Data / Rankings / Population speaking a language other than English at home / Cities in North Carolina

Cities in North Carolina by population speaking a language other than English at home

Morrisville, NC had the highest population speaking a language other than English at home of 93 cities in 2021, at 41.5%. Lewisville, NC had the lowest, at 2.8%. The median was 11.7% and the figure for North Carolina was 12.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest41.5Morrisville, NC
Lowest2.8Lewisville, NC
Median11.793 cities
North Carolina12.1History

Top 40 cities, 2021

Morrisville, NC: 41.5 %Morrisville, NC41.5Monroe, NC: 29.4 %Monroe, NC29.4Asheboro, NC: 28.8 %Asheboro, NC28.8Sanford, NC: 27.1 %Sanford, NC27.1Cary, NC: 24.8 %Cary, NC24.8Pineville, NC: 22.5 %Pineville, NC22.5Charlotte, NC: 22.2 %Charlotte, NC22.2Chapel Hill, NC: 20.3 %Chapel Hill, NC20.3Morganton, NC: 20 %Morganton, NC20Burlington, NC: 19.4 %Burlington, NC19.4Harrisburg, NC: 18.8 %Harrisburg, NC18.8High Point, NC: 18.3 %High Point, NC18.3Durham, NC: 18.3 %Durham, NC18.3Graham, NC: 18.2 %Graham, NC18.2Winston-Salem, NC: 18 %Winston-Salem, NC18Thomasville, NC: 17.9 %Thomasville, NC17.9Raleigh, NC: 17.9 %Raleigh, NC17.9Zebulon, NC: 17.3 %Zebulon, NC17.3Concord, NC: 17.3 %Concord, NC17.3Indian Trail, NC: 17 %Indian Trail, NC17Matthews, NC: 16.1 %Matthews, NC16.1Hickory, NC: 15.7 %Hickory, NC15.7Carrboro, NC: 15.6 %Carrboro, NC15.6Jacksonville, NC: 15.5 %Jacksonville, NC15.5Greensboro, NC: 15.1 %Greensboro, NC15.1Statesville, NC: 14.5 %Statesville, NC14.5Lexington, NC: 14.5 %Lexington, NC14.5Newton, NC: 14.3 %Newton, NC14.3Mebane, NC: 14.2 %Mebane, NC14.2Waxhaw, NC: 14.1 %Waxhaw, NC14.1Fayetteville, NC: 13.9 %Fayetteville, NC13.9Clayton, NC: 13.9 %Clayton, NC13.9Wendell, NC: 13.7 %Wendell, NC13.7Apex, NC: 13.6 %Apex, NC13.6Lincolnton, NC: 13.6 %Lincolnton, NC13.6Spring Lake, NC: 13.4 %Spring Lake, NC13.4Wilson, NC: 13 %Wilson, NC13Clemmons, NC: 12.7 %Clemmons, NC12.7Weddington, NC: 12.4 %Weddington, NC12.4Stallings, NC: 12.2 %Stallings, NC12.2Morrisville, NC: 41.5 %Morrisville, NC41.5Monroe, NC: 29.4 %Monroe, NC29.4Asheboro, NC: 28.8 %Asheboro, NC28.8Sanford, NC: 27.1 %Sanford, NC27.1Cary, NC: 24.8 %Cary, NC24.8Pineville, NC: 22.5 %Pineville, NC22.5Charlotte, NC: 22.2 %Charlotte, NC22.2Chapel Hill, NC: 20.3 %Chapel Hill, NC20.3Morganton, NC: 20 %Morganton, NC20Burlington, NC: 19.4 %Burlington, NC19.4Harrisburg, NC: 18.8 %Harrisburg, NC18.8High Point, NC: 18.3 %High Point, NC18.3Durham, NC: 18.3 %Durham, NC18.3Graham, NC: 18.2 %Graham, NC18.2Winston-Salem, NC: 18 %Winston-Salem, NC18Thomasville, NC: 17.9 %Thomasville, NC17.9Raleigh, NC: 17.9 %Raleigh, NC17.9Zebulon, NC: 17.3 %Zebulon, NC17.3Concord, NC: 17.3 %Concord, NC17.3Indian Trail, NC: 17 %Indian Trail, NC17Matthews, NC: 16.1 %Matthews, NC16.1Hickory, NC: 15.7 %Hickory, NC15.7Carrboro, NC: 15.6 %Carrboro, NC15.6Jacksonville, NC: 15.5 %Jacksonville, NC15.5Greensboro, NC: 15.1 %Greensboro, NC15.1Statesville, NC: 14.5 %Statesville, NC14.5Lexington, NC: 14.5 %Lexington, NC14.5Newton, NC: 14.3 %Newton, NC14.3Mebane, NC: 14.2 %Mebane, NC14.2Waxhaw, NC: 14.1 %Waxhaw, NC14.1Fayetteville, NC: 13.9 %Fayetteville, NC13.9Clayton, NC: 13.9 %Clayton, NC13.9Wendell, NC: 13.7 %Wendell, NC13.7Apex, NC: 13.6 %Apex, NC13.6Lincolnton, NC: 13.6 %Lincolnton, NC13.6Spring Lake, NC: 13.4 %Spring Lake, NC13.4Wilson, NC: 13 %Wilson, NC13Clemmons, NC: 12.7 %Clemmons, NC12.7Weddington, NC: 12.4 %Weddington, NC12.4Stallings, NC: 12.2 %Stallings, NC12.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Morrisville, NC41.5
2Monroe, NC29.4
3Asheboro, NC28.8
4Sanford, NC27.1
5Cary, NC24.8
6Pineville, NC22.5
7Charlotte, NC22.2
8Chapel Hill, NC20.3
9Morganton, NC20
10Burlington, NC19.4
11Harrisburg, NC18.8
12High Point, NC18.3
13Durham, NC18.3
14Graham, NC18.2
15Winston-Salem, NC18
16Thomasville, NC17.9
17Raleigh, NC17.9
18Zebulon, NC17.3
19Concord, NC17.3
20Indian Trail, NC17
21Matthews, NC16.1
22Hickory, NC15.7
23Carrboro, NC15.6
24Jacksonville, NC15.5
25Greensboro, NC15.1
26Statesville, NC14.5
27Lexington, NC14.5
28Newton, NC14.3
29Mebane, NC14.2
30Waxhaw, NC14.1
31Fayetteville, NC13.9
32Clayton, NC13.9
33Wendell, NC13.7
34Apex, NC13.6
35Lincolnton, NC13.6
36Spring Lake, NC13.4
37Wilson, NC13
38Clemmons, NC12.7
39Weddington, NC12.4
40Stallings, NC12.2
41Havelock, NC12.1
41Mooresville, NC12.1
43New Bern, NC12
44Garner, NC11.8
44Holly Springs, NC11.8
46Knightdale, NC11.8
47Smithfield, NC11.7
48Kernersville, NC11.2
49Albemarle, NC11.1
50Gastonia, NC10.8
51Huntersville, NC10.8
52Mount Airy, NC10.8
53Lenoir, NC10.8
54Southern Pines, NC10.7
55Kannapolis, NC10.7
56Salisbury, NC10.7
57Lumberton, NC10.5
58Mint Hill, NC10.4
59Fuquay-Varina, NC9.6
60Hope Mills, NC9.3
61Asheville, NC9.3
62Wake Forest, NC9.1
63Cornelius, NC8.6
64Tarboro, NC8.5
65Mount Holly, NC8.4
66Archdale, NC7.8
67Goldsboro, NC7.8
68Wilmington, NC7.8
69Henderson, NC7.3
70Morehead City, NC7
71Rolesville, NC6.8
72Elon, NC6.6
73Hendersonville, NC6.2
74Belmont, NC6
74Laurinburg, NC6
76Eden, NC5.9
77Elizabeth City, NC5.9
78Leland, NC5.8
79Roanoke Rapids, NC5.7
80Shelby, NC5.5
81Pinehurst, NC5.5
82Boone, NC5.4
83Greenville, NC5.3
84Winterville, NC5.2
85Reidsville, NC4.9
86Davidson, NC4.7
87Summerfield, NC4.7
88Rocky Mount, NC3.8
89Kings Mountain, NC3.3
90Waynesville, NC3.2
91Kinston, NC3.1
92Aberdeen, NC3
93Lewisville, NC2.8

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 cities 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in North Carolina 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina 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/north-carolina-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in North Carolina 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/north-carolina-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina 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/north-carolina-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_north_carolina_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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina 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/north-carolina-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina 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/north-carolina-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/north-carolina-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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 Cities in North Carolina 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":"municipality","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=language_other_than_english_share&level=municipality&within=North%20Carolina&limit=10

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

Questions

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

Morrisville, NC, with 41.5% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Lewisville, NC, with 2.8% 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Cities in North Carolina: more rankings