NEW YORK, NY –
Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Sideya Sherman on July 6 announced the launch of NYC Language Explorer, an interactive web tool that maps the languages spoken across New York City at the citywide, borough, and communitydistrict levels.
The tool uses reliable U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) data to present intuitive tables, maps, and charts on languages spoken by New Yorkers with limited English proficiency (LEP). It highlights the most common languages in each borough and district and offers detailed statistics for additional language groups, helping agencies, nonprofits, researchers, and community organizations better understand local language needs.
“New York City is home to hundreds of languages, and that diversity is central to who we are,” said DCP Director SideyaSherman. “NYC Language Explorer gives agencies, service providers, community organizations and New Yorkers an accessible way to better understand the languages spoken in our neighborhoods”.
The tool also offers a wide range of insights into the languages spoken by New Yorkers, including: About 1.8 million residents citywide have limited English proficiency; The Bronx has the highest share of residents who speak a nonEnglish language (58%); Spanish is the top LEP language in every borough except Staten Island, where Chinese ranks first; Queens Community District 4 has the largest concentration of Tagalog LEP speakers;60% of Ukrainian speakers in the city have limited English proficiency.
NYC Language Explorer is part of DCP’s broader commitment to making demographic data accessible, useful and easy to understand, including through core tools for exploring New York City’s diverse socioeconomic landscape: Population FactFinder and Population MapViewer and follows the recent release of DCP’s Newest New Yorkers report, which provides a comprehensive portrait of the city’s foreign-born residents.
