Top Languages Spoken in Victoria
Key Victorian multicultural stats from the 2016 Census.
IDENTITY Communications, the intelligent multicultural marketing agency has compiled key multicultural data from the latest Census:
- Top languages spoken in Victoria, including those with low English language proficiency.
- Top local government areas ranked by the number of residents who speak a language other than English at home.
Top languages spoken in Victoria (other than English).
Mandarin speakers in Victoria has increased by 85% in the five years between the last two Censuses (2011-2016). It has overtaken Italian and Greek to be the most spoken language, other than English in Victoria. Over the same period, Italian speakers have declined by 10%, Greek by 5%, while Vietnamese has increased by 19% and Cantonese by 7%.
Rank Language High Proficiency Low Proficiency Total Not applicable Grand Total
1 Mandarin 141989 48713 190702 1091 191796
2 Italian 94897 15835 110732 1548 112270
3 Greek 90296 19390 109686 1023 110706
4 Vietnamese 70602 32025 102627 805 103429
5 Arabic 66071 12639 78710 878 79589
6 Cantonese 58939 18676 77615 465 78078
7 Punjabi 49722 5853 55575 593 56166
8 Hindi 48419 2440 50859 379 51236
9 Sinhalese 35093 2049 37142 281 37428
10 Spanish 31256 3895 35151 348 35492
11 Turkish 25490 6028 31518 318 31833
12 Macedonian 24355 4826 29181 321 29487
13 Tamil 23088 2349 25437 230 25664
14 Urdu 20928 2043 22971 228 23204
15 Tagalog/Filipino 39309 1142 40451 373 40828
16 Croatian 17464 2813 20277 236 20508
17 German 18938 536 19474 236 19715
18 French 18409 738 19147 171 19310
19 Russian 14463 3087 17550 135 17684
20 Serbian 13943 2918 16861 189 17055
21 Malayalam 15459 1365 16824 131 16952
22 Maltese 15433 1241 16674 222 16895
23 Indonesian 15543 1123 16666 123 16781
24 Persian (excluding Dari) 13075 3197 16272 149 16433
25 Korean 11061 4333 15394 128 15519
26 Polish 13194 1840 15034 141 15177
27 Gujarati 13609 1351 14960 107 15064
28 Khmer 9535 5045 14580 134 14723
29 Telugu 12090 996 13086 73 13160
30 Dari 8778 3457 12235 156 12386
31 Thai 9377 2189 11566 111 11669
32 Samoan 10523 886 11409 205 11611
33 Japanese 9765 1625 11390 94 11483
34 Bengali 10189 730 10919 78 10997
35 Nepali 9382 957 10339 70 10413
36 Non-verbal, so described 361 7036 7397 1806 9210
37 Hazaraghi 5746 3192 8938 121 9061
38 Dutch 8266 215 8481 109 8600
39 Chaldean Neo-Aramaic 5430 2290 7720 55 7784
40 Assyrian Neo-Aramaic 5469 2034 7503 72 7571
41 Somali 6283 1054 7337 119 7454
42 Portuguese 6471 783 7254 48 7299
43 Chinese, nfd 4484 2571 7055 40 7097
44 Albanian 5619 1136 6755 73 6832
45 Hungarian 5950 708 6658 73 6729
46 Bosnian 4825 982 5807 75 5884
47 Min Nan 4800 919 5719 30 5750
48 Afrikaans 5451 77 5528 36 5563
49 Hakka 3965 1536 5501 35 5532
50 Karen 2414 2715 5129 43 5177
51 Hebrew 4962 173 5135 31 5172
52 Romanian 4558 517 5075 46 5127
53 Malay 4641 270 4911 33 4946
54 Dinka 3971 827 4798 75 4874
55 Pashto 3522 1105 4627 61 4691
56 Inadequately described 2810 1120 3930 348 4278
57 Burmese 2600 1541 4141 34 4177
58 Marathi 3700 158 3858 22 3878
59 Amharic 3248 419 3667 65 3724
60 Kannada 3463 170 3633 20 3654
61 Tongan 2930 269 3199 61 3257
62 Chin Haka 1474 1654 3128 24 3142
63 Auslan 2175 629 2804 74 2870
64 Ukrainian 2473 334 2807 36 2839
65 Southern Asian Languages, nfd 2561 254 2815 31 2839
66 Swahili 2129 290 2419 24 2443
67 Mauritian Creole 2214 146 2360 20 2367
68 Tigrinya 1835 349 2184 34 2218
69 Shona 2062 35 2097 38 2129
70 Oromo 1735 321 2056 45 2104
71 Armenian 1768 220 1988 14 2004
72 Lao 1502 478 1980 20 1999
73 Serbo-Croatian/Yugoslavian, so described 1612 281 1893 22 1911
74 Swedish 1834 64 1898 6 1910
75 Burmese and Related Languages, nec 813 994 1807 8 1823
76 Slovene 1606 105 1711 23 1740
77 Maori (New Zealand) 1607 48 1655 26 1674
78 Kurdish 1138 453 1591 14 1606
79 Nuer 1356 215 1571 26 1599
80 Slovak 1410 171 1581 7 1592
81 Czech 1434 114 1548 10 1564
82 Maori (Cook Island) 1368 80 1448 27 1464
83 Yiddish 1163 102 1265 32 1295
84 French Creole, nfd 1168 38 1206 15 1217
85 Danish 1051 20 1071 17 1092
86 Latvian 970 37 1007 7 1008
87 Fijian 953 28 981 19 1007
88 Konkani 912 47 959 7 965
89 Finnish 888 67 955 8 964
90 Wu 640 300 940 0 938
91 Creole, nfd 785 40 825 10 847
92 Bisaya 764 38 802 5 811
93 Cebuano 670 26 696 7 705
94 Bulgarian 636 59 695 0 698
95 Yoruba 656 8 664 7 675
96 Lithuanian 605 36 641 9 654
97 African Languages, nfd 541 77 618 8 631
98 Zomi 241 375 616 6 619
99 Hmong 377 179 556 14 573
100 African Languages, nec 500 62 562 12 572
101 Sindhi 521 42 563 5 570
102 Rohingya 219 332 551 15 566
103 Fijian Hindustani 506 13 519 11 530
104 Norwegian 493 21 514 7 520
105 Harari 449 51 500 9 517
106 Akan 449 27 476 7 484
107 Igbo 421 21 442 10 450
108 Irish 395 13 408 5 412
109 Tibetan 263 134 397 0 395
110 Burmese and Related Languages, nfd 187 193 380 3 382
111 Indo-Aryan, nfd 311 21 332 11 348
112 Tetum 277 53 330 6 337
113 Iranic, nfd 214 115 329 0 331
114 Kirundi (Rundi) 228 85 313 9 319
115 Tok Pisin (Neomelanesian) 302 8 310 3 314
116 Welsh 285 5 290 4 301
117 Estonian 272 17 289 3 293
118 Krio 269 20 289 8 289
119 Uygur 196 78 274 0 271
120 Timorese 186 69 255 3 259
121 Gaelic (Scotland) 236 9 245 4 243
122 Oriya 218 17 235 0 235
123 Tulu 224 12 236 0 230
124 Indo-Aryan, nec 191 21 212 0 213
125 Ndebele 193 0 193 3 200
126 Shilluk 175 21 196 3 199
127 Sign Languages, nfd 105 84 189 11 199
128 Pidgin, nfd 186 3 189 0 184
129 Other Southern Asian Languages 174 10 184 0 183
130 Mongolian 129 45 174 0 177
131 Ilonggo (Hiligaynon) 168 5 173 0 175
132 Bari 144 22 166 3 173
133 Dhivehi 161 7 168 0 172
134 Australian Indigenous Languages, nfd 147 9 156 8 155
135 Luganda 134 9 143 7 145
136 Nauruan 146 0 146 0 145
137 Assamese 128 3 131 0 137
138 IIokano 128 0 128 0 135
139 Catalan 124 14 138 3 132
140 Mon-Khmer, nec 90 42 132 0 126
141 Ewe 102 13 115 0 116
142 Swiss, so described 114 0 114 0 115
143 Cypriot, so described 101 17 118 0 115
144 Acholi 91 13 104 3 113
145 Zulu 100 5 105 0 109
146 Tswana 108 0 108 0 109
147 Tigre 88 15 103 0 105
148 Niue 109 0 109 0 102
149 Azeri 93 10 103 0 100
150 Latin 87 11 98 4 99
151 Romany 76 16 92 3 97
152 Kinyarwanda (Rwanda) 67 21 88 3 97
153 Dan (Gio-Dan) 82 10 92 3 93
154 Uzbek 65 21 86 0 92
155 Kashmiri 80 8 88 0 89
156 Bemba 79 0 79 0 83
157 Belorussian 76 14 90 0 82
158 Georgian 52 23 75 0 75
159 Pampangan 70 0 70 0 74
160 Mandinka 58 13 71 0 65
161 Nyanja (Chichewa) 57 0 57 0 64
162 Yorta Yorta 58 0 58 0 59
163 Tuvaluan 56 3 59 0 58
164 Hausa 48 7 55 0 57
165 Liberian (Liberian English) 43 9 52 0 57
166 Southeast Asian Austronesian Languages, nec 42 6 48 0 54
167 Gilbertese 51 3 54 0 54
168 Turkmen 47 9 56 0 53
169 Dravidian, nec 48 3 51 0 50
170 Key Word Sign Australia 20 24 44 0 47
171 Fulfulde 36 3 39 6 46
172 Aromunian (Macedo-Romanian) 40 5 45 0 45
173 Madi 41 9 50 0 45
174 Ga 38 11 49 0 43
175 Lingala 32 0 32 0 42
176 Invented Languages 36 0 36 0 42
177 Southeast Asian Austronesian Languages, nfd 42 0 42 0 41
178 Icelandic 42 3 45 0 40
179 Kikuyu 41 0 41 0 39
180 Eastern European Languages, nfd 32 8 40 0 36
181 Luo 24 4 28 0 36
182 Pacific Austronesian Languages, nec 27 10 37 0 36
183 Papua New Guinea Languages, nfd 35 0 35 0 36
184 Mon 20 14 34 0 35
185 Bikol 32 0 32 0 34
186 Other Southern European Languages, nec 34 0 34 0 33
187 Balinese 24 0 24 0 33
188 Mandaean (Mandaic) 30 0 30 3 32
189 Loma (Lorma) 23 7 30 0 32
190 Bislama 32 0 32 0 32
191 American Languages 29 3 32 0 31
192 Seychelles Creole 23 0 23 0 30
193 Moro (Nuba Moro) 18 3 21 0 30
194 Spanish Creole, nfd 28 0 28 0 30
195 Mann 23 3 26 0 29
196 Motu (HiriMotu) 23 5 28 0 29
197 Aboriginal English, so described 25 0 25 0 28
198 Xhosa 25 0 25 0 27
199 Tokelauan 23 0 23 0 26
200 Czechoslovakian, so described 23 0 23 0 25
201 Balochi 20 0 20 0 25
202 Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole) 14 0 14 3 25
203 Wiradjuri 19 0 19 0 24
204 Krahn 15 0 15 6 24
205 Papua New Guinea Languages, nec 20 8 28 0 24
206 Anuak 14 9 23 0 23
207 Nyungar 21 0 21 0 19
208 Celtic, nfd 18 7 25 0 18
209 Bassa 19 0 19 0 18
210 Warlpiri 12 0 12 0 17
211 Frisian 12 0 12 0 15
212 Tatar 12 0 12 0 15
213 Pitjantjatjara 18 0 18 0 15
214 Rotuman 15 0 15 0 15
215 Sign Languages, nec 11 4 15 0 15
216 Javanese 19 0 19 0 14
217 Other Eastern Asian Languages, nec 11 3 14 0 14
218 Kriol 18 0 18 0 14
219 Paakantyi 11 0 11 0 13
220 Pacific Austronesian Languages, nfd 17 0 17 0 13
221 Yapese 12 0 12 0 13
222 Turkic, nec 15 0 15 0 12
223 Murrinh Patha 10 0 10 0 12
224 Wergaia 13 3 16 0 12
225 Chinese, nec 9 0 9 0 11
226 Other Australian Indigenous Languages, nec 10 0 10 0 11
227 Solomon Islands Pijin 10 0 10 0 11
228 Letzeburgish 14 0 14 0 10
229 Other Southeast Asian Languages 3 0 3 0 10
230 Yolngu Matha, nfd 3 0 3 0 10
231 Oceanian Pidgins and Creoles, nec 4 0 4 0 10
232 Iranic, nec 7 0 7 0 9
233 Middle Eastern Semitic Languages, nec 10 0 10 0 9
234 Ngarrindjeri 9 0 9 0 9
235 Portuguese Creole, nfd 12 0 12 0 9
236 Southeast Asian Languages, nfd 5 0 5 0 8
237 Tai, nec 5 5 10 0 8
238 Iban 3 4 7 0 8
239 Celtic, nec 7 0 7 0 7
240 Norf'k-Pitcairn 7 0 7 0 7
241 Basque 6 0 6 0 6
242 Arrernte, nec 9 0 9 0 6
243 Manyjilyjarra 6 0 6 0 6
244 Kanai 6 0 6 0 6
245 Kpelle 0 0 0 0 6
246 Tiwi 5 0 5 0 5
247 Wangkatha 4 0 4 0 5
248 Oceanian Pidgins and Creoles, nfd 9 0 9 0 5
249 Scandinavian, nfd 4 0 4 0 4
250 Iberian Romance, nec 3 0 3 0 4
251 Yidiny 4 0 4 0 4
252 Torres Strait Island Languages, nfd 4 0 4 0 4
253 Wajarri 5 0 5 0 4
254 Finnish and Related Languages, nec 0 0 0 0 3
255 Iberian Romance, nfd 4 0 4 0 3
256 Other Eastern European Languages, nec 0 0 0 0 3
257 Djambarrpuyngu 3 0 3 0 3
258 Guugu Yimidhirr 3 0 3 0 3
259 Cape York Peninsula Languages, nec 3 0 3 0 3
260 Yankunytjatjara 4 0 4 0 3
261 Bandjalang 3 0 3 0 3
262 Bidjara 3 0 3 0 3
263 Other Languages, nfd 3 0 3 0 3
Total 1,259,541 262,977 1,522,518 16,212 1,538,793
Note: “Not Stated” is not included. Low Proficiency include “Not Well” or “Not at All”, High Proficiency include “Well” or “Very Well” in relation to English language proficiency.
Top local government areas (LGAs) ranked by the number of residents who speak a language other than English at home in Victoria.
Brimbank LGA has the highest number of residents who speak a language at home with over 113,000 people followed by Casey. However, in terms of percentage of residents who speak a language other than English at home, Greater Dandenong tops the list with 64% followed by Brimbank.
Rank LGA Total LOTE % LOTE
1 Brimbank (C) 194315 113454 58
2 Casey (C) 299296 107270 36
3 Greater Dandenong (C) 152052 98020 64
4 Monash (C) 182617 91553 50
5 Wyndham (C) 217118 89168 41
6 Hume (C) 197376 88551 45
7 Whittlesea (C) 197490 86972 44
8 Melbourne (C) 135964 65452 48
9 Moreland (C) 162564 62047 38
10 Whitehorse (C) 162080 59510 37
11 Darebin (C) 146722 54340 37
12 Manningham (C) 116260 49410 42
13 Boroondara (C) 167232 45570 27
14 Glen Eira (C) 140875 44368 31
15 Melton (C) 135443 43582 32
16 Kingston (C) 151389 39350 26
17 Knox (C) 154109 38824 25
18 Moonee Valley (C) 116674 34718 30
19 Maribyrnong (C) 82285 34443 42
20 Banyule (C) 121869 26431 22
21 Hobsons Bay (C) 88777 25757 29
22 Greater Geelong (C) 233426 24809 11
23 Stonnington (C) 103831 24067 23
24 Port Phillip (C) 100863 20761 21
25 Yarra (C) 86652 19316 22
26 Maroondah (C) 110372 18721 17
27 Frankston (C) 134144 15242 11
28 Bayside (C) 97092 14236 15
29 Yarra Ranges (S) 149542 10708 7
30 Cardinia (S) 94130 10569 11
31 Greater Shepparton (C) 63839 9397 15
32 Mornington Peninsula (S) 154996 8402 5
33 Nillumbik (S) 61274 5635 9
34 Ballarat (C) 101689 5502 5
35 Mildura (RC) 53878 5126 10
36 Greater Bendigo (C) 110479 5103 5
37 Latrobe (C) 73257 4837 7
38 Mitchell (S) 40916 2948 7
39 Swan Hill (RC) 20587 2371 12
40 Wodonga (C) 39347 2364 6
41 Macedon Ranges (S) 46103 2064 4
42 Baw Baw (S) 48477 1922 4
43 Moorabool (S) 31820 1691 5
44 Wellington (S) 42986 1621 4
45 East Gippsland (S) 45041 1589 4
46 Bass Coast (S) 32806 1577 5
47 Warrnambool (C) 33655 1455 4
48 No usual address (Vic.) 7572 1396 18
49 Moira (S) 29108 1335 5
50 Wangaratta (RC) 28310 1302 5
51 Surf Coast (S) 29402 1180 4
52 Campaspe (S) 37054 1091 3
53 South Gippsland (S) 28700 972 3
54 Alpine (S) 12335 946 8
55 Colac-Otway (S) 20971 885 4
56 Horsham (RC) 19641 744 4
57 Hepburn (S) 15327 716 5
58 Golden Plains (S) 21687 649 3
59 Mount Alexander (S) 18762 637 3
60 Glenelg (S) 19556 443 2
61 Murrindindi (S) 13730 432 3
62 Southern Grampians (S) 15941 427 3
63 Ararat (RC) 11599 421 4
64 Benalla (RC) 13863 393 3
65 Indigo (S) 15953 364 2
66 Northern Grampians (S) 11436 361 3
67 Moyne (S) 16499 358 2
68 Mansfield (S) 8589 343 4
69 Strathbogie (S) 10272 340 3
70 Central Goldfields (S) 12993 325 3
71 Hindmarsh (S) 5725 308 5
72 Corangamite (S) 16053 268 2
73 Loddon (S) 7512 222 3
74 Gannawarra (S) 10548 208 2
75 Buloke (S) 6202 163 3
76 Yarriambiack (S) 6675 161 2
77 Towong (S) 5986 155 3
78 Pyrenees (S) 7240 152 2
79 West Wimmera (S) 3905 82 2
80 Queenscliffe (B) 2854 81 3
Total 5926624 1538831 26
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Status by Age and Gender in Victoria.
0-4 5-14 15-24 25-44 45-64 65+ Total
Males 2,752 5,284 4,583 5,760 4,101 1,137 23,617
Females 2,725 5,123 4,486 6,017 4,429 1,379 24,159
Total 5,476 10,414 9,073 11,776 8,538 2,518 47,795
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