A recent study has revealed that over 4.8 million residents in New Jersey are bilingual, positioning the state as one of the most linguistically diverse in the United States. This finding challenges the stereotype of Americans as monolingual and disinterested in other cultures.
Test Prep Insight conducted a survey of 3,000 Americans, focusing on individuals who can speak or understand a second language at a basic level. The survey specifically excluded those who speak a non-English language at home, such as Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans, to emphasize new language acquisition.
Rhode Island emerged as the top state in bilingualism, with 876,488 residents adept in a second language. New Mexico followed, with 67% of its population, approximately 1.4 million people, able to converse in Spanish. New Jersey ranked third, its linguistic diversity attributed to its historical embrace of various heritages, including Italian-American, Irish-American, and Eastern European communities.
Conversely, Iowa, Idaho, and Maine were found to have lower bilingual populations. Only about 6% of Iowans, 11% of Idahoans, and 13% of Mainers claim proficiency in a second language.
The study provides an interactive map showcasing the number of bilingual speakers in each state, emphasizing the growing interest in language learning and global engagement among Americans.