CensusScope is a product of the Social Science Data Analysis Network.
Wilmington, NC |
Print-Friendly Version |
LANGUAGE
The Census asks questions about language use at home to locate groups of people who speak a language other than English. Their isolation or integration into a primarily English speaking community can be determined by their ability to speak English proficiently.
| Language Spoken at Home, 1990-2000 | ||||
| 1990 | 2000 | |||
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |
| Only English | 155,023 | 96.55% | 208,744 | 94.79% |
| Spanish | 2,207 | 1.37% | 6,414 | 2.91% |
| Other Indo-European* | 2,844 | 1.77% | 3,617 | 1.64% |
| Asian Language** | 324 | 0.20% | 1,023 | 0.46% |
| Other | 159 | 0.10% | 419 | 0.19% |
| Total Population Age 5+ | 160,557 | 100.00% | 220,217 | 100.00% |
| Population Speaking English Less Than "Very Well" in 2000 | ||
| Language Spoken at Home: | Number | Percent |
| Spanish | 2,926 | 45.62% |
| Other Indo-European* | 797 | 22.03% |
| Asian Language** | 467 | 45.65% |
| Other Language | 135 | 32.22% |
| Total | 4,325 | 1.96% |
| Population Speaking English Less Than "Very Well" in 1990 | ||
| Language Spoken at Home: | Number | Percent |
| Spanish | 844 | 38.24% |
| Other Indo-European* | 933 | 32.81% |
| Asian Language** | 120 | 37.04% |
| Other Language | 27 | 16.98% |
| Total | 1,924 | 1.20% |
* "Other Indo-European" excludes English and Spanish. "Indo-European" is not synonymous with "European." French, German, Hindi, and Persian are all classified as Indo-European. Hungarian, on the other hand, is lumped into "Other Language."
** "Asian Language" includes languages indigenous to Asia and Pacific islands areas that are not also Indo-European languages. Chinese, Japanese, Telugu, and Hawaiian are all classified here.
Also note that ability to speak English "very well" is based on the self-assessment of those responding to Census questions, not on a test of language ability.
Source: Census 2000 analyzed by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN).
Home | About | Help | Contact | Use Policy