The United States of America has been considered the ultimate melting pot of cultures, religions, and languages since the assimilation of immigrants in the early nineteenth century. According to an article published in the Daily Texan in 2013, “The United States is largely monolingual. In fact, only about 15-20 percent of Americans consider themselves bilingual, compared to 56 percent of Europeans surveyed in 2006 by the European Commission.” It is estimated that over 50 million people in the U.S. speak two or more languages. Five cities in Texas alone are ranked as the most multilingual cities in the United States. Can you guess which ones they are?
- Houston has a census-estimated 2016 population of 2.303 million. With more than 800,000 multilingual residents, Houston is considered the international Capital of the Sunbelt. Some parts of the city display Chinese and Vietnamese street signs for residents. Houston has been rated as one of the most diverse cities in the United States.
- Dallas is the most populous city in Texas. According to the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 1,197,816. The United States Census Bureau’s estimate for the city’s population increased to 1,317,929 as of July 1, 2016. More than 37% of Dallas residents speak languages in addition to English. The city has a significant Korean American presence and a large Koreatown in the northwest section of the city.
- San Antonio, which Spanish for “Saint Anthony” is the second most populous city in Texas. According to the 2010 Census, 1,327,407 people resided in the city proper of San Antonio. Approximately 55% of San Antonio residents speak English and 41% speak Spanish. 47% of residents can speak more than one language. San Antonio is among the historic centers of Tejano culture in Texas, and both English and Spanish remain the most prevalent languages.
- Fort Worth located in North Central Texas is the fifth largest city in the state of Texas coming in with a population of 741,206. The most common foreign languages in Fort Worth, TX are Spanish (198,307 speakers), Vietnamese (6,334 speakers), and African Languages (3,849 speakers), but compared to other places, Fort Worth, TX has a relatively high number of Laotian (2,002 speakers), Spanish (198,307 speakers), and Gujarati (1,580 speakers).
- Austin, is the capital of Texas and best known for its popular SXSW Conference and live music scene. The population of Austin in 2010 according to the U.S. Census, was at 790,390 residents making it the 4th most populous city in Texas. Austin is the fastest growing large city in the United States. More than 30% of Austin’s population speaks a language other than English. Of those numbers, approximately 200,000 speak more than one language. Many from around the country are looking for Austin Real Estate prices and considering relocating to this culturally rich city. With all of the factors stated above, it’s easy to see why.