El Paso Beats California in New Bilingual Study

In news that probably shocks absolutely no one who’s ever ordered tacos, switched languages mid-sentence, or said “¿Qué?” out of habit, El Paso has officially been named the most bilingual city in America.

I mean, we really didn’t need a study to tell us that, right? But, it’s nice to have the receipts. Also, it somehow feels good to know we beat out California!

El Paso Tops the List

The news comes from a recent study from Preply. They analyzed language-use data from 25 of America’s largest cities using U.S. Census sources, defining “bilingual” as people who speak a language other than English at home and also report speaking English “very well.” El Paso came in at number one, ahead of Los Angeles and San Jose.

According to the report, nearly 7 in 10 El Pasoans speak a language other than English, and 39% are fully bilingual, meaning they can speak both English and Spanish very well. In other words, your abuela, your tía, and your coworker who switches from “Good morning” to “Buenos días” in the same sentence are statistical legends.

It’s not exactly shocking that El Paso came out on top. Sitting right on the U.S.-Mexico border, the city’s culture, language, and community are deeply blended. Spanish has been part of daily life here for generations, and honestly, it’s what makes El Paso, El Paso. It's almost like we have our own language.

If you grew up here, you probably learned both languages at the same time, from school, your parents, or just from trying to understand your tía’s novela without subtitles.

READ MORE: El Paso's Many uses for the Phrase Ay Ay

Whether you’re saying “thank you” or “gracias,” El Paso proves that being bilingual isn’t just a skill here, it’s a way of life. And if you ever forget a word in one language? No worries, we’ve got another one ready.