South African Population in Minnesota by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The South African population in Minnesota totals 906, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Richfield (165), followed by Minneapolis (70) and Lake Elmo (64), 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 South African residents are distributed across Minnesota''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest South African population in Minnesota

  • 1
    Richfield
    South African population in Richfield is 165
    0.45% of Richfield population is South African
  • 2
    Minneapolis
    South African population in Minneapolis is 70
    0.02% of Minneapolis population is South African
  • 3
    Lake Elmo
    South African population in Lake Elmo is 64
    0.51% of Lake Elmo population is South African
  • 4
    Cottage Grove
    South African population in Cottage Grove is 50
    0.12% of Cottage Grove population is South African
  • 5
    St. Paul
    South African population in St. Paul is 49
    0.02% of St. Paul population is South African

Overview of South African population in Minnesota

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey data indicate Minnesota contains 906 South African residents (0.016% of 5.7 million total state population), positioning the state at the 52nd percentile nationally among U.S. states for South African population concentrations.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census surveys show Minnesota's South African demographic representation of 0.016% remains below the national average of 0.025%, positioning the state below typical U.S. demographic distribution patterns.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey document Minnesota's 906 South African residents constitute 1.1% of the nation's total South African population of 83,184, 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 shows Minnesota's density of 0.011 South African Americans per square mile remains below the national average of 0.024 per square mile, indicating relatively sparse distribution compared to national demographic concentrations.
  • Need additional overviews? Extended research data available for purchase and license. ➔

1,042 Cities in Minnesota Ranked by South African Population

American Community Survey data [1] show South African population in Minnesota present in Richfield, Minneapolis, and Lake Elmo, 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 Minnesota ranked by South African population count
Rank by South African Population
City
South African Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total Minnesota South African Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Richfield 165 0.45% 18.21%
2 Minneapolis 70 0.02% 7.73%
3 Lake Elmo 64 0.51% 7.06%
4 Cottage Grove 50 0.12% 5.52%
5 St. Paul 49 0.02% 5.41%
6 Golden Valley 48 0.22% 5.30%
7 Leon township 41 5.07% 4.53%
7 41 0.06% 4.53%
8 35 0.10% 3.86%
9 31 0.03% 3.42%
10 24 0.88% 2.65%
11 18 0.03% 1.99%
11 18 0.50% 1.99%
12 14 0.12% 1.55%
12 14 0.06% 1.55%
12 14 0.06% 1.55%
12 14 0.63% 1.55%
13 13 0.05% 1.43%
14 12 0.72% 1.32%
15 11 1.59% 1.21%
16 8 0.63% 0.88%
16 8 1.18% 0.88%
17 7 0.03% 0.77%
17 7 0.01% 0.77%
18 6 0.01% 0.66%
19 5 0.57% 0.55%
20 4 0.28% 0.44%
21 3 0.19% 0.33%
21 3 0.02% 0.33%
22 2 0.37% 0.22%
22 2 0.28% 0.22%
22 2 0.13% 0.22%
22 2 0.32% 0.22%
22 2 0.27% 0.22%
23 1 0.20% 0.11%
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Need the complete table? Full rankings and the underlying data sets for California and other locations are available for purchase or license.

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 Minnesota by their South African population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines South African 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 South African 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 South African alone, while others identify as South African along with another race (such as South African and German).
  • We’ve used the “South African alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the South African population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as South African 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 South African .
  2. % of Total Minnesota South African Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. South African 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 South African 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 South African 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 South African populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

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