Counties in North Carolina by population speaking Spanish at home

Duplin County had the highest population speaking Spanish at home of 100 counties in 2021, at 20.2%. Madison County had the lowest, at 1%. The median was 5.4% and the figure for North Carolina was 7.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest20.2Duplin County
Median5.4100 counties
North Carolina7.7History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 11.2 %Alexander County: 4.6 %Alleghany County: 6.8 %Anson County: 4.1 %Ashe County: 3.9 %Avery County: 3.9 %Beaufort County: 6.6 %Bertie County: 1.2 %Bladen County: 6.5 %Brunswick County: 3.3 %Buncombe County: 5.3 %Burke County: 5.5 %Cabarrus County: 7.7 %Caldwell County: 4.4 %Camden County: 1 %Carteret County: 3.2 %Caswell County: 3 %Catawba County: 8.8 %Chatham County: 11.8 %Cherokee County: 2.4 %Chowan County: 1.9 %Clay County: 1.3 %Cleveland County: 3.3 %Columbus County: 5.3 %Craven County: 5.4 %Cumberland County: 7.6 %Currituck County: 3.7 %Dare County: 7.1 %Davidson County: 6.1 %Davie County: 6.2 %Duplin County: 20.2 %Durham County: 11.6 %Edgecombe County: 4.9 %Forsyth County: 11.1 %Franklin County: 6 %Gaston County: 5.9 %Gates County: 2.4 %Graham County: 3 %Granville County: 6.6 %Greene County: 14.3 %Guilford County: 6.2 %Halifax County: 2.3 %Harnett County: 9.4 %Haywood County: 2.6 %Henderson County: 7.9 %Hertford County: 2.9 %Hoke County: 8.6 %Hyde County: 13.2 %Iredell County: 6.1 %Jackson County: 4.6 %Johnston County: 11.6 %Jones County: 4.5 %Lee County: 16.6 %Lenoir County: 6.8 %Lincoln County: 6 %McDowell County: 5.4 %Macon County: 6.4 %Madison County: 1 %Martin County: 4.4 %Mecklenburg County: 11.6 %Mitchell County: 4.3 %Montgomery County: 15 %Moore County: 5.1 %Nash County: 5.7 %New Hanover County: 4.3 %Northampton County: 1.9 %Onslow County: 7.3 %Orange County: 6.7 %Pamlico County: 3.2 %Pasquotank County: 2.6 %Pender County: 6 %Perquimans County: 1.6 %Person County: 3.2 %Pitt County: 4.8 %Polk County: 4.8 %Randolph County: 11 %Richmond County: 5.8 %Robeson County: 7 %Rockingham County: 5.5 %Rowan County: 7.7 %Rutherford County: 3.4 %Sampson County: 17.9 %Scotland County: 2.6 %Stanly County: 4.3 %Stokes County: 2.4 %Surry County: 8.8 %Swain County: 2.1 %Transylvania County: 2.1 %Tyrrell County: 5 %Union County: 9.4 %Vance County: 5.7 %Wake County: 7.9 %Warren County: 3.2 %Washington County: 2 %Watauga County: 2.8 %Wayne County: 11.2 %Wilkes County: 4.8 %Wilson County: 9.2 %Yadkin County: 9.4 %Yancey County: 3.7 %
  • Under 2.7
  • 2.7 to 4.3
  • 4.3 to 5.4
  • 5.4 to 6.6
  • 6.6 to 9.3
  • 9.3 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: 20.2 %Duplin County20.2Sampson County: 17.9 %Sampson County17.9Lee County: 16.6 %Lee County16.6Montgomery County: 15 %Montgomery County15Greene County: 14.3 %Greene County14.3Hyde County: 13.2 %Hyde County13.2Chatham County: 11.8 %Chatham County11.8Johnston County: 11.6 %Johnston County11.6Durham County: 11.6 %Durham County11.6Mecklenburg County: 11.6 %Mecklenburg County11.6Alamance County: 11.2 %Alamance County11.2Wayne County: 11.2 %Wayne County11.2Forsyth County: 11.1 %Forsyth County11.1Randolph County: 11 %Randolph County11Union County: 9.4 %Union County9.4Yadkin County: 9.4 %Yadkin County9.4Harnett County: 9.4 %Harnett County9.4Wilson County: 9.2 %Wilson County9.2Catawba County: 8.8 %Catawba County8.8Surry County: 8.8 %Surry County8.8Hoke County: 8.6 %Hoke County8.6Henderson County: 7.9 %Henderson County7.9Wake County: 7.9 %Wake County7.9Cabarrus County: 7.7 %Cabarrus County7.7Rowan County: 7.7 %Rowan County7.7Cumberland County: 7.6 %Cumberland County7.6Onslow County: 7.3 %Onslow County7.3Dare County: 7.1 %Dare County7.1Robeson County: 7 %Robeson County7Alleghany County: 6.8 %Alleghany County6.8Lenoir County: 6.8 %Lenoir County6.8Orange County: 6.7 %Orange County6.7Granville County: 6.6 %Granville County6.6Beaufort County: 6.6 %Beaufort County6.6Bladen County: 6.5 %Bladen County6.5Macon County: 6.4 %Macon County6.4Davie County: 6.2 %Davie County6.2Guilford County: 6.2 %Guilford County6.2Davidson County: 6.1 %Davidson County6.1Iredell County: 6.1 %Iredell County6.1Duplin County: 20.2 %Duplin County20.2Sampson County: 17.9 %Sampson County17.9Lee County: 16.6 %Lee County16.6Montgomery County: 15 %Montgomery County15Greene County: 14.3 %Greene County14.3Hyde County: 13.2 %Hyde County13.2Chatham County: 11.8 %Chatham County11.8Johnston County: 11.6 %Johnston County11.6Durham County: 11.6 %Durham County11.6Mecklenburg County: 11.6 %Mecklenburg County11.6Alamance County: 11.2 %Alamance County11.2Wayne County: 11.2 %Wayne County11.2Forsyth County: 11.1 %Forsyth County11.1Randolph County: 11 %Randolph County11Union County: 9.4 %Union County9.4Yadkin County: 9.4 %Yadkin County9.4Harnett County: 9.4 %Harnett County9.4Wilson County: 9.2 %Wilson County9.2Catawba County: 8.8 %Catawba County8.8Surry County: 8.8 %Surry County8.8Hoke County: 8.6 %Hoke County8.6Henderson County: 7.9 %Henderson County7.9Wake County: 7.9 %Wake County7.9Cabarrus County: 7.7 %Cabarrus County7.7Rowan County: 7.7 %Rowan County7.7Cumberland County: 7.6 %Cumberland County7.6Onslow County: 7.3 %Onslow County7.3Dare County: 7.1 %Dare County7.1Robeson County: 7 %Robeson County7Alleghany County: 6.8 %Alleghany County6.8Lenoir County: 6.8 %Lenoir County6.8Orange County: 6.7 %Orange County6.7Granville County: 6.6 %Granville County6.6Beaufort County: 6.6 %Beaufort County6.6Bladen County: 6.5 %Bladen County6.5Macon County: 6.4 %Macon County6.4Davie County: 6.2 %Davie County6.2Guilford County: 6.2 %Guilford County6.2Davidson County: 6.1 %Davidson County6.1Iredell County: 6.1 %Iredell County6.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Duplin County20.2
2Sampson County17.9
3Lee County16.6
4Montgomery County15
5Greene County14.3
6Hyde County13.2
7Chatham County11.8
8Johnston County11.6
9Durham County11.6
10Mecklenburg County11.6
11Alamance County11.2
11Wayne County11.2
13Forsyth County11.1
14Randolph County11
15Union County9.4
15Yadkin County9.4
17Harnett County9.4
18Wilson County9.2
19Catawba County8.8
19Surry County8.8
21Hoke County8.6
22Henderson County7.9
23Wake County7.9
24Cabarrus County7.7
25Rowan County7.7
26Cumberland County7.6
27Onslow County7.3
28Dare County7.1
29Robeson County7
30Alleghany County6.8
30Lenoir County6.8
32Orange County6.7
33Granville County6.6
34Beaufort County6.6
35Bladen County6.5
36Macon County6.4
37Davie County6.2
38Guilford County6.2
39Davidson County6.1
40Iredell County6.1
41Pender County6
42Franklin County6
43Lincoln County6
44Gaston County5.9
45Richmond County5.8
46Nash County5.7
47Vance County5.7
48Burke County5.5
49Rockingham County5.5
50McDowell County5.4
51Craven County5.4
52Buncombe County5.3
53Columbus County5.3
54Moore County5.1
55Tyrrell County5
56Edgecombe County4.9
57Polk County4.8
58Wilkes County4.8
59Pitt County4.8
60Jackson County4.6
61Alexander County4.6
62Jones County4.5
63Caldwell County4.4
64Martin County4.4
65Stanly County4.3
66New Hanover County4.3
67Mitchell County4.3
68Anson County4.1
69Ashe County3.9
69Avery County3.9
71Currituck County3.7
72Yancey County3.7
73Rutherford County3.4
74Brunswick County3.3
75Cleveland County3.3
76Warren County3.2
77Person County3.2
78Carteret County3.2
79Pamlico County3.2
80Graham County3
81Caswell County3
82Hertford County2.9
83Watauga County2.8
84Scotland County2.6
85Haywood County2.6
86Pasquotank County2.6
87Stokes County2.4
88Cherokee County2.4
89Gates County2.4
90Halifax County2.3
91Swain County2.1
91Transylvania County2.1
93Washington County2
94Northampton County1.9
95Chowan County1.9
96Perquimans County1.6
97Clay County1.3
98Bertie County1.2
99Camden County1
100Madison County1

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 5 and over who speak Spanish 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 or Hispanic origin. Hispanic origin is hispanic_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 Spanish 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 Spanish at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in North Carolina by population speaking Spanish 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 Spanish at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by population speaking Spanish 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/spanish-spoken-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 Spanish at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in North Carolina by population speaking Spanish 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/spanish-spoken-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 Spanish at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by population speaking Spanish 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/spanish-spoken-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 Spanish at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by population speaking Spanish 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/spanish-spoken-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 Spanish 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 Spanish at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by population speaking Spanish 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/spanish-spoken-at-home/north-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/spanish-spoken-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 Spanish 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 Spanish at home?

Duplin County, with 20.2% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population speaking Spanish at home?

Madison County, with 1% 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 Spanish at home, as a percentage of the population aged 5 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Population speaking Spanish at home: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings