Which Minnesota cities have the highest Somali-American populations by census tract?
Executive summary
Data sources agree Minnesota is the largest U.S. hub for people of Somali ancestry, concentrated in the Twin Cities—especially Minneapolis’s Cedar-Riverside neighborhood and surrounding suburbs—but precise rankings “by census tract” are not provided in the supplied reporting. Multiple datasets and commentators point to state totals ranging from roughly 32,000 (some Census estimates) up to community and research estimates above 60,000–86,000 Somalis in Minnesota; reporting commonly highlights Minneapolis–Saint Paul as the primary metro concentration [1] [2] [3].
1. The question you asked — and what the supplied reporting can (and cannot) answer
You asked for “which Minnesota cities have the highest Somali‑American populations by census tract.” The supplied sources document city- and state-level concentrations and neighborhood-level references (e.g., Cedar‑Riverside in Minneapolis), but none of the provided materials publishes a census‑tract‑by‑census‑tract ranked list for Minnesota cities that answers your query directly; available sources do not mention a tract-level ranking in the supplied reports [1] [4] [5].
2. Where reporting agrees: the Twin Cities dominate the map
All summaries and background pieces identify the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area as home to the largest Somali diaspora in the United States and the core place to look for the highest local concentrations. Historical and demographic accounts repeatedly single out Minneapolis (Cedar‑Riverside) and the broader Twin Cities area as the primary hubs for Somali Minnesotans [1] [2] [3].
3. Conflicting totals — different sources, different counts
Published totals vary substantially across the supplied sources: Neilsberg and related ACS‑derived lists cite Minnesota Somali counts in the ~61,000 range and similar ACS‑based statewide estimates [6] [3]; MinnPost/Minnesota Compass reporting cites a much larger figure (~86,610) and notes 37,048 Minnesota residents born in Somalia per ACS data [2]; other materials reference earlier ACS or state demography tallies of ~58,800 [7] or community estimates near 80,000 [8]. These differences reflect methodology (Census questions, ancestry vs. place‑of‑birth, undercount concerns) and the timeframe of estimates [6] [7] [8].
4. Neighborhood and city hotspots mentioned in coverage
While tract‑level lists are not supplied, reporting names specific Minneapolis neighborhoods (Cedar‑Riverside) and the Twin Cities as loci where Somali communities, businesses and institutions cluster; that’s the qualitative evidence journalists and researchers use to infer high tract‑level concentrations [1] [2]. City‑level ranking pages (e.g., Neilsberg city and county lists) indicate where ACS data show higher Somali counts at broader geographies, but you would need the raw ACS tract tables or a map tool to convert those into a tract ranking [4] [6].
5. Why tract‑level data can be tricky and where to look next
Census American Community Survey (ACS) 5‑year estimates include detailed geographies (census tracts and block groups) and are the standard source for tract‑level ancestry or place‑of‑birth counts; some private data aggregators publish city or county rankings built from those tables [6] [4]. However, the supplied sources do not include an extracted, vetted tract ranking for Minnesota cities. To produce a defensible tract list you would need to pull ACS tract tables for “Somali ancestry” or “place of birth: Somalia” and map those to tract boundaries — a step not covered by the materials provided here [6] [4].
6. Alternative viewpoints and limitations in coverage
Community organizations and local estimates argue the Census undercounts immigrant populations, producing higher local totals (community estimates cited near 80,000) than ACS reports [8] [2]. Meanwhile, some outlets relying strictly on ACS produce lower figures (around 61,000). Both perspectives are present in the supplied reporting: official ACS data provide a replicable baseline, while community leaders warn of undercount and point to higher real totals [6] [8] [2].
7. Practical next steps if you need a tract‑level ranking
Use the U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS 5‑Year Data or state demographer datasets to extract tract‑level counts for “place of birth: Somalia” and/or “Somali ancestry,” then sort tracts by count or percentage; the Neilsberg city/county lists show they rely on ACS tract‑capable data but do not themselves publish tract rankings in the supplied extracts [6] [4]. If you want, I can outline the specific ACS table names/variables to request and the mapping steps — note that the current supplied sources do not provide the tract‑by‑tract table you asked for [6] [4].
Final note: The supplied coverage consistently points to Minneapolis–Saint Paul as the home of the state’s largest Somali communities but does not include a direct, citation‑ready ranking of Minnesota cities’ census tracts by Somali population. Available sources do not mention a prebuilt tract‑level ranking in these materials [1] [4].