A new indicator reporting information about the primary language spoken at home by the population aged 5 and older in limited-English households has been added to the report tool.
Note: Data for this indicator are based on tabulations of just 12 language groups, most of which combine many languages. A more detailed list of languages spoken in Massachusetts is available in the state report, however county and sub-county information are only available for the 12 language groups reported in the American Community Survey.
Additionally, the American Community Survey (ACS) collects information on spoken languages, not written languages. For example, “Chinese” could mean either Traditional or Simplified Chinese. The ACS also recodes responses so that anyone who reports using American Sign Language at home is counted as speaking English, even though they are unrelated languages. Accurate data on language use informs resources for better language access to important government information, public health resources, healthcare services and more.