16 Most Racist Cities in the United States in 2017

Racial tensions, the proliferation of hate groups, hundreds of racially motivated crimes, constantly present segregation all show that racism in America is alive and well, especially in these 16 most racist cities in the United States in 2017, which we ranked by the number of racially motivated crimes and segregation index. While it is not easy to measure racism, we believe that these two parameters can be a strong indicator of racial divisions, which are very much present.

According to Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, the number of hate crimes in America has increased 20% in the largest cities so far, jumping from 690 to 827 throughout the same period last year. The Center surveyed 13 largest cities noticing that only two areas with over 250,000 residents recorded the decline in the number of hate incidents – Columbus, Ohio, where hate crimes fall by 1% (from 107 to 106), and Riverside, California, which posted 60% decline (from 5 to 2). The city which has seen the greatest rise in hate incidents so far has been Long Beach, California, where hate incidents have jumped from 3 to 12, which is 300% rise. America most populous city New York has recorded 28.4% increase so far. The report made by Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism points out that if this trend remained through the whole 2017, “it would mark the third consecutive year of annual national increases.”

On the other side, FBI latest report on hate crimes in 2016 shows that the number of hate incidents raised by 5% reaching the number of 6,121, including 6,063 single-bias incidents and 58 multiple-bias incidents. Of all single-bias incidents, 57.5% were racially motivated, and African Americans were the most often targeted, followed by Whites and Hispanics. Compared to the year ago the number of anti-Blacks crimes remained flat, and the increase in the overall number of hate incidents is driven by the rise in the number of religiously motivated and anti-White/anti Latino crimes. Along with hate crimes, the number of hate groups in America also increased from 892 in 2015 to 917 in 2016. Among hate organizations that currently operate in the US a few target racial minorities. Ku Klux Klan, White Nationalists, Racist Skinheads, etc., all believe in the inferiority of non-white people.  If you want to find out more about most racist states and most racist cities in the US you can read our previous articles 15 Most Racist States in America Ranked by Hate Crimes in 2017 and 10 Most Racist Cities in America Ranked by Hate Crimes.

Besides hate crimes and hate groups, pronounced segregation is also a sign of racism in America. In last few years there have been many attempts to measure segregation in America’s largest cities – for instance, professors John Logan and Brian Stults of Brown and Florida State University identified segregation in 50 metro areas using 2010 census data, Dustin Cable of University of Virginia created the map of segregation in America, FiveThirtyEight calculated integration/segregation index in 100 most populous cities, and so on. All these sources show how a city’s residents of the same race cluster together, so there is a clear division between white, black and Hispanic neighborhoods. A racial division in space is accompanied by socio-economic differences. In many of below-listed cities, the median household income gap between black and white families is wider than national white/black household earnings’ gap of $22,681. Moreover, black poverty rates are significantly higher in here mentioned place compared to national poverty rate among African Americans of 27.4%.

As said before we took into account two criteria while creating the list of 16 most racist cities in the United States in 2017. Using FBI report about hate crimes in 2016, which were the latest data on this subject, we identified cities where 10 or more racially motivated hate incidents happened last year. Then we relied on FiveThirtyEight’s integration/segregation index in the most populous places to identify most segregated cities in America. Combining these two sources, we come up with this list of most racist cities in the United States in 2017. We also included data about the size of a black population, its income and poverty rates.

16. Denver, CO

Number of crimes: 10

Integration/Segregation Index: -2

We are starting this list with Denver, the city which has segregation index -2, where ten racially motivated hate crimes happened last year. The black population of around 62,000 represents the third largest racial group in the city. The poverty rate among black Denver’s residents is 20.1%, which is lower than national black poverty rate, but it is still considerably higher compared to the poverty rate among white Denver’s residents. Black families also have median income which is around $28,000 lower compared to white families earnings.

15. San Diego, CA

Number of crimes: 16

Integration/Segregation index: -0.6

Segregation isn’t as pronounced in San Diego as in some other places on this list of most racist cities in the United States in 2017, but it does not mean that it is not present. The poverty rate among black residents is twice as high as white poverty rate, and black families have income which is around $22,000 lower compared to their white peers.

14. Charlotte, NC

Number of crimes: 16

Integration/Segregation Index: -0.7

Charlotte has one of the lowest segregation indexes among places ranked on this list of most racist cities in the United States in 2017. The city has a total population of 842,029. African Americans account for 36% of all residents living in the city. Compared to their white neighbors, whose median household income is $76,095, black Charlotte’s families earn some $30,000 less.

13. Pittsburgh, PA

Number of crimes: 11

Integration/Segregation Index: -5.2

Pittsburgh is a home to 73,000 African Americans who account for 24% of city’s total population. Compared to previously mentioned Charlotte, Pittsburgh is a poorer city. White families have a median income of $54,178 and black ones only 26,853. Even more alarming is that more than one-third of black residents are struck by poverty compared to 16.6% of their white neighbors. Blacks mainly live on the east side of the city.

12. Indianapolis, IN

Number of crimes: 12

Integration/Segregation Index: -3

African American residents account for 27.6% of Indianapolis’s total population, and they are mainly clustered on the north side of the city. Their median household income is $31,712, and 27.4% of them live in poverty. On the other side, the median income for white families is $51,715 while 14.6% of white residents are poor.

11. Toledo, OH

Number of crimes: 31

Integration/Segregation Index: -2.8

Toledo is one of the smallest cities on this list of most racist cities in the United States in 2017, with a total population of 281,000. There are 76,173 African Americans living in Toledo who account for 27.2% of all residents. Of these, almost half, or more precisely 43.6% struggle in poverty, which is the greatest share among places ranked on this list. Black families have a median income of $25,109 which is some 40% less compared to the sum that white families have at their disposal.

10. Detroit, MI

Number of crimes: 16

Integration/Segregation Index: -6.5

In Detroit, which has segregation index of -6.5, African American account for 79.2% of total population and their median household income is $26,759, while 39.4% live in poverty, which is a little more compared to white poverty rate (35%). It should be added that according to 24/7 Wall Streett, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, is the second most segregated metro area in America. 24/7 Wall Street’s analysis shows that  “in 18 of the area’s zip codes, more than 80% of residents are black, and those zip codes are home to more than half of the area’s black population”, which is one of the signs that significant segregation is present in the city.

9. Columbus, OH

Number of crimes: 123

Integration/Segregation Index: -1.8

There were 123 racial motivated hate crimes in Columbus last year, which is the highest number among all places in America. At the same time the city’s segregation index is estimated at -1.8. Columbus is a home to 233,320 African Americans who account for 27.5% of total population. Majority of black residents live in the inner parts of the city. Their median household income is some 40% lower than the income of white families while the black poverty rate is 31.8%.

8. Boston, MA

Number of crimes: 75

Integration/Segregation Index: -2.9

Around 150,000 African Americans live in the Boston, clustered mainly in the southern part of the city. They account for 22.9% of the total population. Median household income for black families is $40,954, which is the highest amount among 16 most racist cities in the United States in 2017, but it should be said that this sum is more than 50% lower compared to the income of white families. The black poverty rate is 22.8%, almost double the white poverty rate.

7. Cincinnati, OH

Number of crimes: 32

Integration/Segregation Index: -6

Cincinnati has one of the greatest shares of African American population among the places on this list of most racist cities in the United States in 2017. Around 125,000 black residents, who constitute 42.1% of total population, mainly live in the downtown. The poverty rate among blacks is 37.3% (compared to 18.1% white poverty rate), and their median household income is $24,035, some $30,000 less than the income of white families.

6. Washington, DC

Number of crimes: 26

Integration/Segregation Index: -11.1

The USA capital Washington is often described as a highly segregated city. The black population of 312,914 constitute 46.5% of all residents living in the city, and it represents the largest racial group in Washington. Majority of African Americans live in the southeast part of the capital where they account for more than 90% of all residents. The median household income of black families is $37,891 which is more than three times less than white families’ income. The poverty rate among black residents is 26.6%, which is considerably higher compared to 6.9% white poverty rate.

5. Phoenix, AZ

Number of crimes: 90

Integration/Segregation Index: -3.3

There were 90 racially motivated hate crimes in Phoenix last year, which is the third highest number in the whole America and the reason why the city occupies fifth place in our ranking of most racist cities in the United States in 2017. Phoenix is not as segregated as some other places in the US, but that does not mean that racial divisions do not exist. The black population of 103,568, which account for 6.6% of all residents, is clustered in two neighborhoods – South Mountain and Laveen. Almost third of all blacks in Phoenix live in poverty, and their median household income is around $20,000 less than white families income.

4. Chicago, IL

Number of crimes: 26

Integration/Segregation Index: -18.6

According to Fivethirtyeigh.com, Chicago is the most segregated city in America. FiveTthirtyEight.com notes that Chicago is at the same time highly diverse, and highly segregated place. On one side, the city’s population is equally divided between whites, blacks, and Hispanics which is the proof of Chicago’s diversity. On the other, residents of the same race tend to live clustered in the same parts of the city, so Chicago has low neighborhood diversity index. Around 834,000 African Americans live in Chicago accounting for 30.7% of total population. Majority of black residents lives in the western and southern parts of the city. Their median home income is some $20,000 lower than white families’ earnings while the percentage of the black population below the poverty level is 31.5%.

3. Kansas City, MO

Number of crimes: 33

Integration/Segregation Index: -6.8

Around 140,000 African Americans live in Kansas, mainly in the central part of the city, constituting 29.6% of total population. Previously mentioned 24/7 Wall Street’s analysis notes that “37.8% of the city’s population — live in a homogeneous zip code, or where at least 80% of residents share the same skin color or ethnicity, the ninth highest proportion in the country.” Black families income is almost twice as low as white families earnings, while poverty rate among African Americans is three times as high as white poverty rate.

And now, let’s see the top two most racist cities in the United States in 2017.

2. Los Angeles, CA

Number of crimes: 112

Integration/Segregation Index: -4.5

Los Angeles had second highest number of racially motivated hate crimes last year. Almost third of all city residents are African Americans who mainly live in the southern and eastern parts of LA. The poverty rate among them (26.2%) is three times higher than white poverty rate. Also, black families have the median income which is around $30,000 lower than white households earnings.

1. New York, NY

Number of crimes: 74

Integration/Segregation Index: -8.7

With 74 racially motivated crimes and segregation index of -8.7 New York occupies the first place on our list of 16 most racist cities in the United States in 2017. Like previously mentioned Chicago, New York is at the same time highly diverse and highly segregated place. The black population of 1.8 million accounts for almost third of all residents in the Big Apple and the majority of them lives in black neighborhoods. New York’s African American families have the median income of $38,555, which is 37% lower compared to white household earnings while the black poverty rate is twice as high as white poverty rate.