Which Minnesota cities and neighborhoods have the largest Somali populations?
Executive summary
Minnesota is consistently reported as the U.S. state with the largest Somali population; recent estimates in the available reporting range from about 40,200–52,400 (Minnesota Demographer) up to community estimates near 80,000, with several data aggregators placing the figure around 61,000–64,000 and Minneapolis named as the largest city concentration (Minneapolis ~19,870–20,533) [1] [2] [3] [4]. Coverage varies by source and method—official American Community Survey (ACS)‑based tallies, state demographer counts, and community estimates do not all match, so city and neighborhood rankings can shift depending on which dataset is used [1] [2] [3].
1. Minnesota leads the nation — but by how much depends on the data source
Multiple datasets and summaries in the provided reporting agree that Minnesota hosts the largest Somali population in the United States. ACS‑derived aggregations cited by data sites place Minnesota’s Somali population in the low‑to‑mid 60,000s (for example, 61,353 or 64,354 in two different listings), while the Minnesota Demographer in earlier reporting estimated between 40,200 and 52,400; community leaders often say the total is higher — sometimes cited near 80,000 — reflecting differences in counting recent arrivals, U.S.‑born descendants, and undercounts in official surveys [1] [2] [5] [6].
2. Cities with the largest Somali populations: Minneapolis first, then St. Paul and St. Cloud
City‑level breakdowns in the available reporting consistently identify Minneapolis as the single largest city concentration of Somalis in Minnesota — figures for Minneapolis appear in the 19,800–20,500 range depending on the source — followed by St. Paul (roughly 6,600 according to one dataset) and St. Cloud (around 3,700) in recent ACS‑based summaries cited here [3] [4]. These numbers reflect where people of Somali birth or ancestry report residence in ACS estimates rather than a complete count of all Somali‑identifying community members tracked by local organizations [3].
3. Neighborhoods: Cedar‑Riverside (Minneapolis) is the most frequently named hub
Reporting on the history and settlement patterns of Somalis in the Twin Cities highlights Minneapolis’ Cedar‑Riverside neighborhood as a long‑standing focal point for newly arrived immigrants and the broader Somali community; the Wikipedia history summary notes that many Somalis inhabit Cedar‑Riverside and that the Twin Cities area overall contains the largest Somali diaspora in the U.S. [1]. Specific neighborhood counts are not provided in the available sources, but Cedar‑Riverside is repeatedly identified as the key neighborhood anchor [1].
4. County patterns: Hennepin leads, then Ramsey and Dakota in ACS summaries
A county‑level breakdown in the datasets cited here shows Hennepin County contains the largest Somali community in Minnesota (about 28,053 in one ACS‑based listing), with Ramsey County and Dakota County following in smaller numbers; these county tallies mirror the urban concentrations in Minneapolis and St. Paul [2]. These ACS estimates again differ from some other totals noted above, underscoring the need to pick a consistent data source for ranking [2].
5. Why numbers diverge: methodology, self‑identification, and undercounting
Discrepancies among data points in the available reporting stem from differences in methodology: ACS estimates count people who report Somali ancestry or place of birth, state demographer methods may use other administrative data, and community estimates often aim to include undercounted groups or undocumented arrivals. The Minnesota Demographers’ lower midpoint and community estimates that are much higher both appear in the available reporting, demonstrating that “largest” status is robust but exact totals are sensitive to method [1] [6].
6. Perspective and reporting caution: politics and headlines can inflate figures
Some outlets and political commentary quoted higher statewide figures (e.g., 74,000–86,000 or ~86,000) in the context of policy debates; those larger numbers are present in the reporting but are not corroborated by the ACS‑based compilations also provided [7] [8]. Readers should note when counts are cited in political or advocacy contexts and check whether numbers come from ACS, state demographers, or community estimates [8] [1].
7. What’s missing or not found in these sources
Detailed, up‑to‑date neighborhood‑level counts beyond naming Cedar‑Riverside and city totals for Minneapolis, St. Paul and St. Cloud are not provided in the sources supplied; the precise breakdown by ZIP code or census tract (which would show micro‑neighborhood concentrations) is not found in the current reporting [1] [3].
Concluding note: If you want a single defensible snapshot, use an ACS‑based city/county table (for example the lists citing ~61,353 statewide and Minneapolis ~19,870) for comparability across places; if you need the broader community’s view, cite Minnesota demographer and community estimates (40k–52k or community claims up to 80k) alongside the ACS figures and explain the methodological differences [2] [1] [6].