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

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

Duplin County had the highest population speaking a language other than English at home of 100 counties in 2021, at 22.1%. Madison County had the lowest, at 1.8%. The median was 7.1% and the figure for North Carolina was 12.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest22.1Duplin County
Lowest1.8Madison County
Median7.1100 counties
North Carolina12.1History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 13.7 %Alexander County: 6.2 %Alleghany County: 7.1 %Anson County: 5.4 %Ashe County: 4.8 %Avery County: 5.5 %Beaufort County: 7.3 %Bertie County: 2.5 %Bladen County: 7.3 %Brunswick County: 4.7 %Buncombe County: 8.1 %Burke County: 9.3 %Cabarrus County: 13 %Caldwell County: 5.7 %Camden County: 4.2 %Carteret County: 5.3 %Caswell County: 4.3 %Catawba County: 13.2 %Chatham County: 14.5 %Cherokee County: 3.2 %Chowan County: 3.2 %Clay County: 2.7 %Cleveland County: 4.5 %Columbus County: 6.5 %Craven County: 8.4 %Cumberland County: 12 %Currituck County: 4.6 %Dare County: 9.3 %Davidson County: 8.3 %Davie County: 7.7 %Duplin County: 22.1 %Durham County: 18.4 %Edgecombe County: 5.4 %Forsyth County: 14.9 %Franklin County: 7.1 %Gaston County: 8.3 %Gates County: 4.5 %Graham County: 4.4 %Granville County: 8 %Greene County: 15 %Guilford County: 14 %Halifax County: 3.4 %Harnett County: 11.6 %Haywood County: 3.7 %Henderson County: 10.3 %Hertford County: 4.3 %Hoke County: 11 %Hyde County: 13.2 %Iredell County: 9.6 %Jackson County: 7.3 %Johnston County: 13.6 %Jones County: 5.6 %Lee County: 18 %Lenoir County: 7.6 %Lincoln County: 7.5 %McDowell County: 7 %Macon County: 7.5 %Madison County: 1.8 %Martin County: 5.1 %Mecklenburg County: 20.4 %Mitchell County: 5.5 %Montgomery County: 17 %Moore County: 7.1 %Nash County: 7 %New Hanover County: 6.9 %Northampton County: 2.5 %Onslow County: 10.1 %Orange County: 16 %Pamlico County: 4.5 %Pasquotank County: 4.4 %Pender County: 7.5 %Perquimans County: 3 %Person County: 4.4 %Pitt County: 7 %Polk County: 7.6 %Randolph County: 12.5 %Richmond County: 6.8 %Robeson County: 8.2 %Rockingham County: 6.3 %Rowan County: 9.2 %Rutherford County: 4.8 %Sampson County: 19.4 %Scotland County: 4.1 %Stanly County: 6.4 %Stokes County: 3.1 %Surry County: 10.2 %Swain County: 6.1 %Transylvania County: 3.3 %Tyrrell County: 6 %Union County: 15.1 %Vance County: 7.2 %Wake County: 17.5 %Warren County: 4.2 %Washington County: 2.5 %Watauga County: 5.5 %Wayne County: 13.6 %Wilkes County: 6.1 %Wilson County: 11.3 %Yadkin County: 10.7 %Yancey County: 4.9 %
  • Under 4.3
  • 4.3 to 5.5
  • 5.5 to 7.1
  • 7.1 to 8.3
  • 8.3 to 13
  • 13 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

Duplin County: 22.1 %Duplin County22.1Mecklenburg County: 20.4 %Mecklenburg County20.4Sampson County: 19.4 %Sampson County19.4Durham County: 18.4 %Durham County18.4Lee County: 18 %Lee County18Wake County: 17.5 %Wake County17.5Montgomery County: 17 %Montgomery County17Orange County: 16 %Orange County16Union County: 15.1 %Union County15.1Greene County: 15 %Greene County15Forsyth County: 14.9 %Forsyth County14.9Chatham County: 14.5 %Chatham County14.5Guilford County: 14 %Guilford County14Alamance County: 13.7 %Alamance County13.7Johnston County: 13.6 %Johnston County13.6Wayne County: 13.6 %Wayne County13.6Catawba County: 13.2 %Catawba County13.2Hyde County: 13.2 %Hyde County13.2Cabarrus County: 13 %Cabarrus County13Randolph County: 12.5 %Randolph County12.5Cumberland County: 12 %Cumberland County12Harnett County: 11.6 %Harnett County11.6Wilson County: 11.3 %Wilson County11.3Hoke County: 11 %Hoke County11Yadkin County: 10.7 %Yadkin County10.7Henderson County: 10.3 %Henderson County10.3Surry County: 10.2 %Surry County10.2Onslow County: 10.1 %Onslow County10.1Iredell County: 9.6 %Iredell County9.6Burke County: 9.3 %Burke County9.3Dare County: 9.3 %Dare County9.3Rowan County: 9.2 %Rowan County9.2Craven County: 8.4 %Craven County8.4Davidson County: 8.3 %Davidson County8.3Gaston County: 8.3 %Gaston County8.3Robeson County: 8.2 %Robeson County8.2Buncombe County: 8.1 %Buncombe County8.1Granville County: 8 %Granville County8Davie County: 7.7 %Davie County7.7Polk County: 7.6 %Polk County7.6Duplin County: 22.1 %Duplin County22.1Mecklenburg County: 20.4 %Mecklenburg County20.4Sampson County: 19.4 %Sampson County19.4Durham County: 18.4 %Durham County18.4Lee County: 18 %Lee County18Wake County: 17.5 %Wake County17.5Montgomery County: 17 %Montgomery County17Orange County: 16 %Orange County16Union County: 15.1 %Union County15.1Greene County: 15 %Greene County15Forsyth County: 14.9 %Forsyth County14.9Chatham County: 14.5 %Chatham County14.5Guilford County: 14 %Guilford County14Alamance County: 13.7 %Alamance County13.7Johnston County: 13.6 %Johnston County13.6Wayne County: 13.6 %Wayne County13.6Catawba County: 13.2 %Catawba County13.2Hyde County: 13.2 %Hyde County13.2Cabarrus County: 13 %Cabarrus County13Randolph County: 12.5 %Randolph County12.5Cumberland County: 12 %Cumberland County12Harnett County: 11.6 %Harnett County11.6Wilson County: 11.3 %Wilson County11.3Hoke County: 11 %Hoke County11Yadkin County: 10.7 %Yadkin County10.7Henderson County: 10.3 %Henderson County10.3Surry County: 10.2 %Surry County10.2Onslow County: 10.1 %Onslow County10.1Iredell County: 9.6 %Iredell County9.6Burke County: 9.3 %Burke County9.3Dare County: 9.3 %Dare County9.3Rowan County: 9.2 %Rowan County9.2Craven County: 8.4 %Craven County8.4Davidson County: 8.3 %Davidson County8.3Gaston County: 8.3 %Gaston County8.3Robeson County: 8.2 %Robeson County8.2Buncombe County: 8.1 %Buncombe County8.1Granville County: 8 %Granville County8Davie County: 7.7 %Davie County7.7Polk County: 7.6 %Polk County7.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Duplin County22.1
2Mecklenburg County20.4
3Sampson County19.4
4Durham County18.4
5Lee County18
6Wake County17.5
7Montgomery County17
8Orange County16
9Union County15.1
10Greene County15
11Forsyth County14.9
12Chatham County14.5
13Guilford County14
14Alamance County13.7
15Johnston County13.6
16Wayne County13.6
17Catawba County13.2
18Hyde County13.2
19Cabarrus County13
20Randolph County12.5
21Cumberland County12
22Harnett County11.6
23Wilson County11.3
24Hoke County11
25Yadkin County10.7
26Henderson County10.3
27Surry County10.2
28Onslow County10.1
29Iredell County9.6
30Burke County9.3
31Dare County9.3
32Rowan County9.2
33Craven County8.4
34Davidson County8.3
34Gaston County8.3
36Robeson County8.2
37Buncombe County8.1
38Granville County8
39Davie County7.7
40Polk County7.6
41Lenoir County7.6
42Lincoln County7.5
43Macon County7.5
44Pender County7.5
45Jackson County7.3
46Beaufort County7.3
47Bladen County7.3
48Vance County7.2
49Alleghany County7.1
49Moore County7.1
51Franklin County7.1
52Nash County7
53McDowell County7
54Pitt County7
55New Hanover County6.9
56Richmond County6.8
57Columbus County6.5
58Stanly County6.4
59Rockingham County6.3
60Alexander County6.2
61Swain County6.1
62Wilkes County6.1
63Tyrrell County6
64Caldwell County5.7
65Jones County5.6
66Watauga County5.5
67Avery County5.5
67Mitchell County5.5
69Edgecombe County5.4
70Anson County5.4
71Carteret County5.3
72Martin County5.1
73Yancey County4.9
74Ashe County4.8
74Rutherford County4.8
76Brunswick County4.7
77Currituck County4.6
78Cleveland County4.5
79Pamlico County4.5
80Gates County4.5
81Person County4.4
82Graham County4.4
83Pasquotank County4.4
84Hertford County4.3
85Caswell County4.3
86Warren County4.2
87Camden County4.2
88Scotland County4.1
89Haywood County3.7
90Halifax County3.4
91Transylvania County3.3
92Chowan County3.2
93Cherokee County3.2
94Stokes County3.1
95Perquimans County3
96Clay County2.7
97Washington County2.5
98Bertie County2.5
99Northampton County2.5
100Madison County1.8

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 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 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, Counties 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-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 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-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 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-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_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: Counties 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-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 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-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/north-carolina-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?

Duplin County, with 22.1% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Madison County, with 1.8% 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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings