%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 4,653,063
Speak only English 97.3%
"Speak English ""very well"" 1.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 0.8%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
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 1,013,143
Speak only English 950,538
Speak language other than English 62,605
Speak English "very well"
50,698
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
11,907
Speak Spanish 29,854
Speak English "very well"
24,462
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
5,392
Ages 18-64 3,702,030
Speak only English 3,431,288
Speak language other than English 270,742
Speak English "very well"
175,103
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
95,639
Speak Spanish 114,038
Speak English "very well"
71,344
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
42,694
65 and Older 1,113,136
Speak only English 1,074,191
Speak language other than English 38,945
Speak English "very well"
21,971
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
16,974
Speak Spanish 11,935
Speak English "very well"
6,451
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
5,484
%
65 and Older 100%
Speak only English 93.8%
Speak language other than English 6.2%
Speak English "very well" 5.0%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 1.2%
Speak Spanish 2.9%
Speak English "very well" 2.4%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 0.5%
Ages 18-64 100%
Speak only English 92.7%
Speak language other than English 7.3%
Speak English "very well" 4.7%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 2.6%
Speak Spanish 3.1%
Speak English "very well" 1.9%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 1.2%
Ages 5-17 100%
Speak only English 96.5%
Speak language other than English 3.5%
Speak English "very well" 2.0%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 1.5%
Speak Spanish 1.1%
Speak English "very well" 0.6%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 0.5%
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
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, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS.

Number
Total Household Population, Age 5 and Older 5,828,309
Speak only English 5,456,017
Speak language other than English 372,292
Spanish 155,827
Speak English "very well" 102,257
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 53,570
French (Including Cajun) 10,769
Speak English "very well" 8,253
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,516
Haitian 1,247
Speak English "very well" 922
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 325
Italian 4,001
Speak English "very well" 3,519
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 482
Portuguese 3,674
Speak English "very well" 2,941
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 733
German 19,305
Speak English "very well" 14,590
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,715
Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or Other West Germanic Languages 11,251
Speak English "very well" 7,279
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3,972
Russian 5,106
Speak English "very well" 3,499
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,607
Polish 1,153
Speak English "very well" 698
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 455
Other Slavic Languages 17,187
Speak English "very well" 11,419
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 5,768
Armenian 139
Speak English "very well" 139
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) N
Persian (including Farsi, Dari) 2,527
Speak English "very well" 1,534
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 993
Gujarati 2,690
Speak English "very well" 1,695
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 995
Hindi 5,577
Speak English "very well" 4,945
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 632
Urdu 5,317
Speak English "very well" 3,907
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,410
Punjabi 1,744
Speak English "very well" 1,190
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 554
Bengali 1,020
Speak English "very well" 708
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 312
Nepali, Marathi, or Other Indic Languages 3,515
Speak English "very well" 3,011
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 504
Other Indo-European Languages 9,408
Speak English "very well" 6,797
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,611
Telugu 7,843
Speak English "very well" 6,156
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,687
Tamil 3,056
Speak English "very well" 2,778
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 278
Malayalam, Kannada, or Other Dravidian Languages 2,124
Speak English "very well" 1,710
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 414
Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese) 19,598
Speak English "very well" 10,986
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 8,612
Japanese 2,574
Speak English "very well" 1,493
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,081
Korean 8,253
Speak English "very well" 4,301
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3,952
Hmong 1,216
Speak English "very well" 921
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 295
Vietnamese 8,770
Speak English "very well" 3,739
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 5,031
Khmer 2,812
Speak English "very well" 1,121
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,691
Thai, Lao, or Other Tai-Kadai Languages 1,539
Speak English "very well" 1,213
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 326
Other Languages of Asia 3,265
Speak English "very well" 1,056
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,209
Tagalog (including Filipino) 9,047
Speak English "very well" 4,691
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,356
Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or Other Austronesian Languages 4,826
Speak English "very well" 3,240
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,586
Arabic 14,126
Speak English "very well" 8,896
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 5,230
Hebrew 1,212
Speak English "very well" 1,212
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) N
Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages 7,656
Speak English "very well" 5,046
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,610
Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or Other Languages of Western Africa 4,098
Speak English "very well" 3,369
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 729
Swahili or Other Languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa 7,538
Speak English "very well" 5,319
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,219
Native Languages of North America 682
Speak English "very well" 622
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 60
Other and Unspecified Languages 600
Speak English "very well" 600
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) N
%
Field 306 100%
Field 307 93.6%
Field 308 6.4%
Field 310 100%
Field 310 65.6%
Field 310 34.4%
Field 313 100%
Field 314 76.6%
Field 315 23.4%
Field 316 100%
Field 316 73.9%
Field 316 26.1%
Field 319 100%
Field 319 88.0%
Field 319 12.0%
Field 322 100%
Field 322 80.0%
Field 322 20.0%
Field 325 100%
Field 325 75.6%
Field 325 24.4%
Field 328 100%
Field 328 64.7%
Field 328 35.3%
Field 331 100%
Field 331 68.5%
Field 331 31.5%
Field 334 100%
Field 334 60.5%
Field 334 39.5%
Field 337 100%
Field 337 66.4%
Field 337 33.6%
Field 340 100%
Field 340 100.0%
Field 340 N
Field 343 100%
Field 343 60.7%
Field 343 39.3%
Field 346 100%
Field 346 63.0%
Field 346 37.0%
Field 349 100%
Field 349 88.7%
Field 349 11.3%
Field 352 100%
Field 352 73.5%
Field 352 26.5%
Field 355 100%
Field 355 68.2%
Field 355 31.8%
Field 358 100%
Field 358 69.4%
Field 358 30.6%
Field 361 100%
Field 361 85.7%
Field 361 14.3%
Field 364 100%
Field 364 72.2%
Field 364 27.8%
Field 367 100%
Field 367 78.5%
Field 367 21.5%
Field 370 100%
Field 370 90.9%
Field 370 9.1%
Field 373 100%
Field 373 80.5%
Field 373 19.5%
Field 376 100%
Field 376 56.1%
Field 376 43.9%
Field 379 100%
Field 379 58.0%
Field 379 42.0%
Field 382 100%
Field 382 52.1%
Field 382 47.9%
Field 385 100%
Field 385 75.7%
Field 385 24.3%
Field 388 100%
Field 388 42.6%
Field 388 57.4%
Field 391 100%
Field 391 39.9%
Field 391 60.1%
Field 394 100%
Field 394 78.8%
Field 394 21.2%
Field 397 100%
Field 397 32.3%
Field 397 67.7%
Field 400 100%
Field 400 51.9%
Field 400 48.1%
Field 403 100%
Field 403 67.1%
Field 403 32.9%
Field 406 100%
Field 406 63.0%
Field 406 37.0%
Field 409 100%
Field 409 100.0%
Field 409 N
Field 412 100%
Field 412 65.9%
Field 412 34.1%
Field 415 100%
Field 415 82.2%
Field 415 17.8%
Field 418 100%
Field 418 70.6%
Field 418 29.4%
Field 421 100%
Field 421 91.2%
Field 421 8.8%
Field 424 100%
Field 424 100.0%
Field 424 N
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Educational Attainment Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 213,370
Less than high school diploma 18.0%
High school diploma or GED 22.6%
Some college or associate's degree 17.8%
Bachelor's degree 20.6%
Graduate or professional degree 20.9%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 10.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher 6.5%
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2022 26.3%
% change: 1990-2000 59.3%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2022 116.8%
% change: 1990-2000 93.8%
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 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 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 (%) 117,223
Less than high school diploma 14.2%
High school diploma or GED 23.1%
Some college or associate's degree 22.3%
Bachelor's degree 19.3%
Graduate or professional degree 21.2%
Noncitizens (%) 96,147
Less than high school diploma 22.8%
High school diploma or GED 22.1%
Some college or associate's degree 12.3%
Bachelor's degree 22.2%
Graduate or professional degree 20.6%
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 4,022,640
Less than high school diploma 7.9%
High school diploma or GED 30.5%
Some college or associate's degree 29.8%
Bachelor's degree 19.7%
Graduate or professional degree 12.0%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Nothing  
Nothing  
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2011 -50.6%
% change: 1990-2000 -23.3%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2011 70.0%
% change: 1990-2000 34.6%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 115,662
Less than high school diploma 26.3%
High school diploma or GED 20.1%
Some college or associate's degree 18.2%
Bachelor's degree 16.4%
Graduate or professional degree 19.0%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 4.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher 5.2%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 3,521,800
Less than high school diploma 18.3%
High school diploma or GED 33.1%
Some college or associate's degree 27.3%
Bachelor's degree 13.9%
Graduate or professional degree 7.4%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 67,541
Less than high school diploma 28.3%
High school diploma or GED 21.1%
Some college or associate's degree 19.3%
Bachelor's degree 14.6%
Graduate or professional degree 16.6%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 2.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher 3.6%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 3,217,654
Less than high school diploma 26.2%
High school diploma or GED 33.6%
Some college or associate's degree 22.9%
Bachelor's degree 11.5%
Graduate or professional degree 5.8%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Sources: Migration Policy Institute tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and Decennial Census. Unless stated otherwise, 2022 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, Matthew Sobek, Daniel Backman, Annie Chen, Grace Cooper, Stephanie Richards, Renae Rogers, and Megan Schouweiler. IPUMS USA: Version 14.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2023. https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V14.0​.

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 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS. 
  • For “Language Spoken at Home (detailed, by English proficiency)”: Data for Alaska, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS.