Black Health

Black Health Profile

Black health in Minnesota

425,420

Black residents (ACS)

7.40%

Of state population

Minnesota has about 425,000 Black residents (7%), concentrated in the Twin Cities metro. The state has one of the largest Somali-American populations in the US, shifting the mix of health needs. Minnesota Medicaid covers doula services; the state's Maternal Mortality Review Committee publishes an annual report.

The largest Black health disparity tracked on these pages varies by metric. Use the ten topic pages below to see each one cited against the state's primary-source dataset.

On the positive side, every US state now has CDC-funded maternal mortality review committees, and most have at least one HRSA-designated federally qualified health center serving low-income Black residents. The ten facet pages below point to state-specific programs and providers.

Key takeaways

  • Black residents: 425,420 (7.4% of the state).
  • Medicaid expansion adopted.
  • Medicaid covers doula services.
  • Certified nurse-midwife scope-of-practice recognized by Medicaid.
  • 12-month postpartum Medicaid extension active.

Health outcomes & coverage

Ten race-stratified indicators drawn from CDC, Census, KFF, and SAMHSA primary sources. Each page links the underlying dataset, compares to the national average, and frames the state-specific drivers and policy levers.

maternal mortality

Black women in Minnesota die from pregnancy-related causes at 24.1 per 100,000 live births — 1.3× the US national rate of 19.

Read the maternal mortality breakdown

infant mortality

Black infants in Minnesota die before age one at 9.7 per 1,000 live births — compared to the US all-race rate of 5.4.

Read the infant mortality breakdown

cardiovascular mortality

Age-adjusted cardiovascular mortality among Black residents of Minnesota: 301.4 deaths per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 I00-I99).

Read the cardiovascular mortality breakdown

diabetes prevalence

12.8% of Black adults in Minnesota have been diagnosed with diabetes — compared to the US all-race rate of 11.6%.

Read the diabetes prevalence breakdown

breast cancer mortality

Age-adjusted breast cancer mortality among Black women in Minnesota: 24.3 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C50).

Read the breast cancer mortality breakdown

prostate cancer mortality

Age-adjusted prostate cancer mortality among Black men in Minnesota: 33.8 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C61).

Read the prostate cancer mortality breakdown

life expectancy

Life expectancy at birth for Black residents of Minnesota: 74 years (US all-race: 77.5).

Read the life expectancy breakdown

uninsured rate

6.2% of Black residents of Minnesota have no health insurance coverage — vs. a US all-race uninsured rate of 8%.

Read the uninsured rate breakdown

Medicaid coverage

About 29% of Black residents of Minnesota receive Medicaid coverage. Minnesota is a Medicaid expansion state.

Read the Medicaid coverage breakdown

mental health access

54.9% of Black adults in Minnesota who experienced a past-year mental health need reported not receiving the treatment they needed (SAMHSA …

Read the mental health access breakdown

Policy context in Minnesota

Minnesota has adopted Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Medicaid covers doula services in this state. Postpartum Medicaid coverage extends for 12 months after delivery, the federal recommended standard.

Data sources & refresh cadence

  • US Census ACS 5-year 2019–2023, Table B02001 (race) & S1903 (income).
  • CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death (D69) & Underlying Cause of Death (D76), 2018–2022 release.
  • KFF Medicaid expansion and state coverage trackers, Q1 2026.
  • SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2022 state annual.
  • HRSA NHSC workforce data, 2024.

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