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 2023, at 36.2%. Audubon County had the lowest, at 0.9%. The median was 4.5% and the figure for Iowa was 8.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Median4.599 counties
Iowa8.9History

Map of counties, 2023

Adair County: 1.8 %Adams County: 1.5 %Allamakee County: 13.7 %Appanoose County: 5.1 %Audubon County: 0.9 %Benton County: 2.8 %Black Hawk County: 8.9 %Boone County: 2.1 %Bremer County: 2.6 %Buchanan County: 3.8 %Buena Vista County: 36.2 %Butler County: 2.9 %Calhoun County: 2 %Carroll County: 1.9 %Cass County: 1.6 %Cedar County: 1.6 %Cerro Gordo County: 3.7 %Cherokee County: 5.7 %Chickasaw County: 5.9 %Clarke County: 13.1 %Clay County: 2.3 %Clayton County: 6.8 %Clinton County: 2.9 %Crawford County: 27.8 %Dallas County: 12.6 %Davis County: 22.1 %Decatur County: 6.5 %Delaware County: 2.6 %Des Moines County: 3.7 %Dickinson County: 2.6 %Dubuque County: 4.6 %Emmet County: 7.5 %Fayette County: 2.8 %Floyd County: 4.3 %Franklin County: 15 %Fremont County: 2.1 %Greene County: 3 %Grundy County: 1.7 %Guthrie County: 2.1 %Hamilton County: 10.2 %Hancock County: 4 %Hardin County: 4.7 %Harrison County: 1.1 %Henry County: 5 %Howard County: 8.8 %Humboldt County: 5.2 %Ida County: 3.3 %Iowa County: 2.2 %Jackson County: 2.6 %Jasper County: 4.7 %Jefferson County: 12.5 %Johnson County: 15.5 %Jones County: 2.4 %Keokuk County: 2.4 %Kossuth County: 4.3 %Lee County: 1.7 %Linn County: 6.9 %Louisa County: 14.8 %Lucas County: 4.6 %Lyon County: 2.7 %Madison County: 4.1 %Mahaska County: 2.5 %Marion County: 2.9 %Marshall County: 23.8 %Mills County: 1.7 %Mitchell County: 6.6 %Monona County: 2 %Monroe County: 2.4 %Montgomery County: 1.9 %Muscatine County: 15 %O'Brien County: 7 %Osceola County: 10.9 %Page County: 2.7 %Palo Alto County: 3.5 %Plymouth County: 7.6 %Pocahontas County: 4.5 %Polk County: 14.6 %Pottawattamie County: 6.3 %Poweshiek County: 4.9 %Ringgold County: 3.9 %Sac County: 5.1 %Scott County: 6.3 %Shelby County: 2 %Sioux County: 10.4 %Story County: 10.9 %Tama County: 11.3 %Taylor County: 5.8 %Union County: 2.9 %Van Buren County: 10.2 %Wapello County: 14.2 %Warren County: 3 %Washington County: 7.2 %Wayne County: 8.4 %Webster County: 5.4 %Winnebago County: 6.1 %Winneshiek County: 4.4 %Woodbury County: 18.3 %Worth County: 2.3 %Wright County: 15 %
  • Under 2.2
  • 2.2 to 2.9
  • 2.9 to 4.5
  • 4.5 to 6.4
  • 6.4 to 11
  • 11 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Buena Vista County: 36.2 %Buena Vista County36.2Crawford County: 27.8 %Crawford County27.8Marshall County: 23.8 %Marshall County23.8Davis County: 22.1 %Davis County22.1Woodbury County: 18.3 %Woodbury County18.3Johnson County: 15.5 %Johnson County15.5Wright County: 15 %Wright County15Franklin County: 15 %Franklin County15Muscatine County: 15 %Muscatine County15Louisa County: 14.8 %Louisa County14.8Polk County: 14.6 %Polk County14.6Wapello County: 14.2 %Wapello County14.2Allamakee County: 13.7 %Allamakee County13.7Clarke County: 13.1 %Clarke County13.1Dallas County: 12.6 %Dallas County12.6Jefferson County: 12.5 %Jefferson County12.5Tama County: 11.3 %Tama County11.3Story County: 10.9 %Story County10.9Osceola County: 10.9 %Osceola County10.9Sioux County: 10.4 %Sioux County10.4Van Buren County: 10.2 %Van Buren County10.2Hamilton County: 10.2 %Hamilton County10.2Black Hawk County: 8.9 %Black Hawk County8.9Howard County: 8.8 %Howard County8.8Wayne County: 8.4 %Wayne County8.4Plymouth County: 7.6 %Plymouth County7.6Emmet County: 7.5 %Emmet County7.5Washington County: 7.2 %Washington County7.2O'Brien County: 7 %O'Brien County7Linn County: 6.9 %Linn County6.9Clayton County: 6.8 %Clayton County6.8Mitchell County: 6.6 %Mitchell County6.6Decatur County: 6.5 %Decatur County6.5Scott County: 6.3 %Scott County6.3Pottawattamie County: 6.3 %Pottawattamie County6.3Winnebago County: 6.1 %Winnebago County6.1Chickasaw County: 5.9 %Chickasaw County5.9Taylor County: 5.8 %Taylor County5.8Cherokee County: 5.7 %Cherokee County5.7Webster County: 5.4 %Webster County5.4Buena Vista County: 36.2 %Buena Vista County36.2Crawford County: 27.8 %Crawford County27.8Marshall County: 23.8 %Marshall County23.8Davis County: 22.1 %Davis County22.1Woodbury County: 18.3 %Woodbury County18.3Johnson County: 15.5 %Johnson County15.5Wright County: 15 %Wright County15Franklin County: 15 %Franklin County15Muscatine County: 15 %Muscatine County15Louisa County: 14.8 %Louisa County14.8Polk County: 14.6 %Polk County14.6Wapello County: 14.2 %Wapello County14.2Allamakee County: 13.7 %Allamakee County13.7Clarke County: 13.1 %Clarke County13.1Dallas County: 12.6 %Dallas County12.6Jefferson County: 12.5 %Jefferson County12.5Tama County: 11.3 %Tama County11.3Story County: 10.9 %Story County10.9Osceola County: 10.9 %Osceola County10.9Sioux County: 10.4 %Sioux County10.4Van Buren County: 10.2 %Van Buren County10.2Hamilton County: 10.2 %Hamilton County10.2Black Hawk County: 8.9 %Black Hawk County8.9Howard County: 8.8 %Howard County8.8Wayne County: 8.4 %Wayne County8.4Plymouth County: 7.6 %Plymouth County7.6Emmet County: 7.5 %Emmet County7.5Washington County: 7.2 %Washington County7.2O'Brien County: 7 %O'Brien County7Linn County: 6.9 %Linn County6.9Clayton County: 6.8 %Clayton County6.8Mitchell County: 6.6 %Mitchell County6.6Decatur County: 6.5 %Decatur County6.5Scott County: 6.3 %Scott County6.3Pottawattamie County: 6.3 %Pottawattamie County6.3Winnebago County: 6.1 %Winnebago County6.1Chickasaw County: 5.9 %Chickasaw County5.9Taylor County: 5.8 %Taylor County5.8Cherokee County: 5.7 %Cherokee County5.7Webster County: 5.4 %Webster County5.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Buena Vista County36.2+1.3 pts
2Crawford County27.8-0.9 pts
3Marshall County23.8-0.1 pts
4Davis County22.1-5.1 pts
5Woodbury County18.3-0.2 pts
6Johnson County15.5-0.4 pts
7Wright County15+3.8 pts
8Franklin County15+1.8 pts
9Muscatine County15-0.1 pts
10Louisa County14.8-1.2 pts
11Polk County14.6+0.5 pts
12Wapello County14.2+2.1 pts
13Allamakee County13.7+2.2 pts
14Clarke County13.1+1 pts
15Dallas County12.6+0.1 pts
16Jefferson County12.5-1 pts
17Tama County11.3-1 pts
18Story County10.9-0.7 pts
19Osceola County10.9+0.3 pts
20Sioux County10.4+1.5 pts
21Van Buren County10.2+0.6 pts
22Hamilton County10.2+1.5 pts
23Black Hawk County8.90 pts
24Howard County8.8+0.9 pts
25Wayne County8.4+0.1 pts
26Plymouth County7.6-0 pts
27Emmet County7.5+0.4 pts
28Washington County7.2-0.3 pts
29O'Brien County7+1.3 pts
30Linn County6.9+0.3 pts
31Clayton County6.80 pts
32Mitchell County6.6-0.5 pts
33Decatur County6.5+0.7 pts
34Scott County6.3+0.3 pts
35Pottawattamie County6.3-0.1 pts
36Winnebago County6.1-0.6 pts
37Chickasaw County5.9+0.4 pts
38Taylor County5.8-1.7 pts
39Cherokee County5.7+1.3 pts
40Webster County5.4+0.5 pts
41Humboldt County5.2-0.6 pts
42Sac County5.1+0.3 pts
43Appanoose County5.1+2.2 pts
44Henry County5-0.8 pts
45Poweshiek County4.9-0.1 pts
46Hardin County4.7+0.5 pts
47Jasper County4.7+0.3 pts
48Lucas County4.6-1.2 pts
49Dubuque County4.60 pts
50Pocahontas County4.5-0.8 pts
51Winneshiek County4.4+0.6 pts
52Floyd County4.3-1.7 pts
53Kossuth County4.3+0.4 pts
54Madison County4.1+2.3 pts
55Hancock County4+0.9 pts
56Ringgold County3.9+0.2 pts
57Buchanan County3.8-1 pts
58Des Moines County3.7+0.5 pts
59Cerro Gordo County3.7-0.1 pts
60Palo Alto County3.5+0.4 pts
61Ida County3.3+0.2 pts
62Warren County3+0.1 pts
63Greene County3-0.1 pts
64Union County2.9+1 pts
65Marion County2.9-0.1 pts
66Butler County2.9-0.1 pts
67Clinton County2.9+0.1 pts
68Fayette County2.8+0.1 pts
69Benton County2.8+0.2 pts
70Lyon County2.7-0 pts
71Page County2.7-0.3 pts
72Delaware County2.6-0 pts
73Jackson County2.6-0.3 pts
74Bremer County2.6+0.1 pts
75Dickinson County2.6-0.9 pts
76Mahaska County2.5+0.3 pts
77Jones County2.4+0.7 pts
78Keokuk County2.4+0.6 pts
79Monroe County2.4-0.4 pts
80Worth County2.3+0.5 pts
81Clay County2.3+0.5 pts
82Iowa County2.20 pts
83Guthrie County2.1-0 pts
84Boone County2.1-0 pts
84Fremont County2.1+0.8 pts
86Calhoun County2+0.7 pts
86Monona County2+0.2 pts
88Shelby County2-0.4 pts
89Montgomery County1.9-0.1 pts
90Carroll County1.9-0.2 pts
91Adair County1.8-0.1 pts
92Lee County1.7+0.1 pts
93Mills County1.7-0.4 pts
94Grundy County1.7-0.5 pts
95Cedar County1.6-0.1 pts
96Cass County1.6-0.1 pts
97Adams County1.5-1 pts
98Harrison County1.1-0.5 pts
99Audubon County0.9-0.1 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-c16001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2023. 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, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-c16001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2023.

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, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-c16001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2023,
  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, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-c16001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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, 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-c16001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/iowa-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-c16001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Iowa by population speaking a language other than English at home using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"language_other_than_english_share","level":"province","within":"Iowa","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=language_other_than_english_share&level=province&within=Iowa&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

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

Buena Vista County, with 36.2% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Audubon County, with 0.9% in 2023.

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