Ability to speak English among different language groups spoken at home. Tacoma 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
179,684
100.0%
Speak only English
150,000
83.5%
Speak a language other than English
29,684
16.5%
Spanish
8,708
100.0%
Speak English "very well"
4,589
52.7%
Speak English "well"
1,683
19.3%
Speak English "not well"
1,816
20.9%
Speak English "not at all"
620
7.1%
Other Indo-European languages
6,907
100.0%
Speak English "very well"
4,285
62.0%
Speak English "well"
1,250
18.1%
Speak English "not well"
1,150
16.6%
Speak English "not at all"
222
3.2%
Asian and Pacific Island languages
13,293
100.0%
Speak English "very well"
5,774
43.4%
Speak English "well"
3,681
27.7%
Speak English "not well"
2,950
22.2%
Speak English "not at all"
888
6.7%
All other languages
776
100.0%
Speak English "very well"
520
67.0%
Speak English "well"
225
29.0%
Speak English "not well"
21
2.7%
Speak English "not at all"
10
1.3%
Ability to speak English by age
Persons
Percent
Population 5 years and over
179,684
100.0%
Speak a language other than English
29,684
16.5%
5 to 17 years
6,564
3.7%
18 to 64 years
20,251
11.3%
65 years and over
2,869
1.6%
Speak English less than "very well"
14,516
8.1%
5 to 17 years
2,601
1.4%
18 to 64 years
10,447
5.8%
65 years and over
1,468
0.8%
Linguistically isolated households*
3,221
Population 5 years and over in households*
173,072
100.0%
In linguistically isolated households
8,538
4.9%
5 to 17 years
2,160
1.2%
18 to 64 years
5,444
3.1%
65 years and over
934
0.5%
* No member 14 years or older speaks English only or "very well"
