---
title: "IV. English Proficiency and Citizenship"
description: "English Proficiency Nearly two-thirds (65%) of all U.S. Hispanics ages five and older either speak only English at home or speak English very well. This compares with 91% of the total U.S. population who are English proficient. The Hispanic origin groups with the highest rates of English proficiency are Puerto Ricans (82%), Mexicans (64%), Colombians […]"
date: "2012-06-27"
authors:
  - name: "Seth Motel"
    job_title: "Former Research Analyst"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/seth-motel/"
  - name: "Eileen Patten"
    job_title: "Former Research Analyst"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/eileen-patten/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2012/06/27/iv-english-proficiency-and-citizenship/"
categories:
  - "Hispanics/Latinos & Language"
---

# IV. English Proficiency and Citizenship

### English Proficiency

-

![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/06/2012-phc-summary-07.png)

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of all U.S. Hispanics ages five and older either speak only English at home or speak English very well. This compares with 91% of the total U.S. population who are English proficient.

- The Hispanic origin groups with the highest rates of English proficiency are Puerto Ricans (82%), Mexicans (64%), Colombians (59%) and Peruvians (59%).
- Guatemalans (41%), Hondurans (42%) and Salvadorans (46%) have the lowest rates of English proficiency and are the only groups in which less than half of the population ages five and older is proficient in English.

### Citizenship

-

![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/06/2012-phc-summary-08.png)

Nearly three-in-four (74%) Hispanics are U.S. citizens, compared with 93% of the entire U.S. population.

- Those born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens by birth, and fully 99% of Puerto Ricans hold citizenship.[7. numoffset="7" The remaining 1% are persons who indicated they were not born in the U.S. or Puerto Rico and were not U.S. citizens by birth.] Cubans (74%) and Mexicans (73%) have the next highest shares of U.S. citizens.****
- Hondurans (47%) and Guatemalans (49%) are the only groups among the 10 most populous Hispanic origin groups in which less than half of their populations are U.S. citizens. Hispanics of Salvadoran origin (55%) are the third least likely group to be U.S. citizens. **
**

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**Next:** [V. Economics and Health Insurance](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2012/06/27/v-economics-and-health-insurance.md)