Data / Rankings / Population speaking a language other than English at home / Counties in Iowa

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

Buena Vista County had the highest population speaking a language other than English at home of 99 counties in 2021, at 33.7%. Audubon County had the lowest, at 1.1%. The median was 4.3% and the figure for Iowa was 8.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest33.7Buena Vista County
Lowest1.1Audubon County
Median4.399 counties
Iowa8.6History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 2.2 %Adams County: 2.2 %Allamakee County: 12.9 %Appanoose County: 3.6 %Audubon County: 1.1 %Benton County: 2.5 %Black Hawk County: 9 %Boone County: 2.5 %Bremer County: 2.3 %Buchanan County: 4.1 %Buena Vista County: 33.7 %Butler County: 2.2 %Calhoun County: 1.9 %Carroll County: 2 %Cass County: 2.7 %Cedar County: 1.6 %Cerro Gordo County: 3.2 %Cherokee County: 4.7 %Chickasaw County: 6.2 %Clarke County: 12.6 %Clay County: 2.5 %Clayton County: 6.4 %Clinton County: 1.9 %Crawford County: 31.6 %Dallas County: 12.1 %Davis County: 25.2 %Decatur County: 5.3 %Delaware County: 2.2 %Des Moines County: 3.6 %Dickinson County: 3.5 %Dubuque County: 4.3 %Emmet County: 7.2 %Fayette County: 3 %Floyd County: 6.5 %Franklin County: 14.7 %Fremont County: 1.6 %Greene County: 3.6 %Grundy County: 2.5 %Guthrie County: 2.1 %Hamilton County: 7.7 %Hancock County: 3.2 %Hardin County: 4.7 %Harrison County: 1.5 %Henry County: 6 %Howard County: 6.4 %Humboldt County: 5.5 %Ida County: 2.8 %Iowa County: 2 %Jackson County: 2.6 %Jasper County: 4.3 %Jefferson County: 14 %Johnson County: 15.6 %Jones County: 1.8 %Keokuk County: 1.4 %Kossuth County: 2.5 %Lee County: 2 %Linn County: 6.3 %Louisa County: 17.7 %Lucas County: 5.2 %Lyon County: 2.5 %Madison County: 3.8 %Mahaska County: 2.4 %Marion County: 3.3 %Marshall County: 22.9 %Mills County: 2.7 %Mitchell County: 6.8 %Monona County: 1.9 %Monroe County: 2.9 %Montgomery County: 1.8 %Muscatine County: 14.5 %O'Brien County: 5.1 %Osceola County: 8.4 %Page County: 2.2 %Palo Alto County: 3 %Plymouth County: 6.7 %Pocahontas County: 5 %Polk County: 13.8 %Pottawattamie County: 6.4 %Poweshiek County: 4.7 %Ringgold County: 3.8 %Sac County: 4.8 %Scott County: 5.9 %Shelby County: 2.6 %Sioux County: 8.6 %Story County: 11.4 %Tama County: 12.1 %Taylor County: 6.8 %Union County: 2.6 %Van Buren County: 9.9 %Wapello County: 11.6 %Warren County: 2.6 %Washington County: 7.4 %Wayne County: 8.6 %Webster County: 4.8 %Winnebago County: 5.8 %Winneshiek County: 4 %Woodbury County: 17.9 %Worth County: 2.2 %Wright County: 9.6 %
  • Under 2.2
  • 2.2 to 2.7
  • 2.7 to 4.3
  • 4.3 to 6.3
  • 6.3 to 11
  • 11 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Buena Vista County: 33.7 %Buena Vista County33.7Crawford County: 31.6 %Crawford County31.6Davis County: 25.2 %Davis County25.2Marshall County: 22.9 %Marshall County22.9Woodbury County: 17.9 %Woodbury County17.9Louisa County: 17.7 %Louisa County17.7Johnson County: 15.6 %Johnson County15.6Franklin County: 14.7 %Franklin County14.7Muscatine County: 14.5 %Muscatine County14.5Jefferson County: 14 %Jefferson County14Polk County: 13.8 %Polk County13.8Allamakee County: 12.9 %Allamakee County12.9Clarke County: 12.6 %Clarke County12.6Tama County: 12.1 %Tama County12.1Dallas County: 12.1 %Dallas County12.1Wapello County: 11.6 %Wapello County11.6Story County: 11.4 %Story County11.4Van Buren County: 9.9 %Van Buren County9.9Wright County: 9.6 %Wright County9.6Black Hawk County: 9 %Black Hawk County9Sioux County: 8.6 %Sioux County8.6Wayne County: 8.6 %Wayne County8.6Osceola County: 8.4 %Osceola County8.4Hamilton County: 7.7 %Hamilton County7.7Washington County: 7.4 %Washington County7.4Emmet County: 7.2 %Emmet County7.2Taylor County: 6.8 %Taylor County6.8Mitchell County: 6.8 %Mitchell County6.8Plymouth County: 6.7 %Plymouth County6.7Floyd County: 6.5 %Floyd County6.5Pottawattamie County: 6.4 %Pottawattamie County6.4Clayton County: 6.4 %Clayton County6.4Howard County: 6.4 %Howard County6.4Linn County: 6.3 %Linn County6.3Chickasaw County: 6.2 %Chickasaw County6.2Henry County: 6 %Henry County6Scott County: 5.9 %Scott County5.9Winnebago County: 5.8 %Winnebago County5.8Humboldt County: 5.5 %Humboldt County5.5Decatur County: 5.3 %Decatur County5.3Buena Vista County: 33.7 %Buena Vista County33.7Crawford County: 31.6 %Crawford County31.6Davis County: 25.2 %Davis County25.2Marshall County: 22.9 %Marshall County22.9Woodbury County: 17.9 %Woodbury County17.9Louisa County: 17.7 %Louisa County17.7Johnson County: 15.6 %Johnson County15.6Franklin County: 14.7 %Franklin County14.7Muscatine County: 14.5 %Muscatine County14.5Jefferson County: 14 %Jefferson County14Polk County: 13.8 %Polk County13.8Allamakee County: 12.9 %Allamakee County12.9Clarke County: 12.6 %Clarke County12.6Tama County: 12.1 %Tama County12.1Dallas County: 12.1 %Dallas County12.1Wapello County: 11.6 %Wapello County11.6Story County: 11.4 %Story County11.4Van Buren County: 9.9 %Van Buren County9.9Wright County: 9.6 %Wright County9.6Black Hawk County: 9 %Black Hawk County9Sioux County: 8.6 %Sioux County8.6Wayne County: 8.6 %Wayne County8.6Osceola County: 8.4 %Osceola County8.4Hamilton County: 7.7 %Hamilton County7.7Washington County: 7.4 %Washington County7.4Emmet County: 7.2 %Emmet County7.2Taylor County: 6.8 %Taylor County6.8Mitchell County: 6.8 %Mitchell County6.8Plymouth County: 6.7 %Plymouth County6.7Floyd County: 6.5 %Floyd County6.5Pottawattamie County: 6.4 %Pottawattamie County6.4Clayton County: 6.4 %Clayton County6.4Howard County: 6.4 %Howard County6.4Linn County: 6.3 %Linn County6.3Chickasaw County: 6.2 %Chickasaw County6.2Henry County: 6 %Henry County6Scott County: 5.9 %Scott County5.9Winnebago County: 5.8 %Winnebago County5.8Humboldt County: 5.5 %Humboldt County5.5Decatur County: 5.3 %Decatur County5.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Buena Vista County33.7
2Crawford County31.6
3Davis County25.2
4Marshall County22.9
5Woodbury County17.9
6Louisa County17.7
7Johnson County15.6
8Franklin County14.7
9Muscatine County14.5
10Jefferson County14
11Polk County13.8
12Allamakee County12.9
13Clarke County12.6
14Tama County12.1
15Dallas County12.1
16Wapello County11.6
17Story County11.4
18Van Buren County9.9
19Wright County9.6
20Black Hawk County9
21Sioux County8.6
22Wayne County8.6
23Osceola County8.4
24Hamilton County7.7
25Washington County7.4
26Emmet County7.2
27Taylor County6.8
28Mitchell County6.8
29Plymouth County6.7
30Floyd County6.5
31Pottawattamie County6.4
32Clayton County6.4
33Howard County6.4
34Linn County6.3
35Chickasaw County6.2
36Henry County6
37Scott County5.9
38Winnebago County5.8
39Humboldt County5.5
40Decatur County5.3
41Lucas County5.2
42O'Brien County5.1
43Pocahontas County5
44Webster County4.8
45Sac County4.8
46Cherokee County4.7
47Poweshiek County4.7
48Hardin County4.7
49Jasper County4.3
50Dubuque County4.3
51Buchanan County4.1
52Winneshiek County4
53Ringgold County3.8
54Madison County3.8
55Des Moines County3.6
56Appanoose County3.6
57Greene County3.6
58Dickinson County3.5
59Marion County3.3
60Hancock County3.2
61Cerro Gordo County3.2
62Palo Alto County3
63Fayette County3
64Monroe County2.9
65Ida County2.8
66Cass County2.7
67Mills County2.7
68Warren County2.6
69Shelby County2.6
69Union County2.6
71Jackson County2.6
72Grundy County2.5
72Kossuth County2.5
72Lyon County2.5
75Benton County2.5
76Boone County2.5
76Clay County2.5
78Mahaska County2.4
79Bremer County2.3
80Butler County2.2
80Delaware County2.2
82Worth County2.2
83Adams County2.2
83Page County2.2
85Adair County2.2
86Guthrie County2.1
87Lee County2
88Carroll County2
89Iowa County2
90Monona County1.9
91Clinton County1.9
92Calhoun County1.9
93Montgomery County1.8
94Jones County1.8
95Cedar County1.6
96Fremont County1.6
97Harrison County1.5
98Keokuk County1.4
99Audubon County1.1

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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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 Iowa by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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 Iowa by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-c16001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2021. 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 Iowa by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-c16001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2021.

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 Iowa by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-c16001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2021,
  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 Iowa by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-c16001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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 Iowa by population speaking a language other than English at home, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-c16001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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?

Buena Vista County, with 33.7% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Audubon County, with 1.1% in 2021.

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 Iowa: more rankings