CensusScope is a product of the Social Science Data Analysis Network.
Sangamon County |
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 | 159,982 | 96.57% | 170,568 | 96.39% |
| Spanish | 1,451 | 0.88% | 2,200 | 1.24% |
| Other Indo-European* | 3,365 | 2.03% | 2,485 | 1.40% |
| Asian Language** | 583 | 0.35% | 1,295 | 0.73% |
| Other | 281 | 0.17% | 405 | 0.23% |
| Total Population Age 5+ | 165,662 | 100.00% | 176,953 | 100.00% |
| Population Speaking English Less Than "Very Well" in 2000 | ||
| Language Spoken at Home: | Number | Percent |
| Spanish | 760 | 34.55% |
| Other Indo-European* | 569 | 22.90% |
| Asian Language** | 462 | 35.68% |
| Other Language | 58 | 14.32% |
| Total | 1,849 | 1.04% |
| Population Speaking English Less Than "Very Well" in 1990 | ||
| Language Spoken at Home: | Number | Percent |
| Spanish | 393 | 27.08% |
| Other Indo-European* | 963 | 28.62% |
| Asian Language** | 272 | 46.66% |
| Other Language | 113 | 40.21% |
| Total | 1,741 | 1.05% |
* "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