What are age and household-size distributions among Minnesota Somalis in 2025?
Executive summary
Estimates of Minnesota’s Somali population in 2025 vary widely across sources — commonly reported figures cluster between roughly 61,000 and 80,000 people, with some city-level counts putting Minneapolis’s Somali population near 20,000 [1] [2] [3]. Multiple sources and state analyses also emphasize that Somali and other BIPOC communities in Minnesota are substantially younger than the statewide average, with “half or more” of Somali Minnesotans under age 22 according to state narratives [4] [5].
1. Numbers differ because data sources and methods differ
There is no single, undisputed headcount in the available reporting. American Community Survey–derived compilations and private data sites give totals near 61,000–64,000 Somalis in Minnesota [1] [6], while major news accounts and local officials cite a much larger figure — “about 80,000” — when describing the state’s Somali community [2]. These gaps reflect differences in definitions (Somali ancestry vs. Somali-born vs. Somali-speaking households), survey sampling, and rounding or local community estimates [6] [5] [1].
2. Where Somalis live: Twin Cities concentration is consistent
All sources agree Minnesota’s Somali population is heavily concentrated in the Twin Cities metro. County- and city-level breakdowns routinely place the largest shares in Hennepin and Ramsey counties and pinpoint Minneapolis–Saint Paul as the primary metro hub; one dataset lists Minneapolis as hosting about 20,533 Somali residents [1] [3]. This geographic clustering matters for interpreting age and household-size patterns because metro-area demographics, school enrollments and housing markets shape family size and age structure [1] [3].
3. Age profile: clearly younger than Minnesota overall
State health and demographic narratives explicitly note Somali Minnesotans are much younger than the statewide population, often saying “half or more” are under age 22 [4]. Historical profiles and community studies echo a youthful population tied to refugee arrivals and family formation over recent decades [5]. Available sources do not provide a precise 2025 age-distribution table (for example, exact shares in 0–4, 5–17, 18–34 bins) but uniformly indicate a younger median age and a larger share of children and young adults than the broader state [4] [5].
4. Household size and family structure: larger households are reported but exact averages vary
Multiple data aggregators that analyze Census and ACS microdata report Somalis tend to live in larger family households, with indicators like higher average family size and more family households with children appearing in city- and zip-level profiles [3] [7]. Zip Atlas and similar compilations present categories such as “Average Family Size” and “Largest Household Size” for Somali populations but do not present a single authoritative statewide average in the supplied extracts [3] [7]. Local reporting and agency narratives align with an expectation of multigenerational and larger families among Somali communities [5].
5. Income and socioeconomic context intersect with age/household patterns
Analyses that include median household income for areas with larger Somali shares report a broad range; one aggregated statistic lists a weighted average Somali median household income of $75,782 but cautions about interpretation and correlation versus causation [8]. Because Somali households skew younger and larger in many local accounts, per-household measures and per-capita measures can tell different stories; available sources do not resolve all socioeconomic variations across the community [8] [4].
6. Points of disagreement and what’s missing from current reporting
Sources disagree on the statewide total (roughly 61k–64k in some datasets versus “about 80k” in journalistic reporting) and lack a single, published 2025 age-by-household-size cross-tabulation for Minnesota Somalis in the provided material [1] [6] [2]. Available sources do not mention a definitive age histogram or a single average household-size figure for Somalis statewide in 2025; that specific table is not found in current reporting [4] [3].
7. How to get the precise breakdown you asked for
For a definitive age distribution and household-size distribution in 2025, consult the U.S. Census Bureau’s 1-year or 5-year American Community Survey microdata (and request cross-tabulations for ancestry, place of birth, language spoken at home or Somali ancestry) or Minnesota Compass’s detailed community profiles which compile ACS estimates; the sources above signal those are the underlying data streams behind the differing estimates [1] [9]. Current reporting provides clear direction — a youthful population concentrated in the Twin Cities and larger-than-average households — but not a single, fully detailed 2025 table in the supplied materials [4] [3].
Limitations: The available sources include aggregate estimates, journalistic totals, and local studies but do not contain a single authoritative 2025 age-by-household-size table for Minnesota Somalis; readers should treat the varying totals and summaries as method-dependent [6] [2] [4].