Somali Population in Maine by County : 2025 Ranking & Insights

According to the latest U.S. Census estimates, the Somali population in Maine totals 2,730. Androscoggin County contains the largest Somali community with 1,239 residents, followed by Cumberland County (1,113), Kennebec County (201), and others contributing to this statewide total. This demographic analysis ranks all counties in Maine by their Somali populations, offering insights into local community distribution and broader settlement trends.

Top 5 counties with the largest Somali population in Maine

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  • 1
    Androscoggin County
    Somali population in Androscoggin County is 1,239
    1.10% of Androscoggin County population is Somali
  • 2
    Cumberland County
    Somali population in Cumberland County is 1,113
    0.36% of Cumberland County population is Somali
  • 3
    Kennebec County
    Somali population in Kennebec County is 201
    0.16% of Kennebec County population is Somali
  • 4
    York County
    Somali population in York County is 77
    0.04% of York County population is Somali
  • 5
    Penobscot County
    Somali population in Penobscot County is 50
    0.03% of Penobscot County 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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16 Counties in Maine Ranked by Somali Population

View Methodology
American Community Survey data [1] show Somali population in Maine distributed across multiple counties, led by Androscoggin County, Cumberland County, Kennebec County, and York County, while several other counties recorded no residents identified as Americans of Somali birth or descent. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all counties included in this analysis*.
counties in Maine ranked by Somali population count
Rank by Somali Population
County
Somali Population
% of Total County Population
% of Total Maine Somali Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Androscoggin County 1,239 1.10% 45.38%
2 Cumberland County 1,113 0.36% 40.77%
3 Kennebec County 201 0.16% 7.36%
4 York County 77 0.04% 2.82%
5 Penobscot County 50 0.03% 1.83%
6 Aroostook County 33 0.05% 1.21%
7 Washington County 12 0.04% 0.44%
8 5 0.01% 0.18%
9 0 - -
9 0 - -
9 0 - -
9 0 - -
9 0 - -
9 0 - -
9 0 - -
9 0 - -
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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 county 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 county. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
  1. % of Total County 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.
  • County 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.