Hispanic English Proficiency: Which of the Ten Largest Metropolitan Areas has the Highest Percentage?

A new study by the Pew Research Center shows that San Antonio hosts the highest percentage of Hispanics, ages 5 and older, which are proficient in English.

The Research center defines proficiency as people who speak English "very well," or who only speak English at home. English proficient Hispanics comprise 81 percent of the total Hispanic population in San Antonio, compared to the nationwide 65 percent statistic for the U.S. In San Antonio, Latinos are 88 percent of the total population. Pew also notes that Albuquerque, N.M. has an 85 percent proficiency rate, and Corpus Christi, Texas has an 84 percent rate.Out of the top ten metropolitan areas, Phoenix landed in second with 72 percent proficiency, Riverside with 69 percent, San Francisco with 64 percent, Chicago with 61 percent, Los Angeles with 60 percent, Houston with 60 percent, Dallas with 59 percent, New York with 58 percent, and Miami with 52 percent. Researchers explain that Miami has the lowest rate of U.S. citizenship among its Hispanic population, at 66 percent.

Pew Research Center also calculated the percentage of Hispanics with U.S. citizenship in the top ten metro areas, and found that San Antonio once again topped the charts at 88 percent. Miami bottomed out the list this time as well. Here are the numbers.

Riverside landed in second with 78 percent U.S. citizenship, Phoenix with 75 percent, New York with 72 percent, Los Angeles with 72 percent, Chicago with 71 percent, San Francisco with 71 percent, Houston with 69 percent, Dallas with 67 percent, and Miami with 66 percent. The study states that 74 percent of all nationwide Hispanics are U.S. citizens.