How do employment and poverty rates for Somali Americans compare to other immigrant groups?
Executive summary
Somali Americans show mixed employment and poverty signals: survey-era U.S. figures report roughly 58% employment for working‑age Somali Americans and 5.1% self‑employment nationally (62% and 5.9% in Minnesota), while localized studies find higher poverty and lower home‑ownership than many groups [1] [2]. Available sources do not provide a single, direct comparative table versus all other immigrant groups; comparisons in reporting are regional (Twin Cities vs. Columbus) or by demographic slices [2] [1].
1. Employment levels: progress but lagging in places
National survey data summarized on Wikipedia show an improving labor‑market attachment: 58% of working‑age Somali Americans were employed in a multi‑year survey (2011–2015), with pockets of stronger performance in Minnesota where employment reached 62% [1]. Local studies emphasize variation: in Minneapolis Somali employment sometimes exceeds other racial minorities, but in St. Paul and Columbus employment remains below rates for Latinos and other African Americans [2]. These sources together imply Somali employment outcomes are heterogeneous—better in some metro labor markets, weaker in others [1] [2].
2. Unemployment and inactivity: notable inactivity and early‑resettlement effects
Census snapshots and localized reporting show high economic inactivity among some Somali subpopulations: for example, a 2010 Minnesota snapshot recorded 47% employed, 13% unemployed and 40% economically inactive among Somalis in that state [1]. Scholars link that inactivity to initial refugee barriers—language, credential recognition, caregiving duties—especially for women; historical data show a gender employment gap (65% of Somali men employed vs. 35% of Somali women in earlier Minneapolis data) [1] [2]. Sources show unemployment and inactivity remain policy concerns but give no single national unemployment rate for Somali Americans to directly compare with all immigrant groups [1] [2].
3. Poverty: higher incidence than many groups, with intra‑community variation
Analysts and regional studies consistently report Somali households face higher poverty risk than many other ethnic groups in the same metros: scholars find Somalis are more likely to live below the poverty line and have low home‑ownership rates compared with several other groups [2]. ZipAtlas’ aggregated profile estimates a Somali poverty level in the U.S. of 15.4% and family poverty at 11.2%, with sharp age‑ and gender‑specific disparities (single females and young women noted as vulnerable) [3]. These figures indicate elevated poverty exposure relative to many U.S. averages, but sources do not present a full cross‑immigrant‑group ranking in a consistent methodology [3] [2].
4. Context from Somalia: why migration cohorts matter
Reports on Somalia’s domestic poverty and unemployment show the country remains poor and fragile—extreme poverty estimates and high unemployment in Somalia shape who migrates and their starting human‑capital profile [4] [5]. World Bank and regional data document very high poverty in Somalia (estimates like 66% in 2019 and forecasts of extreme‑poverty peaks) and unemployment rates near 19% in recent years, underlying why many arrivals are refugees with disrupted education and work histories [4] [5] [6]. These origin‑country conditions create headwinds for rapid U.S. economic integration [4] [6].
5. Geographic concentration and local labor markets drive differences
Scholars emphasize that outcomes for Somali Americans vary by city: the Twin Cities have institutional supports, larger networks, and higher employment than Columbus for Somalis; Minneapolis in particular shows relatively higher employment and self‑employment [2] [1]. Minnesota’s stronger labor market and civic incorporation explain the better employment and self‑employment rates there compared with other destinations [2] [1]. Thus, any national comparison must account for settlement patterns and local policies [2] [1].
6. What the sources do not say — and why that matters
Available sources do not supply a single, apples‑to‑apples comparison of Somali American employment and poverty rates versus all other immigrant groups using a uniform dataset or time frame; they mix national survey summaries, local case studies, and third‑party profiles with differing methodologies [1] [2] [3]. Sources also do not provide up‑to‑date comprehensive federal statistics isolating Somali Americans across the entire U.S. labor force for 2024–25; therefore any claim of precise ranking versus “other immigrant groups” is unsupported by the supplied material [1] [2] [3].
7. Takeaway for policy and readers
The reporting shows Somali Americans face concentrated poverty and employment challenges in many locations but also demonstrate resilience where local economies and civic supports exist—employment and self‑employment verge higher in Minnesota relative to other places [2] [1]. Policymakers should treat Somali outcomes as place‑dependent and shaped by migration history; researchers need consistent national data to settle direct comparisons versus other immigrant groups, which the current sources do not provide [2] [1] [3].