In 2000, 5.2% of Chillum residents identified as being of Jamaican heritage. This was the highest percentage of Jamaican Americans of any place in Maryland. In the same year, 9% of Chillum identified as being of West Indian ancestry. However, since the 1990s, the Hispanic/Latino population has significantly increased in Chillum, MD as immigrants from countries all over Central America found plenty of labor/ janitorial/ housekeeping jobs in the Washington D.C. area and an abundance of affordable housing in Chillum, MD that would allow them to commute very easily and conveniently to their jobs. The Hispanic/Latino population gradually increased in Chillum over the past two decades to the point where they have overtaken the African-American/Jamaican population living in the area. There are also quite a few Caribbean and African immigrants as well that began settling in Chillum since the 1990s as well. The most commonly spoken foreign language in Chillum is Spanish.