New indicator with detailed information about languages spoken by Massachusetts residents added to the State Health Assessment tool!

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 over 400 languages, some of which include combined language groups. For example, there is a single listing for “Swahili and other languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa” which includes around 1,000 languages.

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.