25 Cities With Highest Percentage Of African American Population

Published on July 4, 2023 at 9:02 pm by Ashar Jawad in Lists, News

In this article, we look at the 25 cities with the highest percentage of African American population. You can skip our detailed analysis and head directly to the 10 Cities With Highest Percentage of African American Population.

A report in the Brookings Institution in 2019 highlighted that although the share of African Americans in the population has only grown 1.5% since 1970, internal migration of the community has led to the rise of what is known as ‘black-majority cities’. More African Americans are moving to cities that have a black majority in their quest for opportunity and sustainability.

The Census Bureau has projected the United States to become a minority white country by 2045, with current racial minorities, which include African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians, becoming the primary drivers of the nation’s economy. This shift in population is expected for two reasons. First, the number of combined racial minorities is expected to grow by 74% between 2018 and 2060, and secondly, the ageing white population will likely see a decline over the same period.

Jackson, Mississippi has the highest percentage of African Americans among cities in the United States, accounting for more than 80% of the city’s population. It is often referred to as the blackest city in America. As far as states are concerned, in terms of numbers, Texas has the highest population of African Americans with 3.55 million people, followed by Georgia at second, and Florida being third. These are the top three black states in the country.

The African American community has produced some of the most prominent people in the United States like Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and Oprah Winfrey, among others. They are known world over due to their accomplishments. Tiger Woods is an American professional golfer who is widely regarded as one of the world’s famous athletes for his PGA Tour wins. Woods has received endorsement from NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) for a number of years, starting first in 1996. At one point, it seemed as if NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) and Tiger Woods were synonymous due to the long partnership they have had over the years.

Michael Jordan is one of the richest African Americans, having a net worth of $2 billion. He is regarded as the greatest NBA player of all time. Jordan now owns shares in NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)’s Jordan brand, and receives a share of income from every NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) Jordan sold. You can read more on this in our article, Michael Jordan, 10 Richest Black Americans and Their Stock Picks. TV talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, is one of the richest self-made women in the US. Born in Kosciusko, northeast of Jackson, she boasts a net worth of $2.5 billion, and has investments in WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ:WW) and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD).

According to the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) of the U.S. Senate, there are more than 3 million businesses owned by African Americans, which contribute about $200 billion to the national economy and provide employment to over 1 million Americans. Between 2012 and 2017, businesses owned by African Americans grew at a faster rate than those that were white-owned. The JEC declared that the future and prosperity of the economy is linked to fighting racism and ensuring equal opportunity for all racial groups in the U.S.

Worldwide Technology Company is the biggest company in the US owned by an African American. The technology solutions provider was estimated to have generated over $11 billion in revenue in 2021. It provides supply chain solutions to nearly half of the Fortune 500 companies. Worldwide Technology Company is followed by ActOne Group on the second spot. Founded in 1964 in Torrance, California, the employment agency provides recruitment and procurement solutions to a wide range of industries. It generated $2.8 billion in revenue in 2021. Other major companies owned by the African American Community can be found in Top 20 Biggest Black Owned Companies in the US.

With that out of the way, let’s head over to our list of cities with highest percentage of African American population.

Methodology

We have ranked the cities with the highest percentage of African Americans using population and demographics data released by The U.S. Census Bureau in 2021. Share of residents belonging to the African American racial group in each city was calculated, with the results then sorted in ascending order (least to highest) of percentages. Only cities have been included in these rankings. Census Designated Places (CDPs) are not considered.

25 Cities with Highest Percentage of African American Population

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Here are the cities with the highest percentage of African American population.

25. Newark, New Jersey

Total Population: 307,216

African Americans: 144,724

Percentage: 47.11%

Newark is the most populous city in New Jersey and is home to a sizable African American community.

24. Hampton, Virginia

Total Population: 137,746

African Americans: 65,412

Percentage: 47.49%

Hampton is Virginia’s seventh most populous city, with a population of 137,746 according to the 2021 census. 47.49% of its residents are African Americans.

23. Cleveland, Ohio

Total Population: 368,006

African Americans: 176,109

Percentage: 47.85%

Cleveland is the poorest city in Ohio. It is home to over 175,000 African Americans. The number accounts for nearly half of the city’s total population.

22. Trenton, New Jersey

Total Population: 90,458

African Americans: 43,783

Percentage: 48.40%

Trenton, in New Jersey, is among the top places with the highest percentage of African Americans, with an estimated 48.40% of its residents belonging to the community.

21. Savannah, Georgia

Total Population: 147,087

African Americans: 71,711

Percentage: 48.75%

Savannah is a coastal city in the state of Georgia, and is separated from South Carolina by the Savannah River. 48.75% of the population consists of African Americans.

20. Portsmouth, Virginia

Total Population: 97,840

African Americans: 49,357

Percentage: 50.45%

Portsmouth, in Virginia, is 20th on the list of US cities with the highest percentage of African American residents. More than 50% of the population comprises African Americans.

19. Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Total Population: 222,177

African Americans: 113,768

Percentage: 51.21%

Louisiana’s capital city, Baton Rouge, is next on our list, with an estimated 51.21% of the population belonging to the African American community.

18. Mobile, Alabama

Total Population: 184,960

African Americans: 97,051

Percentage: 52.47%

Mobile, a port city, in the state of Alabama, is home to nearly 0.1 million African Americans. In recent years, a number of films and TV productions have been shot in Alabama cities like Mobile and Montgomery. One of them being ‘Just Mercy’, which was released by Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD) in 2019.

17. Augusta, Georgia

Total Population: 200,032

African Americans: 108,334

Percentage: 54.16%

Augusta is a city in Georgia that is well known in the United States for the Masters Golf Tournament that is held there every first full week of April. Demographically, African Americans dominate the racial makeup of the city. Augusta is considered to be the best place in Georgia to live and retire.

16. Macon, Georgia

Total Population: 156,762

African Americans: 86,500

Percentage: 55.18%

Another Georgian city on the list is Macon. Located just 120 miles from Augusta, Macon is also an African-American-majority city.

15. Flint, Michigan

Total Population: 80,628

African Americans: 45,374

Percentage: 56.28%

African Americans comprise 56.28% of the population in Flint. The city was once a leading manufacturer of automobiles. It is the birthplace of General Motors Company (NYSE:GM). Although the company is now headquartered in Detroit, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) announced last month to invest more than $1 billion in two of its plants in Flint.

14. Mount Vernon, New York

Total Population: 72,584

African Americans: 40,898

Percentage: 56.35%

Well over half of the city’s population in Mount Vernon is inhabited by African Americans. It has the highest percentage of African American population in the New York state.

13. New Orleans, Louisiana

Total Population: 376,971

African Americans: 215,766

Percentage: 57.24%

Located near the Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans in Louisiana is popular for its music and cuisine. Demographically, 57.24% of the population consists of African Americans.

12. Shreveport, Louisiana

Total Population: 183,489

African Americans: 107,110

Percentage: 58.37%

An estimated 58.37% of Shreveport’s population of 183,489 residents are African Americans. This Louisiana city served as the Confederate state capital after the end of the American Civil War.

11. Baltimore, Maryland

Total Population: 576,498

African Americans: 344,531

Percentage: 59.76%

With a population of well over half a million, Baltimore is the most populous city in the state of Maryland. It is also its poorest. In 2021, it had a poverty rate of 23.9%. Close to 60% of its population comprises African Americans.

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