How many Somali immigrants and U.S.-born Somali Americans live in Minnesota in 2025?
Executive summary
Estimates for Minnesotans of Somali descent in 2024–25 cluster between roughly 61,000 and 107,000 people, depending on the data source and definition used: some Census-derived American Community Survey (ACS) reports put the Somali‑ancestry population at about 107,000 in Minnesota (about 2% of the state) while other ACS-based compilations and private trackers list totals near 61,000–64,000 (about 1.1% of the state) [1] [2] [3]. Available sources disagree on how many are foreign‑born versus U.S.‑born: one news summary says almost 58% are U.S.‑born, while other reports emphasize that a large share are naturalized citizens and that precise counts are uncertain [1] [4].
1. Numbers diverge because definitions and data sets differ
Different outlets are quoting different ACS measures and private estimates. KTTC and multiple news outlets cite an ACS-derived figure of roughly 107,000 Minnesotans of Somali descent (about 2% of the state) — an ancestry-based measure that includes both U.S.-born and immigrant Somalis [1] [5]. By contrast, World Population Review and some compilations list Minnesota totals around 61,000–64,000 Somalis (about 1.1% of the state), a lower figure that appears to come from alternate ACS tabulations or different year snapshots [2] [3] [6]. The discrepancy shows that “how many Somalis live in Minnesota” depends on which ACS table, year, or methodology a reporter or tracker uses [1] [3].
2. What counts as “Somali” matters — ancestry, language, or place of birth
Sources use distinct metrics: “people of Somali descent” or ancestry (which tallies anyone reporting Somali ancestry) yields the higher ~107,000 estimate in multiple news stories [1] [5]. Other datasets appear to report the number of people born in Somalia or those currently identifying as Somali in specific ACS race/ethnicity tables, which give the lower ~61,000–64,000 totals [3] [2]. The Minnesota Historical Society and local research also note historical counts of Somali-born arrivals and Somali-language speakers, demonstrating further ways the population has been measured [7] [8].
3. U.S.-born vs. foreign‑born: partial but conflicting portraits
KTTC reports that almost 58% of Somalis in Minnesota were born in the U.S., and that among the foreign‑born the vast majority are naturalized (87%) per the Census Bureau’s ACS summary cited there [1]. Other coverage emphasizes that most Somali‑Americans in Minnesota are U.S. citizens and that precise counts are “unknowable,” with potential error margins of 10,000–20,000 people [4]. The available sources therefore agree that a substantial share are citizens and U.S.-born, but they differ on the exact split and flag measurement uncertainty [1] [4].
4. Recent arrivals and ongoing flows change the picture
Historical and state records show continued arrivals from Somalia and secondary migration within the U.S., which complicates point estimates. Minnesota recorded 1,267 arrivals from Somalia in 2024 and thousands of prior refugee arrivals through 2018; secondary migration from other states has been significant in past years [7]. These ongoing flows mean any single-year estimate will be a snapshot that can shift with new arrivals or updated ACS sampling [7].
5. What journalists and policymakers should note before citing a single number
Analysts and officials should specify the metric they are using: ancestry vs. foreign‑born vs. Somali‑language speakers vs. place‑of‑birth counts produce materially different totals [1] [3] [6]. News outlets reporting deportation or enforcement plans have pointed to Minnesota’s large Somali community but rely on different datasets — some citing the ~107,000 ancestry figure, others the ~61,000–64,000 counts — creating room for misleading precision if the measurement approach isn’t stated [5] [2].
6. Limitations, uncertainties and competing perspectives
Multiple sources warn the numbers are imprecise. The Minnesota Reformer explicitly states totals could be off by 10,000–20,000 and that exact counts are “unknowable” due to sampling and definitional issues [4]. World Population Review and private trackers offer single‑figure snapshots that conflict with mainstream reporting; the Census’s ACS remains the underlying base but yields different outputs depending on which ACS table is used [2] [3] [1]. Reporters should present ranges, cite the underlying measure, and acknowledge sampling uncertainty [4].
If you want a single, sourced phrasing to use: “Depending on the ACS definition and reporting source, Minnesota had between about 61,000 and 107,000 people of Somali descent in 2024–25; roughly 58% of those were reported as U.S.-born in one ACS summary, and the majority of foreign‑born Somalis were naturalized entrants [1] [3] [4].”