Somali Population in Maine by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The Somali population in Maine totals 2,730, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Lewiston (1,227), followed by Portland (714) and South Portland (355), each hosting visible segments of the community. While these urban centers anchor much of the population, the statewide total points to a broader presence in unincorporated areas and smaller towns beyond major city boundaries. The analysis below explores how Somali residents are distributed across Maine''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest Somali population in Maine

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  • 1
    Lewiston
    Somali population in Lewiston is 1,227
    3.24% of Lewiston population is Somali
  • 2
    Portland
    Somali population in Portland is 714
    1.04% of Portland population is Somali
  • 3
    South Portland
    Somali population in South Portland is 355
    1.33% of South Portland population is Somali
  • 4
    Winthrop town
    Somali population in Winthrop town is 192
    3.12% of Winthrop town population is Somali
  • 5
    Saco
    Somali population in Saco is 77
    0.37% of Saco population is Somali

Overview of Somali population in Maine

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey data indicate Maine contains 2,730 Somali residents (0.2% of 1.4 million total state population), positioning the state at the 81st percentile nationally among U.S. states for Somali population concentrations.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census data records indicate Maine's Somali population of 0.2% exceeds the national average of 0.049% by a factor of 4.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey document Maine's 2,730 Somali residents constitute 1.7% of the nation's total Somali population of 163,769, providing the state with a measurable but modest share of the national demographic community.
  • Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data show Maine maintains 0.089 Somali Americans per square mile compared to the national average of 0.046, indicating higher demographic concentration relative to national averages.
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356 Cities in Maine Ranked by Somali Population

View Methodology
American Community Survey data [1] show Somali population in Maine present in Lewiston, Portland, and South Portland, along with several other incorporated cities reporting non-zero populations. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all incorporated cities included in this analysis*.
cities in Maine ranked by Somali population count
Rank by Somali Population
City
Somali Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total Maine Somali Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Lewiston 1,227 3.24% 44.95%
2 Portland 714 1.04% 26.15%
3 South Portland 355 1.33% 13.00%
4 Winthrop town 192 3.12% 7.03%
5 Saco 77 0.37% 2.82%
6 Bangor 43 0.14% 1.58%
7 Fort Kent town 33 0.80% 1.21%
8 25 0.14% 0.92%
9 15 0.14% 0.55%
10 12 0.39% 0.44%
11 9 0.05% 0.33%
12 7 0.23% 0.26%
13 6 0.02% 0.22%
13 6 0.10% 0.22%
14 3 0.06% 0.11%
14 3 0.01% 0.11%
15 1 0.03% 0.04%
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Methodology

This ranking list is based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is one of the most reliable sources for understanding population trends across different locations, and it provides estimates for various racial and ethnic groups at city, county, state and all geography levels down to the Census block group.
This list ranks city in Maine by their Somali population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines Somali population

The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their ancestry, meaning individuals can write upto ancestries when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as having Somali ancestry, whether alone or in combination with another ancestry.
Here are a few important things to know about how ancestry is reported:
  • Some people identify as Somali alone, while others identify as Somali along with another race (such as Somali and German).
  • We’ve used the “Somali alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the Somali population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as Somali alone or in combination in city. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
  1. % of Total City Population – This shows what percentage of the total state population identifies as Somali .
  2. % of Total Maine Somali Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. Somali population lives in that state.
To keep things simple, all population numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, and percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Because of rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%.

Things to Keep in Mind

Like all survey-based data, ACS estimates come with some limitations. Here are a few things to be aware of:
  • In places with very small Somali populations, the numbers may not be reported at all due to privacy protections or sampling variability in the survey.
  • Since the ACS is based on a sample, the numbers are estimates, not exact counts. That means they may slightly differ from other sources like the decennial U.S. Census.
  • City that don’t have any reported Somali population are not included in the ranking but are listed separately below for reference.
This ranking is meant to provide a clear, data-driven look at where Somali populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

  1. 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
  2. 2023.