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Mapped: The Second Most-Spoken Language by State
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Key Takeaways
- Spanish is the second most-spoken language in 47 states and Washington, D.C.
- Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine are the only exceptions, reflecting Indigenous, Pacific Islander, and French-speaking heritage.
- California alone has more than 10.5 million Spanish speakers, the largest total in the country.
Spanish is the second most-spoken language in nearly every U.S. state, revealing how widely the language is spoken far beyond the Southwest and border regions.
This map shows the second most-spoken language across America using U.S. Census Bureau data on people age five and older who speak a language other than English at home.
While Spanish dominates almost the entire map, Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine stand out with distinct linguistic histories shaped by Indigenous communities, Pacific migration, and French-speaking heritage.
Spanish Is the Clear No. 2 Language Nationwide
Spanish is the second most-spoken language in 47 states and Washington, D.C.
| State | #2 Language | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Spanish | 187,711 |
| Alaska | Other Native (North America) | 24,996 |
| Arizona | Spanish | 1,344,168 |
| Arkansas | Spanish | 176,128 |
| California | Spanish | 10,513,931 |
| Colorado | Spanish | 613,290 |
| Connecticut | Spanish | 439,949 |
| Delaware | Spanish | 76,483 |
| District of Columbia | Spanish | 60,423 |
| Florida | Spanish | 4,801,213 |
| Georgia | Spanish | 890,264 |
| Hawaii | Ilocano/Samoan/Hawaiian & Austronesian | 117,184 |
| Idaho | Spanish | 147,208 |
| Illinois | Spanish | 1,681,635 |
| Indiana | Spanish | 353,025 |
| Iowa | Spanish | 140,635 |
| Kansas | Spanish | 223,357 |
| Kentucky | Spanish | 146,717 |
| Louisiana | Spanish | 201,847 |
| Maine | French | 30,737 |
| Maryland | Spanish | 562,050 |
| Massachusetts | Spanish | 646,141 |
| Michigan | Spanish | 298,830 |
| Minnesota | Spanish | 227,636 |
| Mississippi | Spanish | 73,687 |
| Missouri | Spanish | 169,451 |
| Montana | Spanish | 15,285 |
| Nebraska | Spanish | 156,178 |
| Nevada | Spanish | 600,083 |
| New Hampshire | Spanish | 34,831 |
| New Jersey | Spanish | 1,514,828 |
| New Mexico | Spanish | 491,462 |
| New York | Spanish | 2,772,893 |
| North Carolina | Spanish | 876,033 |
| North Dakota | Spanish | 16,618 |
| Ohio | Spanish | 294,716 |
| Oklahoma | Spanish | 305,840 |
| Oregon | Spanish | 365,276 |
| Pennsylvania | Spanish | 686,810 |
| Rhode Island | Spanish | 141,693 |
| South Carolina | Spanish | 262,999 |
| South Dakota | Spanish | 22,332 |
| Tennessee | Spanish | 348,679 |
| Texas | Spanish | 7,932,949 |
| Utah | Spanish | 345,046 |
| Vermont | Spanish | 8,063 |
| Virginia | Spanish | 649,137 |
| Washington | Spanish | 665,921 |
| West Virginia | Spanish | 19,863 |
| Wisconsin | Spanish | 276,721 |
| Wyoming | Spanish | 26,551 |
California has by far the largest Spanish-speaking population after English, with more than 10.5 million people speaking Spanish at home. Texas follows with nearly 7.9 million, while Florida has 4.8 million.
Together, California and Texas alone account for more Spanish speakers than the populations of many countries. The data highlights how Spanish has become a truly national language, spoken widely across the South, Midwest, Northeast, and West Coast.
New York, Illinois, New Jersey, and Arizona also each have more than one million Spanish speakers.
Three States Break the Pattern
Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine are the only states where Spanish is not the second most-spoken language.
In Alaska, the leading language category after English is Alaska Native Languages, with nearly 25,000 speakers.
In Hawaii, Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, and other Austronesian languages lead with more than 117,000 speakers. These languages are linked to Filipino, Samoan, Native Hawaiian, and broader Pacific Islander communities.
Maine’s second language is French, with more than 30,000 speakers. This reflects French-speaking heritage along the Quebec border and the long history of Francophone communities in northern New England.
The Largest Spanish-Speaking States
The biggest Spanish-speaking populations are concentrated in large states and major migration hubs. California, Texas, and Florida alone account for more than 23 million Spanish speakers.
Other major centers include New York, with 2.8 million Spanish speakers, and Illinois, with 1.7 million. The map shows that Spanish is no longer concentrated in a handful of border states. It is now the clear second language across almost the entire U.S., with only three states reflecting different regional histories.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Most Spoken Languages by Total Speakers on Voronoi.