This PDF includes the languages spoken in Rhode Island from the Rhode Island 2010 Census.

🗣️ Top languages spoken in Rhode Island (2020–2025)

1. English (dominant)

• About 77–80% of residents speak only English at home

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🌎 Most common non-English languages

2. Spanish

• By far the largest non-English language
• ~10–12% of the population
• The #1 non-English language statewide

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3. Portuguese

• Strong presence due to Portuguese & Cape Verdean communities
• Typically the #2 language

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4. French / French Creole (Haitian Creole)

• Includes:
  • Standard French
  • Haitian Creole (important in Providence/Pawtucket areas)

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5. Chinese

• Includes Mandarin, Cantonese, etc.

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6. Khmer (Cambodian / Mon-Khmer)

• Rhode Island has a notably high Cambodian population compared to the U.S. average

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7. Other notable languages

These are smaller but still significant:

• Italian
• Laotian
• Arabic
• African languages (e.g., West African languages)
• Vietnamese / other Asian languages

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📊 Big picture (2020–2024)

• About 23% of Rhode Islanders speak a language other than English at home
• The top 3 non-English languages are consistently:
  1. Spanish
  2. Portuguese
  3. (varies by dataset) French/Creole or Chinese

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🧠 Key takeaway

Rhode Island is one of the more linguistically diverse states in New England, with:

• Spanish dominating
• Portuguese uniquely strong (regional characteristic)
• A standout Southeast Asian presence (Cambodian/Khmer)