Demographics
Language Diversity

Increasing


Language Diversity

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What does this measure?

The share of people 5 and older in a geographic area who speak a language other than English at home. This includes both people who speak English well and those who do not.

Why is this important?

Language diversity can indicate a growing bilingual or multilingual population, and it may also indicate a need for language instruction or bilingual services and communication.

How does our county compare?

In 2017-21, 17% of Lancaster County residents spoke a language other than English at home, up 4 percentage points since 2000. This was higher than Pennsylvania, at 12%, but less than the U.S., at 22%. Both the state and nation had similar increases as Lancaster County during this period.

The City of Lancaster had the most language diversity--more than a third of its population speak a language other than English in their homes, followed by Berks County at 19%. All surrounding counties saw increases in this population since 2000 lead by Berks County which experienced the highest increase of 6 percentage points since 2000, followed by Lebanon County with 5 points.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Language Diversity
20002007-112012-162017-21
Pennsylvania8%10%11%12%
Lancaster County13%15%16%17%
Lancaster City31%35%36%34%
Lancaster County Boroughs
Adamstown borough6%4%***14%***7%***
Akron borough7%10%***14%***7%***
Christiana borough7%7%***7%***4%***
Columbia borough5%11%*6%*14%*
Denver township6%4%***7%***10%***
East Petersburg borough3%7%***7%***9%***
Elizabethtown borough5%5%**6%*5%**
Ephrata borough9%12%*6%*12%*
Lititz borough4%4%***8%**4%***
Manheim borough4%4%***7%***3%***
Marietta borough5%1%***3%***5%***
Millersville borough7%7%**9%*17%**
Mount Joy borough5%8%***7%**7%**
Mountville borough5%15%***14%***6%***
New Holland borough11%19%**15%*5%***
Quarryville borough5%6%***3%***14%***
Strasburg borough5%5%***3%***3%***
Terre Hill borough7%9%***9%***12%***
Lancaster County Townships
Bart township45%57%*50%57%
Brecknock township18%11%**17%*11%**
Caernarvon township21%20%**29%*26%*
Clay township7%9%***12%*15%**
Colerain township30%36%*42%*36%*
Conestoga township2%5%***2%***4%***
Conoy township2%7%***2%***5%***
Drumore township15%32%**18%*25%*
Earl township31%37%*39%37%*
East Cocalico township10%12%**10%*17%***
East Donegal township3%3%***3%***3%***
East Drumore township10%13%***13%**5%***
East Earl township24%37%*34%*27%*
East Hempfield township7%9%*10%12%*
East Lampeter township16%18%20%24%*
Eden township27%33%**39%*56%*
Elizabeth township6%5%***8%***5%***
Ephrata township10%17%*15%*16%*
Fulton township9%11%***20%*31%*
Lancaster township13%18%26%30%
Leacock township61%55%45%*59%
Little Britain township15%25%**18%**32%**
Manheim township9%11%13%14%
Manor township5%10%*7%*9%*
Martic township4%12%***7%**18%**
Mount Joy township2%4%***5%**3%***
Paradise township25%32%*40%43%*
Penn township8%10%**3%***7%***
Pequea township6%3%***2%***11%**
Providence township5%10%***4%***6%***
Rapho township5%6%***5%**4%***
Sadsbury township30%30%*41%34%*
Salisbury township25%32%35%39%
Strasburg township20%12%***31%*22%**
Upper Leacock township29%31%30%31%
Warwick township6%6%*9%*5%*
West Cocalico township5%8%***5%**9%***
West Donegal township2%3%***2%***2%***
West Earl township23%20%*33%*24%*
West Hempfield township7%9%*6%*10%*
West Lampeter township4%4%**4%**7%*
Berks County13%16%18%19%
Chester County9%12%12%13%
Cumberland County6%8%9%10%
Dauphin County9%10%12%13%
Lebanon County8%9%11%13%
York County5%7%7%8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of People who Speak a Language Other Than English at Home
20002007-112012-162017-21
Pennsylvania972,4841,199,0471,306,4071,432,077
Lancaster County57,46874,35780,38587,598
Lancaster City16,08118,88119,93018,637
Lancaster County Boroughs
Adamstown borough6462***278***155***
Akron borough253395***525***260***
Christiana borough7476***58***33***
Columbia borough5171,024*601*1,398*
Denver township187150***259***364***
East Petersburg borough139313***305***387***
Elizabethtown borough587537**668*572**
Ephrata borough1,1141,496*751*1,587*
Lititz borough373366***652**340***
Manheim borough188170***325***137***
Marietta borough13425***78***120***
Millersville borough532514**759*1,246**
Mount Joy borough341547***521**559**
Mountville borough120390***351***180***
New Holland borough551952**734*279***
Quarryville borough100149***84***348***
Strasburg borough135129***85***80***
Terre Hill borough7695***120***112***
Lancaster County Townships
Bart township1,2251,523*1,4251,673
Brecknock township1,118745**1,186*775**
Caernarvon township825870**1,316*1,075*
Clay township327501***718*966**
Colerain township8881,138*1,364*1,253*
Conestoga township86186***61***159***
Conoy township66225***47***154***
Drumore township300742**431*610*
Earl township1,7292,243*2,5682,374*
East Cocalico township9121,155**980*1,738***
East Donegal township161220***234***263***
East Drumore township327444***454**169***
East Earl township1,2362,202*2,152*1,751*
East Hempfield township1,3291,930*2,3182,946*
East Lampeter township1,9782,7813,2233,907*
Eden township453639**716*1,146*
Elizabeth township229177***287***188***
Ephrata township7691,452*1,414*1,602*
Fulton township220300***606*865*
Lancaster township1,7102,6544,1475,123
Leacock township2,6502,5262,222*2,995
Little Britain township478920**741**1,204**
Manheim township2,9273,9024,9645,769
Manor township7351,738*1,376*1,860*
Martic township204579***332**844**
Mount Joy township175375***516**290***
Paradise township1,0771,491*1,9702,240*
Penn township561822**242***668***
Pequea township264134***97***554**
Providence township310634***261***367***
Rapho township368578***578**440***
Sadsbury township804931*1,2501,045*
Salisbury township2,2083,1763,5304,029
Strasburg township751477***1,191*868**
Upper Leacock township2,2122,4662,3652,547
Warwick township8661,052*1,474*925*
West Cocalico township341521***305**587***
West Donegal township138195***193***133***
West Earl township1,4461,467*2,486*1,859*
West Hempfield township9521,337*995*1,636*
West Lampeter township547638**566**1,207*
Berks County44,44263,18269,04977,283
Chester County35,41453,88858,03763,587
Cumberland County11,49517,63619,87123,458
Dauphin County20,16625,99629,47833,387
Lebanon County9,03911,48214,41717,750
York County19,17226,75428,98934,340

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Decreasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Decreasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Decreasing
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Maintaining
Working Poor Maintaining
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Maintaining
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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