Minnesota Diversity Fact Sheet

 

     ●    Minnesota has the fastest growing population in the Midwest and has become more ethnically diverse between 1990 and 2000. Minnesota’s population is projected to grow to 5.45 million by 2010 and 6.27 by 2030.

     ●    Minnesota has the largest Hmong, Somali, and Liberian communities in the U.S. One of the largest Native American urban populations in the nation is concentrated around Minneapolis.

     ●    Contributing to its diversity, Minnesota once again has become a destination for immigrants to the United States. The state combines economic opportunity with support for refugees escaping strife and repression in their own countries.

     ●    A total of 8,406 immigrants moved to Minnesota in 2003. Two-thirds of the new arrivals were born in Asia (2,814) or Africa (2,775).

     ●    The leading country of birth for immigrants in 2003 was Somalia (786) followed by India (651), Ethiopia (627), the Philippines (419), Mexico (398) and China (386). In 2004 and 2005, increasing numbers of refugees have arrived from the Wat Tham Krabok site in Thailand.

     ●    About 9 percent of immigrants in 2003 were orphans – children adopted by American citizens.

     ●    Minnesota’s population will continue to become more racially and ethnically diverse. Between 2005 and 2015, the nonwhite population is projected to grow 35 percent, compared to 7 percent for the white population. The Hispanic Origin population is expected to increase 47 percent.

     ●    Throughout Minnesota, in communities such as Richfield, Osseo, Moorhead, Worthington, Henderson and Tracy, growth in students of color has created new educational opportunities. In 2002-03, more than 18 percent of Minnesota’s K-12 students identified themselves as students of color.

Sources:

Minnesota State Demographic Center: http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/resource.html?Id=9902

McKnight Foundation: http://www.mcknight.org/hotissues/overview_censusd.aspx

Minnesota Minority Education Partnership: http://www.mmep.net/sites/aaa55a49-007c-4af4-923a-711964afl9e7/uploads/Students_of_Color_rpt_2004final.pdf