Counties in California by population speaking a language other than English at home

Imperial County had the highest population speaking a language other than English at home of 58 counties in 2022, at 74.5%. Plumas County had the lowest, at 7%. The median was 32.6% and the figure for California was 43.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest74.5Imperial County
Median32.658 counties
California43.9History

Map of counties, 2022

Alameda County: 45.9 %Alpine County: 18.2 %Amador County: 9.1 %Butte County: 15.8 %Calaveras County: 8.4 %Colusa County: 52.5 %Contra Costa County: 36.3 %Del Norte County: 12.4 %El Dorado County: 11.7 %Fresno County: 44.1 %Glenn County: 36.7 %Humboldt County: 10.9 %Imperial County: 74.5 %Inyo County: 15.6 %Kern County: 44.8 %Kings County: 40.8 %Lake County: 19 %Lassen County: 18 %Los Angeles County: 55.5 %Madera County: 45.7 %Marin County: 21.2 %Mariposa County: 10.5 %Mendocino County: 20.8 %Merced County: 53.5 %Modoc County: 11.4 %Mono County: 25 %Monterey County: 55.1 %Napa County: 33.8 %Nevada County: 8.5 %Orange County: 45.5 %Placer County: 16 %Plumas County: 7 %Riverside County: 41.5 %Sacramento County: 32.7 %San Benito County: 41.8 %San Bernardino County: 43.3 %San Diego County: 36.6 %San Francisco County: 42.9 %San Joaquin County: 41.4 %San Luis Obispo County: 16.8 %San Mateo County: 44.8 %Santa Barbara County: 39.9 %Santa Clara County: 53.9 %Santa Cruz County: 32.6 %Shasta County: 7.7 %Sierra County: 14 %Siskiyou County: 9.7 %Solano County: 29.8 %Sonoma County: 26.2 %Stanislaus County: 42.9 %Sutter County: 35.6 %Tehama County: 20.1 %Trinity County: 7.4 %Tulare County: 50.3 %Tuolumne County: 7.1 %Ventura County: 38 %Yolo County: 36.1 %Yuba County: 25.1 %
  • Under 11
  • 11 to 18
  • 18 to 33
  • 33 to 41
  • 41 to 45
  • 45 and over
%, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2022

Imperial County: 74.5 %Imperial County74.5Los Angeles County: 55.5 %Los Angeles County55.5Monterey County: 55.1 %Monterey County55.1Santa Clara County: 53.9 %Santa Clara County53.9Merced County: 53.5 %Merced County53.5Colusa County: 52.5 %Colusa County52.5Tulare County: 50.3 %Tulare County50.3Alameda County: 45.9 %Alameda County45.9Madera County: 45.7 %Madera County45.7Orange County: 45.5 %Orange County45.5Kern County: 44.8 %Kern County44.8San Mateo County: 44.8 %San Mateo County44.8Fresno County: 44.1 %Fresno County44.1San Bernardino County: 43.3 %San Bernardino County43.3San Francisco County: 42.9 %San Francisco County42.9Stanislaus County: 42.9 %Stanislaus County42.9San Benito County: 41.8 %San Benito County41.8Riverside County: 41.5 %Riverside County41.5San Joaquin County: 41.4 %San Joaquin County41.4Kings County: 40.8 %Kings County40.8Santa Barbara County: 39.9 %Santa Barbara County39.9Ventura County: 38 %Ventura County38Glenn County: 36.7 %Glenn County36.7San Diego County: 36.6 %San Diego County36.6Contra Costa County: 36.3 %Contra Costa County36.3Yolo County: 36.1 %Yolo County36.1Sutter County: 35.6 %Sutter County35.6Napa County: 33.8 %Napa County33.8Sacramento County: 32.7 %Sacramento County32.7Santa Cruz County: 32.6 %Santa Cruz County32.6Solano County: 29.8 %Solano County29.8Sonoma County: 26.2 %Sonoma County26.2Yuba County: 25.1 %Yuba County25.1Mono County: 25 %Mono County25Marin County: 21.2 %Marin County21.2Mendocino County: 20.8 %Mendocino County20.8Tehama County: 20.1 %Tehama County20.1Lake County: 19 %Lake County19Alpine County: 18.2 %Alpine County18.2Lassen County: 18 %Lassen County18San Luis Obispo County: 16.8 %San Luis Obispo County16.8Placer County: 16 %Placer County16Butte County: 15.8 %Butte County15.8Inyo County: 15.6 %Inyo County15.6Sierra County: 14 %Sierra County14Del Norte County: 12.4 %Del Norte County12.4El Dorado County: 11.7 %El Dorado County11.7Modoc County: 11.4 %Modoc County11.4Humboldt County: 10.9 %Humboldt County10.9Mariposa County: 10.5 %Mariposa County10.5Siskiyou County: 9.7 %Siskiyou County9.7Amador County: 9.1 %Amador County9.1Nevada County: 8.5 %Nevada County8.5Calaveras County: 8.4 %Calaveras County8.4Shasta County: 7.7 %Shasta County7.7Trinity County: 7.4 %Trinity County7.4Tuolumne County: 7.1 %Tuolumne County7.1Plumas County: 7 %Plumas County7Imperial County: 74.5 %Imperial County74.5Los Angeles County: 55.5 %Los Angeles County55.5Monterey County: 55.1 %Monterey County55.1Santa Clara County: 53.9 %Santa Clara County53.9Merced County: 53.5 %Merced County53.5Colusa County: 52.5 %Colusa County52.5Tulare County: 50.3 %Tulare County50.3Alameda County: 45.9 %Alameda County45.9Madera County: 45.7 %Madera County45.7Orange County: 45.5 %Orange County45.5Kern County: 44.8 %Kern County44.8San Mateo County: 44.8 %San Mateo County44.8Fresno County: 44.1 %Fresno County44.1San Bernardino County: 43.3 %San Bernardino County43.3San Francisco County: 42.9 %San Francisco County42.9Stanislaus County: 42.9 %Stanislaus County42.9San Benito County: 41.8 %San Benito County41.8Riverside County: 41.5 %Riverside County41.5San Joaquin County: 41.4 %San Joaquin County41.4Kings County: 40.8 %Kings County40.8Santa Barbara County: 39.9 %Santa Barbara County39.9Ventura County: 38 %Ventura County38Glenn County: 36.7 %Glenn County36.7San Diego County: 36.6 %San Diego County36.6Contra Costa County: 36.3 %Contra Costa County36.3Yolo County: 36.1 %Yolo County36.1Sutter County: 35.6 %Sutter County35.6Napa County: 33.8 %Napa County33.8Sacramento County: 32.7 %Sacramento County32.7Santa Cruz County: 32.6 %Santa Cruz County32.6Solano County: 29.8 %Solano County29.8Sonoma County: 26.2 %Sonoma County26.2Yuba County: 25.1 %Yuba County25.1Mono County: 25 %Mono County25Marin County: 21.2 %Marin County21.2Mendocino County: 20.8 %Mendocino County20.8Tehama County: 20.1 %Tehama County20.1Lake County: 19 %Lake County19Alpine County: 18.2 %Alpine County18.2Lassen County: 18 %Lassen County18San Luis Obispo County: 16.8 %San Luis Obispo County16.8Placer County: 16 %Placer County16Butte County: 15.8 %Butte County15.8Inyo County: 15.6 %Inyo County15.6Sierra County: 14 %Sierra County14Del Norte County: 12.4 %Del Norte County12.4El Dorado County: 11.7 %El Dorado County11.7Modoc County: 11.4 %Modoc County11.4Humboldt County: 10.9 %Humboldt County10.9Mariposa County: 10.5 %Mariposa County10.5Siskiyou County: 9.7 %Siskiyou County9.7Amador County: 9.1 %Amador County9.1Nevada County: 8.5 %Nevada County8.5Calaveras County: 8.4 %Calaveras County8.4Shasta County: 7.7 %Shasta County7.7Trinity County: 7.4 %Trinity County7.4Tuolumne County: 7.1 %Tuolumne County7.1Plumas County: 7 %Plumas County7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Imperial County74.5-0.4 pts
2Los Angeles County55.5-0.3 pts
3Monterey County55.1-0.2 pts
4Santa Clara County53.9+0.3 pts
5Merced County53.5+0.6 pts
6Colusa County52.5+0.9 pts
7Tulare County50.3-0.2 pts
8Alameda County45.9-0.1 pts
9Madera County45.7+0.3 pts
10Orange County45.5+0.4 pts
11Kern County44.8+0.5 pts
12San Mateo County44.8-0.5 pts
13Fresno County44.1+0.4 pts
14San Bernardino County43.3+1.1 pts
15San Francisco County42.9+0.2 pts
16Stanislaus County42.90 pts
17San Benito County41.80 pts
18Riverside County41.5+0.2 pts
19San Joaquin County41.4+0.6 pts
20Kings County40.8-0.6 pts
21Santa Barbara County39.90 pts
22Ventura County38+0.3 pts
23Glenn County36.7-2.3 pts
24San Diego County36.6-0.1 pts
25Contra Costa County36.3+0.5 pts
26Yolo County36.10 pts
27Sutter County35.6-0 pts
28Napa County33.8-0.2 pts
29Sacramento County32.7+0.3 pts
30Santa Cruz County32.6-0.3 pts
31Solano County29.8+0.1 pts
32Sonoma County26.2+0.3 pts
33Yuba County25.1-1.3 pts
34Mono County25-0.5 pts
35Marin County21.2-0.3 pts
36Mendocino County20.8-1.4 pts
37Tehama County20.1+1.6 pts
38Lake County19+1.5 pts
39Alpine County18.2+1.1 pts
40Lassen County18-0.6 pts
41San Luis Obispo County16.8-0.2 pts
42Placer County16+0.4 pts
43Butte County15.8-0 pts
44Inyo County15.6-1.6 pts
45Sierra County14-3.5 pts
46Del Norte County12.4-0.3 pts
47El Dorado County11.7-0 pts
48Modoc County11.4-0.7 pts
49Humboldt County10.9-1 pts
50Mariposa County10.5+1.7 pts
51Siskiyou County9.7+0.4 pts
52Amador County9.1-0.5 pts
53Nevada County8.5-0.3 pts
54Calaveras County8.4-0.4 pts
55Shasta County7.7-0.4 pts
56Trinity County7.4-1.4 pts
57Tuolumne County7.1-1 pts
58Plumas County7-0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of all people aged 5 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Measures the language used at home, not English ability: most people in this group also speak English. Spanish speakers are shown separately in spanish_at_home_share.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in California by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in California by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/california-counties?period=2022. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in California by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/california-counties?period=2022.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in California by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/california-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_california_by_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in California by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/california-counties?period=2022. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in California by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/california-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/california-counties?period=2022.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-c16001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest population speaking a language other than English at home?

Imperial County, with 74.5% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population speaking a language other than English at home?

Plumas County, with 7% in 2022.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table C16001: people aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Population speaking a language other than English at home: other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings