---
title: "IV. English Proficiency and U.S. Citizenship"
description: "English Proficiency Among the 10 largest Hispanic metropolitan areas, San Antonio has the highest share of Hispanics ages 5 and older who are proficient in English (81%)—that is, who speak only English at home or who otherwise speak English “very well.” By comparison, slightly more than half (52%) of Hispanics ages 5 and older in […]"
date: "2012-09-19"
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/2012/09/19/english-proficiency-and-u-s-citizenship/"
categories:
  - "Hispanics/Latinos & Language"
---

# IV. English Proficiency and U.S. Citizenship

### English Proficiency

-

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/09/09-11-12-Metro-Areas-09.png)](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/09/09-11-12-Metro-Areas-09.png)

Among the 10 largest Hispanic metropolitan areas, San Antonio has the highest share of Hispanics ages 5 and older who are proficient in English (81%)—that is, who speak only English at home or who otherwise speak English “very well.”

- By comparison, slightly more than half (52%) of Hispanics ages 5 and older in Miami are proficient in English.
- Nearly two-thirds (65%) of all U.S. Hispanics ages 5 and older are proficient in English.
- Other than San Antonio, two metropolitan areas among the top 60 have rates of English proficiency above 80%. Albuquerque, N.M., has an 85% proficiency rate among Hispanics ages 5 and older and Corpus Christi, Texas, is second with 84%; they are ranked 26th and 46th in Hispanic population, respectively.

### U.S. Citizenship

-

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/09/09-11-12-Metro-Areas-101.png)](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/09/09-11-12-Metro-Areas-101.png)

San Antonio has the highest rate of U.S. citizenship among Hispanics in the top 10 metropolitan areas (88%). Its share is well above the other metro areas in the top 10. (Riverside is second with 78%.)

- Miami has the lowest rate of U.S. citizenship among its Hispanic population (66%).
- Nearly three-quarters (74%) of all U.S. Hispanics are U.S. citizens by birth or naturalization.

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**Next:** [V. Economics and Health Insurance](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2012/09/19/economics-and-health-insurance.md)