Released: September 19, 2012
Characteristics of the 60 Largest Metropolitan Areas by Hispanic Population
IV. English Proficiency and U.S. Citizenship
English Proficiency
Among the 10 largest Hispanic metropolitan areas, San Antonio has the highest share of Hispanics ages 5 and older who are proficient in English (81%)—that is, who speak only English at home or who otherwise speak English “very well.”- By comparison, slightly more than half (52%) of Hispanics ages 5 and older in Miami are proficient in English.
- Nearly two-thirds (65%) of all U.S. Hispanics ages 5 and older are proficient in English.
- Other than San Antonio, two metropolitan areas among the top 60 have rates of English proficiency above 80%. Albuquerque, N.M., has an 85% proficiency rate among Hispanics ages 5 and older and Corpus Christi, Texas, is second with 84%; they are ranked 26th and 46th in Hispanic population, respectively.
U.S. Citizenship
San Antonio has the highest rate of U.S. citizenship among Hispanics in the top 10 metropolitan areas (88%). Its share is well above the other metro areas in the top 10. (Riverside is second with 78%.)- Miami has the lowest rate of U.S. citizenship among its Hispanic population (66%).
- Nearly three-quarters (74%) of all U.S. Hispanics are U.S. citizens by birth or naturalization.
