Arabic, Somali, Spanish, and Nepali Among Columbus’ Fastest-Growing Languages
Columbus, Ohio – As Columbus continues to grow, so does its linguistic and cultural diversity. According to the recently released Franklin County 2025 Healthmap, a significant number of residents are now speaking languages other than English at home — with languages like Spanish, Somali, Arabic, French, Nepali, and several West African languages seeing steady increases.
Spanish remains the dominant non-English language in Columbus, with speakers rising from 49,949 in 2019 to 56,763 in 2022. However, the city’s changing immigrant and refugee demographics are fueling growth in other language groups.
Angela Plummer, Executive Director of Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS), noted that the rise is consistent with an increase in resettled refugees from Afghanistan, Ukraine, and various African nations following global conflicts in recent years.
Growing Language Communities in Columbus (2019–2022):
- Arabic speakers nearly doubled from 8,437 to 15,285
- Somali and Afro-Asiatic language speakers increased from 25,051 to 27,074
- West African languages (e.g., Yoruba, Twi, Igbo): from 10,904 to 12,435
- Nepali and Marathi speakers grew from 9,668 to 11,076
- French and French dialects rose from 5,789 to 7,579
- Chinese language speakers decreased significantly from 13,072 to 8,188
Columbus currently holds the second-largest Somali population in the U.S., following Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Language Diversity by ZIP Code in Franklin County
The Healthmap report also breaks down language use by ZIP code, revealing concentrated diversity in specific neighborhoods:
- 43231 (Northland/Minerva Park):
- 26% speak a non-English language
- Top countries of origin: Somalia, Ghana, Kenya
- 43229 (Forest Park/Northland):
- 21% non-English speakers
- Common origins: Ghana, El Salvador, Somalia
- 43224 (North Linden/Maize-Morse):
- 20% speak another language
- Dominant origins: Somalia, Ghana, Mexico
- 43219 (East Columbus/North Central):
- 16% speak a non-English language
- Birth countries: Somalia, Mexico, India
This growing multilingual population reflects Columbus’s transformation into a global city — not only economically, but also culturally and linguistically.
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