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 2023, at 22.1%. Washington County had the lowest, at 0.6%. The median was 7.6% and the figure for North Carolina was 13%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest22.1Duplin County
Median7.6100 counties
North Carolina13History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 15.2 %Alexander County: 6.4 %Alleghany County: 9.4 %Anson County: 5.7 %Ashe County: 5.4 %Avery County: 5 %Beaufort County: 6.4 %Bertie County: 3.5 %Bladen County: 7 %Brunswick County: 4.7 %Buncombe County: 9.6 %Burke County: 10.1 %Cabarrus County: 15.1 %Caldwell County: 6.2 %Camden County: 2 %Carteret County: 5.6 %Caswell County: 5.6 %Catawba County: 12.8 %Chatham County: 14.9 %Cherokee County: 2.9 %Chowan County: 4.1 %Clay County: 2.8 %Cleveland County: 4.7 %Columbus County: 5 %Craven County: 8.1 %Cumberland County: 12.2 %Currituck County: 4.5 %Dare County: 8.2 %Davidson County: 9 %Davie County: 8.5 %Duplin County: 22.1 %Durham County: 20.4 %Edgecombe County: 6.2 %Forsyth County: 15.4 %Franklin County: 9 %Gaston County: 9.3 %Gates County: 4.1 %Graham County: 5 %Granville County: 9.4 %Greene County: 14.9 %Guilford County: 15.9 %Halifax County: 4.1 %Harnett County: 11.8 %Haywood County: 3.2 %Henderson County: 11.6 %Hertford County: 5.6 %Hoke County: 11.5 %Hyde County: 4.6 %Iredell County: 10.4 %Jackson County: 8.7 %Johnston County: 15.3 %Jones County: 4.9 %Lee County: 19.7 %Lenoir County: 7.8 %Lincoln County: 7.6 %McDowell County: 7.6 %Macon County: 8.5 %Madison County: 1.8 %Martin County: 3.8 %Mecklenburg County: 21.6 %Mitchell County: 4.2 %Montgomery County: 16.2 %Moore County: 7.8 %Nash County: 8.2 %New Hanover County: 8.6 %Northampton County: 2.4 %Onslow County: 10.3 %Orange County: 16.5 %Pamlico County: 3.5 %Pasquotank County: 3.8 %Pender County: 7.5 %Perquimans County: 4.6 %Person County: 5.4 %Pitt County: 8.3 %Polk County: 7.3 %Randolph County: 13.4 %Richmond County: 8.1 %Robeson County: 9.6 %Rockingham County: 5.7 %Rowan County: 10.9 %Rutherford County: 5.9 %Sampson County: 19.4 %Scotland County: 4.3 %Stanly County: 6.4 %Stokes County: 3.4 %Surry County: 10.8 %Swain County: 6.5 %Transylvania County: 2.5 %Tyrrell County: 11.3 %Union County: 16.9 %Vance County: 7.2 %Wake County: 18.8 %Warren County: 5.3 %Washington County: 0.6 %Watauga County: 6.1 %Wayne County: 13.8 %Wilkes County: 7 %Wilson County: 11.5 %Yadkin County: 11.1 %Yancey County: 5 %
  • Under 4.3
  • 4.3 to 5.6
  • 5.6 to 7.6
  • 7.6 to 9.4
  • 9.4 to 14
  • 14 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

Duplin County: 22.1 %Duplin County22.1Mecklenburg County: 21.6 %Mecklenburg County21.6Durham County: 20.4 %Durham County20.4Lee County: 19.7 %Lee County19.7Sampson County: 19.4 %Sampson County19.4Wake County: 18.8 %Wake County18.8Union County: 16.9 %Union County16.9Orange County: 16.5 %Orange County16.5Montgomery County: 16.2 %Montgomery County16.2Guilford County: 15.9 %Guilford County15.9Forsyth County: 15.4 %Forsyth County15.4Johnston County: 15.3 %Johnston County15.3Alamance County: 15.2 %Alamance County15.2Cabarrus County: 15.1 %Cabarrus County15.1Chatham County: 14.9 %Chatham County14.9Greene County: 14.9 %Greene County14.9Wayne County: 13.8 %Wayne County13.8Randolph County: 13.4 %Randolph County13.4Catawba County: 12.8 %Catawba County12.8Cumberland County: 12.2 %Cumberland County12.2Harnett County: 11.8 %Harnett County11.8Henderson County: 11.6 %Henderson County11.6Wilson County: 11.5 %Wilson County11.5Hoke County: 11.5 %Hoke County11.5Tyrrell County: 11.3 %Tyrrell County11.3Yadkin County: 11.1 %Yadkin County11.1Rowan County: 10.9 %Rowan County10.9Surry County: 10.8 %Surry County10.8Iredell County: 10.4 %Iredell County10.4Onslow County: 10.3 %Onslow County10.3Burke County: 10.1 %Burke County10.1Robeson County: 9.6 %Robeson County9.6Buncombe County: 9.6 %Buncombe County9.6Granville County: 9.4 %Granville County9.4Alleghany County: 9.4 %Alleghany County9.4Gaston County: 9.3 %Gaston County9.3Franklin County: 9 %Franklin County9Davidson County: 9 %Davidson County9Jackson County: 8.7 %Jackson County8.7New Hanover County: 8.6 %New Hanover County8.6Duplin County: 22.1 %Duplin County22.1Mecklenburg County: 21.6 %Mecklenburg County21.6Durham County: 20.4 %Durham County20.4Lee County: 19.7 %Lee County19.7Sampson County: 19.4 %Sampson County19.4Wake County: 18.8 %Wake County18.8Union County: 16.9 %Union County16.9Orange County: 16.5 %Orange County16.5Montgomery County: 16.2 %Montgomery County16.2Guilford County: 15.9 %Guilford County15.9Forsyth County: 15.4 %Forsyth County15.4Johnston County: 15.3 %Johnston County15.3Alamance County: 15.2 %Alamance County15.2Cabarrus County: 15.1 %Cabarrus County15.1Chatham County: 14.9 %Chatham County14.9Greene County: 14.9 %Greene County14.9Wayne County: 13.8 %Wayne County13.8Randolph County: 13.4 %Randolph County13.4Catawba County: 12.8 %Catawba County12.8Cumberland County: 12.2 %Cumberland County12.2Harnett County: 11.8 %Harnett County11.8Henderson County: 11.6 %Henderson County11.6Wilson County: 11.5 %Wilson County11.5Hoke County: 11.5 %Hoke County11.5Tyrrell County: 11.3 %Tyrrell County11.3Yadkin County: 11.1 %Yadkin County11.1Rowan County: 10.9 %Rowan County10.9Surry County: 10.8 %Surry County10.8Iredell County: 10.4 %Iredell County10.4Onslow County: 10.3 %Onslow County10.3Burke County: 10.1 %Burke County10.1Robeson County: 9.6 %Robeson County9.6Buncombe County: 9.6 %Buncombe County9.6Granville County: 9.4 %Granville County9.4Alleghany County: 9.4 %Alleghany County9.4Gaston County: 9.3 %Gaston County9.3Franklin County: 9 %Franklin County9Davidson County: 9 %Davidson County9Jackson County: 8.7 %Jackson County8.7New Hanover County: 8.6 %New Hanover County8.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Duplin County22.1-0.9 pts
2Mecklenburg County21.6+1.1 pts
3Durham County20.4+1.6 pts
4Lee County19.7+1.1 pts
5Sampson County19.4-0.3 pts
6Wake County18.8+0.9 pts
7Union County16.9+1.3 pts
8Orange County16.5+0.4 pts
9Montgomery County16.2-0.6 pts
10Guilford County15.9+1.6 pts
11Forsyth County15.4+0.4 pts
12Johnston County15.3+1.4 pts
13Alamance County15.2+1.2 pts
14Cabarrus County15.1+1.3 pts
15Chatham County14.9+0.7 pts
16Greene County14.9-2.2 pts
17Wayne County13.8-0.3 pts
18Randolph County13.4+0.9 pts
19Catawba County12.8-0.6 pts
20Cumberland County12.2-0.2 pts
21Harnett County11.8+0.3 pts
22Henderson County11.6+1.3 pts
23Wilson County11.5+0.4 pts
24Hoke County11.5+0.7 pts
25Tyrrell County11.3+2.1 pts
26Yadkin County11.1+1.3 pts
27Rowan County10.9+1.2 pts
28Surry County10.8+0.3 pts
29Iredell County10.4+0.3 pts
30Onslow County10.3+0.1 pts
31Burke County10.1+0.5 pts
32Robeson County9.6+1 pts
33Buncombe County9.6+1.2 pts
34Granville County9.4+1 pts
35Alleghany County9.4+2 pts
36Gaston County9.3+0.8 pts
37Franklin County9+1.1 pts
38Davidson County9+0.6 pts
39Jackson County8.7+0.6 pts
40New Hanover County8.6+1.5 pts
41Macon County8.5+1.4 pts
42Davie County8.5+0.5 pts
43Pitt County8.3+0.9 pts
44Dare County8.2-0.7 pts
45Nash County8.2+0.6 pts
46Craven County8.1+0.2 pts
47Richmond County8.1+1.1 pts
48Lenoir County7.8-0.7 pts
48Moore County7.8+0.6 pts
50McDowell County7.6-0.2 pts
51Lincoln County7.6-0.2 pts
52Pender County7.5+0.4 pts
53Polk County7.3+0.3 pts
54Vance County7.2-1.1 pts
55Bladen County7-0.4 pts
55Wilkes County7+0.2 pts
57Swain County6.5-0.8 pts
58Stanly County6.4-0.1 pts
59Beaufort County6.4-0.3 pts
60Alexander County6.4+0.5 pts
61Caldwell County6.2+0.5 pts
61Edgecombe County6.2+0.2 pts
63Watauga County6.1+0.9 pts
64Rutherford County5.9+0.7 pts
65Rockingham County5.7-0.5 pts
66Anson County5.7-0.6 pts
67Caswell County5.6+0.4 pts
68Carteret County5.6+0.2 pts
69Hertford County5.6+0.8 pts
70Person County5.4+0.5 pts
71Ashe County5.4+0.4 pts
72Warren County5.3+0.8 pts
73Avery County5-0.1 pts
74Columbus County5-0.6 pts
75Yancey County5+0.1 pts
76Graham County5-0.8 pts
77Jones County4.9-0.9 pts
78Brunswick County4.7+0.4 pts
79Cleveland County4.7+0.2 pts
80Perquimans County4.6+0.6 pts
81Hyde County4.6-5.2 pts
82Currituck County4.5-0.2 pts
83Scotland County4.3+0.6 pts
84Mitchell County4.2-0.9 pts
85Chowan County4.1+0.4 pts
85Halifax County4.1+0.2 pts
87Gates County4.1-0.4 pts
88Martin County3.8-1 pts
89Pasquotank County3.8-1.2 pts
90Bertie County3.5+1.2 pts
91Pamlico County3.5-1.2 pts
92Stokes County3.4+0.8 pts
93Haywood County3.2-0.5 pts
94Cherokee County2.90 pts
95Clay County2.8-1.5 pts
96Transylvania County2.5-0 pts
97Northampton County2.4-0.1 pts
98Camden County2-0.8 pts
99Madison County1.8+0.4 pts
100Washington County0.6-0.5 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/language-other-than-english-at-home/north-carolina-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  - 
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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 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Washington County, with 0.6% 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 North Carolina: more rankings