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Top 10 Languages of New Mexico

top languages of new mexico

top languages of new mexico

New Mexico is a highly diverse state, so while the bulk of the population speaks English, many other languages are also spoken by members of the population. Immigrants often bring their languages with them when they arrive, and indigenous people also work to preserve their language over time. As a result, the number of cumulative languages spoken by residents is quite high.

The languages present aren’t just a reflection of recent immigrants either, but also of the state’s immigration history. Here’s a quick overview of immigration in New Mexico, as well as the top ten languages of New Mexico (not including English).

 

New Mexico Immigration History

New Mexico was initially only home to Native Americans, and while their numbers have declined since, Native Americans represent about one-tenth of the state’s current population. As settlers began arriving, most were of Mexican, Latin American, or Spanish origin, the latter of which were referred to as Hispanos for a time.

Spanish Americans were a majority for a period, but that began to change after World War II. At that time, a large number of English-speaking people of European descent started to arrive in the area. In time, other immigrants also began arriving, including individuals from Asia, non-English-speaking European nations, Africa, and Central and South America.

 

Top 10 Languages of New Mexico (Other Than English)

Approximately 2.11 million people call New Mexico home. While most residents do speak English, about 33 percent of New Mexicans above the age of 4 (an estimated 697,403 people) speak a non-English language at home. Additionally, among those residing in New Mexico, about 9.55 percent (approximately 201,824 people) are classified as having limited English proficiency (LEP). Since that’s the case, a wide array of languages is spoken by New Mexicans. Here’s an overview of the top ten languages of New Mexico, not including English.

1. Spanish

Spanish is the most widely spoken non-English language in New Mexico by a significant margin. In total, there are an estimated 514,071 Spanish speakers in the state, resulting in a population share of about 26.04 percent.

2. Navajo

New Mexico still has a significant Navajo population. Approximately 63,783 residents speak Navajo, causing Navajo speakers to make up a little more than 3.23 percent of the population.

3. Other Native American Languages

While Navajo speakers are counted separately in census data, that isn’t the case with all Native American languages. As a result, 32,954 New Mexicans are classified as speaking other Native American languages, giving them a cumulative population share of a bit less than 1.67 percent.

4. German

German is spoken by approximately 6,123 New Mexico residents. That means that German speakers make up about 0.31 percent of the state’s population.

5. Chinese

In New Mexico, about 5,201 residents speak Chinese (including Cantonese and Mandarin). That results in a population share of a little more than 0.26 percent.

6. Tagalog

Tagalog (including Filipino) is spoken by an estimated 5,135 New Mexicans. That causes them to make up about 0.26 percent of the population.

7. Vietnamese

There are around 4,460 Vietnamese speakers in New Mexico. They have a population share of nearly 0.23 percent.

8. French

French (including Cajun) is spoken by approximately 4,040 New Mexico residents. Taken together, they make up a little shy of 0.21 percent of the population.

9. Arabic

In New Mexico, there are an estimated 2,946 Arabic speakers. As a result, they have a population share of nearly 0.15 percent.

10. Korean

Rounding out the top ten non-English languages spoken in New Mexico is Korean. With approximately 1,940 speakers, they make up nearly 0.10 percent of the population.

 

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