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 2022, at 23%. Washington County had the lowest, at 1.1%. The median was 7.3% and the figure for North Carolina was 12.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest23Duplin County
Median7.3100 counties
North Carolina12.3History

Map of counties, 2022

Alamance County: 14 %Alexander County: 5.9 %Alleghany County: 7.4 %Anson County: 6.3 %Ashe County: 5 %Avery County: 5.1 %Beaufort County: 6.8 %Bertie County: 2.3 %Bladen County: 7.3 %Brunswick County: 4.3 %Buncombe County: 8.4 %Burke County: 9.6 %Cabarrus County: 13.8 %Caldwell County: 5.7 %Camden County: 2.8 %Carteret County: 5.4 %Caswell County: 5.2 %Catawba County: 13.3 %Chatham County: 14.2 %Cherokee County: 2.9 %Chowan County: 3.7 %Clay County: 4.3 %Cleveland County: 4.5 %Columbus County: 5.6 %Craven County: 8 %Cumberland County: 12.4 %Currituck County: 4.7 %Dare County: 8.9 %Davidson County: 8.4 %Davie County: 7.9 %Duplin County: 23 %Durham County: 18.7 %Edgecombe County: 6 %Forsyth County: 15 %Franklin County: 7.9 %Gaston County: 8.5 %Gates County: 4.5 %Graham County: 5.7 %Granville County: 8.4 %Greene County: 17.1 %Guilford County: 14.3 %Halifax County: 3.9 %Harnett County: 11.5 %Haywood County: 3.7 %Henderson County: 10.3 %Hertford County: 4.8 %Hoke County: 10.8 %Hyde County: 9.8 %Iredell County: 10.1 %Jackson County: 8.1 %Johnston County: 14 %Jones County: 5.8 %Lee County: 18.6 %Lenoir County: 8.5 %Lincoln County: 7.8 %McDowell County: 7.8 %Macon County: 7.1 %Madison County: 1.3 %Martin County: 4.8 %Mecklenburg County: 20.5 %Mitchell County: 5.2 %Montgomery County: 16.8 %Moore County: 7.2 %Nash County: 7.5 %New Hanover County: 7.1 %Northampton County: 2.6 %Onslow County: 10.3 %Orange County: 16.1 %Pamlico County: 4.6 %Pasquotank County: 5 %Pender County: 7.1 %Perquimans County: 4 %Person County: 4.9 %Pitt County: 7.5 %Polk County: 7 %Randolph County: 12.6 %Richmond County: 7 %Robeson County: 8.6 %Rockingham County: 6.3 %Rowan County: 9.7 %Rutherford County: 5.2 %Sampson County: 19.7 %Scotland County: 3.7 %Stanly County: 6.5 %Stokes County: 2.6 %Surry County: 10.5 %Swain County: 7.4 %Transylvania County: 2.6 %Tyrrell County: 9.3 %Union County: 15.6 %Vance County: 8.3 %Wake County: 17.9 %Warren County: 4.5 %Washington County: 1.1 %Watauga County: 5.1 %Wayne County: 14.1 %Wilkes County: 6.8 %Wilson County: 11.1 %Yadkin County: 9.8 %Yancey County: 4.9 %
  • Under 4.5
  • 4.5 to 5.7
  • 5.7 to 7.3
  • 7.3 to 8.6
  • 8.6 to 14
  • 14 and over
%, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2022

Duplin County: 23 %Duplin County23Mecklenburg County: 20.5 %Mecklenburg County20.5Sampson County: 19.7 %Sampson County19.7Durham County: 18.7 %Durham County18.7Lee County: 18.6 %Lee County18.6Wake County: 17.9 %Wake County17.9Greene County: 17.1 %Greene County17.1Montgomery County: 16.8 %Montgomery County16.8Orange County: 16.1 %Orange County16.1Union County: 15.6 %Union County15.6Forsyth County: 15 %Forsyth County15Guilford County: 14.3 %Guilford County14.3Chatham County: 14.2 %Chatham County14.2Wayne County: 14.1 %Wayne County14.1Alamance County: 14 %Alamance County14Johnston County: 14 %Johnston County14Cabarrus County: 13.8 %Cabarrus County13.8Catawba County: 13.3 %Catawba County13.3Randolph County: 12.6 %Randolph County12.6Cumberland County: 12.4 %Cumberland County12.4Harnett County: 11.5 %Harnett County11.5Wilson County: 11.1 %Wilson County11.1Hoke County: 10.8 %Hoke County10.8Surry County: 10.5 %Surry County10.5Onslow County: 10.3 %Onslow County10.3Henderson County: 10.3 %Henderson County10.3Iredell County: 10.1 %Iredell County10.1Hyde County: 9.8 %Hyde County9.8Yadkin County: 9.8 %Yadkin County9.8Rowan County: 9.7 %Rowan County9.7Burke County: 9.6 %Burke County9.6Tyrrell County: 9.3 %Tyrrell County9.3Dare County: 8.9 %Dare County8.9Robeson County: 8.6 %Robeson County8.6Lenoir County: 8.5 %Lenoir County8.5Gaston County: 8.5 %Gaston County8.5Buncombe County: 8.4 %Buncombe County8.4Granville County: 8.4 %Granville County8.4Davidson County: 8.4 %Davidson County8.4Vance County: 8.3 %Vance County8.3Duplin County: 23 %Duplin County23Mecklenburg County: 20.5 %Mecklenburg County20.5Sampson County: 19.7 %Sampson County19.7Durham County: 18.7 %Durham County18.7Lee County: 18.6 %Lee County18.6Wake County: 17.9 %Wake County17.9Greene County: 17.1 %Greene County17.1Montgomery County: 16.8 %Montgomery County16.8Orange County: 16.1 %Orange County16.1Union County: 15.6 %Union County15.6Forsyth County: 15 %Forsyth County15Guilford County: 14.3 %Guilford County14.3Chatham County: 14.2 %Chatham County14.2Wayne County: 14.1 %Wayne County14.1Alamance County: 14 %Alamance County14Johnston County: 14 %Johnston County14Cabarrus County: 13.8 %Cabarrus County13.8Catawba County: 13.3 %Catawba County13.3Randolph County: 12.6 %Randolph County12.6Cumberland County: 12.4 %Cumberland County12.4Harnett County: 11.5 %Harnett County11.5Wilson County: 11.1 %Wilson County11.1Hoke County: 10.8 %Hoke County10.8Surry County: 10.5 %Surry County10.5Onslow County: 10.3 %Onslow County10.3Henderson County: 10.3 %Henderson County10.3Iredell County: 10.1 %Iredell County10.1Hyde County: 9.8 %Hyde County9.8Yadkin County: 9.8 %Yadkin County9.8Rowan County: 9.7 %Rowan County9.7Burke County: 9.6 %Burke County9.6Tyrrell County: 9.3 %Tyrrell County9.3Dare County: 8.9 %Dare County8.9Robeson County: 8.6 %Robeson County8.6Lenoir County: 8.5 %Lenoir County8.5Gaston County: 8.5 %Gaston County8.5Buncombe County: 8.4 %Buncombe County8.4Granville County: 8.4 %Granville County8.4Davidson County: 8.4 %Davidson County8.4Vance County: 8.3 %Vance County8.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Duplin County23+0.9 pts
2Mecklenburg County20.5+0.1 pts
3Sampson County19.7+0.3 pts
4Durham County18.7+0.4 pts
5Lee County18.6+0.5 pts
6Wake County17.9+0.4 pts
7Greene County17.1+2.1 pts
8Montgomery County16.8-0.2 pts
9Orange County16.1+0.1 pts
10Union County15.6+0.5 pts
11Forsyth County150 pts
12Guilford County14.3+0.4 pts
13Chatham County14.2-0.3 pts
14Wayne County14.1+0.5 pts
15Alamance County14+0.3 pts
16Johnston County14+0.4 pts
17Cabarrus County13.8+0.8 pts
18Catawba County13.3+0.1 pts
19Randolph County12.6+0.1 pts
20Cumberland County12.4+0.4 pts
21Harnett County11.5-0.1 pts
22Wilson County11.1-0.2 pts
23Hoke County10.8-0.2 pts
24Surry County10.5+0.4 pts
25Onslow County10.3+0.1 pts
26Henderson County10.3-0.1 pts
27Iredell County10.1+0.5 pts
28Hyde County9.8-3.3 pts
29Yadkin County9.8-0.9 pts
30Rowan County9.7+0.5 pts
31Burke County9.6+0.2 pts
32Tyrrell County9.3+3.3 pts
33Dare County8.9-0.4 pts
34Robeson County8.6+0.4 pts
35Lenoir County8.5+0.9 pts
36Gaston County8.5+0.1 pts
37Buncombe County8.4+0.3 pts
38Granville County8.4+0.4 pts
39Davidson County8.40 pts
40Vance County8.3+1.1 pts
41Jackson County8.1+0.8 pts
42Craven County8-0.4 pts
43Davie County7.9+0.2 pts
44Franklin County7.9+0.8 pts
45McDowell County7.8+0.8 pts
46Lincoln County7.8+0.3 pts
47Nash County7.5+0.5 pts
48Pitt County7.5+0.5 pts
49Alleghany County7.4+0.3 pts
50Swain County7.4+1.2 pts
51Bladen County7.3+0.1 pts
52Moore County7.20 pts
53New Hanover County7.1+0.2 pts
54Pender County7.1-0.4 pts
55Macon County7.1-0.4 pts
56Polk County7-0.6 pts
57Richmond County7+0.2 pts
58Wilkes County6.8+0.7 pts
59Beaufort County6.8-0.5 pts
60Stanly County6.5+0.1 pts
61Anson County6.3+0.9 pts
62Rockingham County6.3-0 pts
63Edgecombe County6+0.6 pts
64Alexander County5.9-0.3 pts
65Jones County5.8+0.2 pts
66Graham County5.7+1.4 pts
67Caldwell County5.7-0 pts
68Columbus County5.6-0.9 pts
69Carteret County5.4+0.1 pts
70Caswell County5.2+0.9 pts
71Mitchell County5.2-0.3 pts
72Rutherford County5.2+0.4 pts
73Watauga County5.1-0.4 pts
74Avery County5.1-0.4 pts
75Ashe County5+0.2 pts
76Pasquotank County5+0.6 pts
77Yancey County4.90 pts
78Person County4.9+0.5 pts
79Martin County4.8-0.3 pts
80Hertford County4.8+0.4 pts
81Currituck County4.7+0.1 pts
82Pamlico County4.6+0.1 pts
83Gates County4.50 pts
84Cleveland County4.5-0.1 pts
84Warren County4.5+0.2 pts
86Clay County4.3+1.6 pts
87Brunswick County4.3-0.4 pts
88Perquimans County4+1 pts
89Halifax County3.9+0.4 pts
90Scotland County3.7-0.4 pts
91Chowan County3.7+0.5 pts
92Haywood County3.7-0 pts
93Cherokee County2.9-0.3 pts
94Camden County2.8-1.3 pts
95Stokes County2.6-0.5 pts
96Transylvania County2.6-0.8 pts
97Northampton County2.6+0.1 pts
98Bertie County2.3-0.2 pts
99Madison County1.3-0.5 pts
100Washington County1.1-1.4 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/north-carolina-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?

Duplin County, with 23% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Washington County, with 1.1% 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 North Carolina: more rankings