Ability to speak English among different language groups spoken at home. Chicago Population of the study includes all persons 5 years and over. Ability to speak English "very well" by age, and rate of linguistically isolated households* is shown in the second table.
Ability to speak English by language spoken at home
Persons
Percent
Population 5 years and over
2,678,981
100.0%
Speak only English
1,726,905
64.5%
Speak a language other than English
952,076
35.5%
Spanish
625,240
100.0%
Speak English "very well"
289,847
46.4%
Speak English "well"
144,080
23.0%
Speak English "not well"
127,437
20.4%
Speak English "not at all"
63,876
10.2%
Other Indo-European languages
212,576
100.0%
Speak English "very well"
107,567
50.6%
Speak English "well"
54,728
25.7%
Speak English "not well"
40,688
19.1%
Speak English "not at all"
9,593
4.5%
Asian and Pacific Island languages
82,582
100.0%
Speak English "very well"
39,892
48.3%
Speak English "well"
22,438
27.2%
Speak English "not well"
15,046
18.2%
Speak English "not at all"
5,206
6.3%
All other languages
31,678
100.0%
Speak English "very well"
20,595
65.0%
Speak English "well"
7,387
23.3%
Speak English "not well"
3,078
9.7%
Speak English "not at all"
618
2.0%
Ability to speak English by age
Persons
Percent
Population 5 years and over
2,678,981
100.0%
Speak a language other than English
952,076
35.5%
5 to 17 years
202,134
7.5%
18 to 64 years
671,243
25.1%
65 years and over
78,699
2.9%
Speak English less than "very well"
494,175
18.4%
5 to 17 years
80,286
3.0%
18 to 64 years
364,436
13.6%
65 years and over
49,453
1.8%
Linguistically isolated households*
107,870
Population 5 years and over in households*
2,619,871
100.0%
In linguistically isolated households
293,053
11.2%
5 to 17 years
63,399
2.4%
18 to 64 years
199,609
7.6%
65 years and over
30,045
1.1%
* No member 14 years or older speaks English only or "very well"
