Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Last Updated: 11/15/2022
By
Erin C. Perkins
|
Quality Verified
On This Page
- The Best Cities for Black Women
- Economic Realities
- Expert Panel: Improving Livability
- Economic Opportunities
- Methodology
- Full Data Set
Featured Experts
Explore Expert Insight
KU
Kalinda Ukanwa, MBA, Ph.D.
DL
Dr. Lori Latrice Martin, PhD
AS
Angela Simms
LJ
Lyneisha Jackson, AICP
DI
Dr. Ijeoma Opara
Where can Black women feel supported and flourish financially? When posed that question, Dr. Lori Martin, a professor of African and African American studies and sociology at Louisiana State University, had this to say: "A livable place for Black women is safe, and for women with children, it is home to schools where all students have access to an excellent education. It would also be diverse, with a visible and thriving Black community, including Black businesses.”
While the socioeconomic realities of our current time touch all corners of the country, there are pockets of the U.S. where the wealth gap narrows and Black women have more opportunities. MoneyGeek analyzed data on income, the cost of crime, homeownership and poverty levels from 200 cities across the United States to rank the best — and worst — cities for Black women to live and financially flourish in.
Key Findings:
Suburban cities of large metropolitan areas ranked highest.
Southfield, outside of Detroit; New Rochelle, a suburb of New York City; and Missouri City, a suburb of Houston, ranked highest in the analysis.
Opportunities for Black women were vastly different in many cities geographically close to each other.
South Florida was home to four cities at the bottom of the ranking and two cities in the top 25. San Bernardino, CA, ranked 179th of 200 for Black women, while Rancho Cucamonga, CA, a 25-minute drive away, ranked as one of the best (12th).
Black women’s Equal Pay Day came at different times for cities around the country.
Disparities in pay between white men and Black women mean local Equal Pay Days are different in cities across the country. In Riverside, CA, the median pay of Black women was higher than the median pay of white men. In Stamford, CT, Black women made one-third of what white men do, meaning a Black woman would need to work until December 29th, 2022, to earn the equivalent of a white man’s 2020 pay.
The Best and Worst Cities for Black Women
MoneyGeek ranked 200 cities with populations greater than 65,000 from the best to the worst for Black women. The ranking includes analysis of income, poverty rate, homeownership, educational attainment, and health insurance gaps between Black women and the entire population nationally and locally. The size of the local Black population and the cost of crime in the area was included in the ranking to reflect the presence of the Black community and safety, respectively. Southfield, a suburb of Detroit and New Rochelle, a New York City suburb, ranked highest in the analysis.
In contrast, Corpus Christi, Texas, ranked lowest for Black women. In Corpus Christi, Black women face high poverty rates in absolute and relative terms, associated low income rates, and have the worst rate of health insurance coverage for Black women between 18–64 of the cities analyzed. The analysis finds a trend common to Americans overall, in that cities that are best for Black women can be geographically close to some of the worst. The Miami / South Florida area has four cities ranked lowest for Black women and one of the best cities for Black Women in the top five.
Income disparity is a key measure of how well Black women are doing today. For each city in the analysis, we calculated the local Equal Pay Day, the day in the following year when Black women would make an equivalent amount as a white man, using the median income of Black women working full time and the median income of white men working full time in each locality. In Riverside, California, the median pay of Black women is higher than the median pay of white men. In Stamford, Connecticut, Black women make one-third of what white men do, meaning a Black woman would need to work until December 29th, 2022, to earn the equivalent of a white man’s 2020 pay. These data are presented in the full data set at the end of this analysis.
The 25 Best Cities for Black Women
Scroll for more
City
FinalScore
1
.
Southfield, MI
100.0
2
.
See Also15 Best places to live in North Carolina for black families (2022) - Smart ExploraWhere Black Americans Fare Best Economically - 2021 Study - SmartAsset10 Best Places / Cities for Black Families to Live in The World10 Best places to live in South Carolina for black families (2022) - States ExploraNew Rochelle, NY
97.4
3
.
Missouri City, TX
90.6
4
.
Alexandria, VA
86.6
5
.
Pembroke Pines, FL
85.6
6
.
Inglewood, CA
85.4
7
.
Fairfield, CA
85.2
8
.
(Video) CFPB FinEx: Understanding the women’s wealth gap —consumerfinance.govSandy Springs, GA
82.4
9
.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
82.2
10
.
Grand Prairie, TX
80.8
The 15 Worst Cities for Black Women
Scroll for more
City
FinalScore
Corpus Christi, TX
0.0
2
.
Miami, FL
12.7
3
.
Gulfport, MS
13.3
4
.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
15.7
5
(Video) Racial disparities in wealth across America.
Pompano Beach, FL
15.9
6
.
Allentown, PA
16.6
7
.
Boynton Beach, FL
19.5
8
.
North Little Rock, AR
20.2
9
.
Kalamazoo, MI
20.5
10
.
Abilene, TX
The Economic Realities Black Women Face
Black women serve a critical role in the American economy, contributing $3.8 billion to the GDP annually. Often the breadwinners for their families, they have the highest labor force participation rate for women and make up 21% of all women-owned businesses.
Even with these significant contributions, Black women live at the intersection of multiple barriers and experience the compounded effects of racial and gender bias. This combination results in low-wage jobs and a significant wealth gap: Black women who work full-time, year-round earn 62 cents for every one dollar white men earn working full-time, year-round.
Less access to economic opportunities puts Black women at a disadvantage in building wealth. The FDIC’s Survey of Household Use of Banking and Financial Services showed that 13.8% of Black households were unbanked versus 2.5% of white households. Unbanked households are credit invisible — that is, they don’t have a credit history and, therefore, can’t build credit. Having no credit history makes it difficult to take advantage of credit cards to manage cash needs and mortgages to buy homes.
Blacks are twice as likely to use payday loans, which may be appealing as a temporary fix for cash-flow problems but make it challenging to grow financially. That’s because 69% of people who utilize payday loans do so to cover recurring expenses like credit card bills, rent and food. Recurrent use of these high-fee services can create a vicious cycle where people using payday loans are locked into a continual shortage of cash, in part due to high fees.Black women also face health care disparities, experience higher rates of poverty and victimization from violence and lag behind in earnings and homeownership.
Expert Panel: Improving Livability for Black Women
Access to jobs, higher pay and health care are some of the unique challenges Black women face when it comes to livability experiences, explains Kalinda Ukanwa, Ph.D., an assistant professor of marketing at the Marshall School of Business. MoneyGeek interviewed Dr. Ukanwa and other experts to elaborate on the unique challenges that Black women face and the solutions to help them. The views expressed are the opinions and insights of the individual contributors.
- If economic policies were enacted to help Black women achieve more economically, what might they be? What might the positive and negative impacts be?
- What resources would you recommend to Black women trying to find a livable city?
- What do you think are some of the unique challenges that affect Black women's livability experiences?
- What makes a “livable” place for Black women?
- If economic policies were enacted to help Black women achieve more economically, what might they be? What might the positive and negative impacts be?
- What are steps Black women can take to close their own personal gap?
- What would you recommend to Black women trying to find a livable city?
Kalinda Ukanwa, MBA, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Marketing, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California
Dr. Lori Latrice Martin, PhD
Professor of African and African American Studies and Sociology at Louisiana State University
Lyneisha Jackson, AICP
Certified Community Planner and LEED Green Associate
Dr. Ijeoma Opara
Assistant Professor, Yale School of Public Health
Angela Simms
Assistant Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies at Barnard College
Advocating for Economic Opportunities for Black Women
Even before the pandemic, Black women were underpaid nearly $50 billion in forfeited wages, the Economic Policy Institute reported. COVID-19 has only heightened how the racial/gender wage gap and unemployment have disproportionately affected Black women, who suffered the most significant job losses. But there are tools and resources that can provide Black women economic opportunities and empowerment. Dr. Ukanwa shares additional solutions.
1
Invest in education.
Research has already shown that degrees increase lifetime earnings, close some societal gaps and increase job security. But if degrees are not your path, it also means continuing to build that knowledge and expertise in something you can be the best at. Figure out your expertise and what you bring to the table.
2
After building your expertise in a field, build your reputation and personal brand.
With an excellent reputation and personal brand, people will start to seek you out rather than the other way around. This increases the worth of your expertise.
3
Find out what your expertise is worth.
Educate yourself on how to negotiate. Negotiate to be paid what you are worth.
4
Get into the habit of ownership.
Build your own equity, which decreases the dependence on someone else for your income. For example, this could be your own business, stocks or real estate.
Methodology
To rank the Best Cities for Black Women, MoneyGeek analyzed data from the American Community Survey, MoneyGeek’s Safest Cities and Safest Small Cities and Towns studies, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. MoneyGeek started with over 600 places in America with populations of 65,000 or more. Places without granular data about Black women or lacking other data points for the analysis were removed to get to the final set of 200 cities.
The ranking of the Best Cities for Black Women was based on eight factors: safety, Black population, educational attainment, poverty rates, income, employment, health insurance and homeownership. Each factor was weighted equally and scaled to a score between 0 and 1. The factors were calculated as follows:
Safety (full weight): Safety was based on the per capita cost of crime calculated in MoneyGeek’s Safest Cities series. The cost of crime was logged to adjust the distribution.
Black Population (full weight): Representing an available community of Black individuals, the Black population was adjusted to a log scale. For communities with Black populations below 20,000 and representing less than 12% of the population, the score for this value was set to zero.
Educational Attainment (full weight): This metric equally comprises two metrics.
- High School Diploma Gap (50%): the difference in percentage points of the rate of Black high school diploma achievement compared to the national rate of white high school diploma achievement.
- Higher Education Diploma Gap (50%): the difference in percentage points of the rate of Black bachelor degree or greater educational attainment compared to the national rate of white bachelor degree or greater educational attainment.
Poverty Rate (full weight): The percentage point difference of the city’s rate of Black women earning at or above the poverty level and the rate of all other women living above the poverty level nationally.
Income (full weight): This factor equally comprises two metrics.
- Local Income Gap (50%): the ratio of Black female median income as a percentage of the local median income of white males.
- National Income Gap (50%): the ratio of Black female median income adjusted for purchasing power as a percentage of the national median income of white males.
Employment (full weight): The difference in percentage points between the Black female employment rate and the white male employment rate in the locality.
Health Insurance (full weight): The difference in percentage points between the rate of Black women ages 18-64 that have health insurance and the rate of health insurance for all other races nationally.
Black Female Homeownership (full weight): This factor comprises three metrics.
- Local Owner-Occupied Gap (25%): the difference between the Black household owner occupation rate and the owner occupation rate of all other races in the locality.
- National Owner-Occupied Gap (25%): the difference between the Black household owner occupation rate in the locality and the owner occupation rate of all other races nationally.
- Black Female Income to Home Value (50%): the ratio of Black alone female median income to local median home value.
Full Data Set
The data points presented are defined as follows:
- Rank: rank in the overall analysis with the lower the rank indicating a higher overall score.
- Final Score: This is the weighted score incorporating the factors defined in the study Methodology.
- Black Population: The size of the Black population.
- Median Black Woman Adjusted Income: The median income for Black women in the city adjusted for purchasing power.
- Cost of Crime per Capita: The societal costs of crime on a per capita basis as described in the Methodology.
- % Black Women Above Poverty Level: The percentage of the Black female population at or above the poverty level.
- Local Black Women's Equal Pay Day: Calculated as the percentage greater the median full-time white male income in the locality than the median full-time Black female income. It is assumed that the income ratio calculated is the same in 2020 as the 2019 data set shows.
- Black Women Homeownership Score: This is the Black Female Homeownership factor defined in the Methodology.
Rank | City | FinalScore | BlackPopulation | Median BlackWomanAdj. Income | Cost ofCrimeper Capita | % BlackWomen AbovePoverty Level | LocalBlack Women'sEqual PayDay | Black WomenHome-ownershipScore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Southfield, MI | 100.0 | 45,167 | $52,601 | $643 | 89% | 3/31/2021 | 38 |
2 | New Rochelle, NY | 97.4 | 13,510 | $58,563 | $187 | 82% | 3/28/2021 | 7 |
3 | Missouri City, TX | 90.6 | 31,765 | $46,594 | $373 | 98% | 6/25/2021 | 61 |
4 | Alexandria, VA | 86.6 | 33,266 | $55,713 | $422 | 92% | 6/26/2021 | 12 |
5 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 85.6 | 40,152 | $41,490 | $775 | 88% | 1/10/2021 | 38 |
6 | Inglewood, CA | 85.4 | 43,590 | $45,883 | $939 | 85% | 2/6/2021 | 32 |
7 | Fairfield, CA | 85.2 | 16,993 | $43,394 | $1,063 | 88% | 3/18/2021 | 32 |
8 | Sandy Springs, GA | 82.4 | 24,523 | $47,552 | $342 | 95% | 12/31/2021 | 1 |
9 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 82.2 | 14,331 | $61,193 | $680 | 87% | 3/4/2021 | 25 |
10 | Grand Prairie, TX | 80.8 | 40,009 | $43,383 | $642 | 96% | 4/27/2021 | 33 |
11 | Irving, TX | 80.8 | 33,906 | $41,484 | $612 | 85% | 3/7/2021 | 15 |
12 | Moreno Valley, CA | 79.4 | 40,111 | $46,699 | $1,329 | 81% | 1/21/2021 | 25 |
13 | Compton, CA | 78.2 | 21,659 | $46,691 | $3,298 | 88% | 1/30/2021 | 61 |
14 | Virginia Beach, VA | 77.7 | 85,176 | $40,522 | $946 | 91% | 7/24/2021 | 21 |
15 | Aurora, IL | 77.7 | 21,403 | $40,493 | $1,020 | 92% | 8/16/2021 | 36 |
16 | Hampton, VA | 73.2 | 67,315 | $39,697 | $1,682 | 85% | 6/28/2021 | 32 |
17 | Palmdale, CA | 73.2 | 24,708 | $33,442 | $1,113 | 86% | 7/6/2021 | 15 |
18 | Springfield, MA | 72.8 | 29,399 | $40,855 | $2,558 | 81% | 6/22/2021 | 47 |
19 | Hawthorne, CA | 72.3 | 18,505 | $40,371 | $1,288 | 93% | 4/2/2021 | 16 |
20 | Tyler, TX | 71.3 | 26,827 | $34,010 | $691 | 83% | 8/10/2021 | 26 |
21 | Norwalk, CT | 71.3 | 15,040 | $41,902 | $440 | 85% | 11/14/2021 | 18 |
22 | Elk Grove, CA | 70.8 | 16,212 | $49,482 | $327 | 86% | 7/20/2021 | 25 |
23 | Riverside, CA | 70.8 | 17,525 | $51,879 | $1,304 | 92% | equal or better | 21 |
24 | Chesapeake, VA | 70.7 | 73,569 | $39,438 | $1,021 | 88% | 8/17/2021 | 24 |
25 | Miramar, FL | 70.3 | 66,435 | $32,282 | $563 | 92% | 5/23/2021 | 42 |
26 | Richmond, CA | 70.3 | 20,178 | $45,747 | $2,793 | 85% | 8/25/2021 | 15 |
27 | New York, NY | 69.0 | 2,060,119 | $37,000 | $1,120 | 80% | 9/20/2021 | 20 |
28 | Mount Vernon, NY | 68.9 | 44,844 | $40,578 | $1,027 | 85% | 7/27/2021 | 32 |
29 | Mesa, AZ | 68.5 | 28,816 | $40,571 | $830 | 87% | 4/16/2021 | 13 |
30 | Coral Springs, FL | 68.5 | 34,317 | $36,140 | $439 | 83% | 7/3/2021 | 16 |
31 | Yonkers, NY | 68.2 | 41,974 | $41,801 | $756 | 80% | 7/10/2021 | 17 |
32 | Henderson, NV | 68.2 | 19,843 | $43,505 | $601 | 92% | 8/3/2021 | 14 |
33 | Rialto, CA | 68.0 | 17,317 | $38,797 | $1,677 | 94% | 4/10/2021 | 33 |
34 | Raleigh, NC | 67.9 | 137,734 | $43,155 | $531 | 83% | 9/14/2021 | 21 |
35 | Warren, MI | 67.8 | 27,438 | $34,313 | $1,400 | 88% | 11/28/2021 | 14 |
36 | North Las Vegas, NV | 67.2 | 50,226 | $36,645 | $1,919 | 86% | 6/2/2021 | 22 |
37 | Aurora, CO | 67.0 | 64,979 | $39,403 | $1,939 | 87% | 8/22/2021 | 26 |
38 | Arlington, TX | 66.6 | 95,214 | $40,816 | $1,234 | 83% | 5/28/2021 | 20 |
39 | Vallejo, CA | 66.3 | 24,043 | $42,354 | $2,372 | 79% | 5/25/2021 | 13 |
40 | Durham, NC | 65.9 | 105,393 | $42,422 | $2,407 | 83% | 7/28/2021 | 26 |
41 | Charlotte, NC | 65.5 | 313,204 | $39,404 | $2,182 | 87% | 12/8/2021 | 27 |
42 | Suffolk, VA | 65.2 | 38,737 | $37,456 | $1,177 | 86% | 8/22/2021 | 28 |
43 | Plano, TX | 64.7 | 27,322 | $36,967 | $396 | 88% | 1/22/2022 | 1 |
44 | Sacramento, CA | 64.6 | 60,056 | $44,896 | $1,567 | 79% | 5/22/2021 | 23 |
45 | Little Rock, AR | 64.0 | 83,562 | $41,219 | $4,268 | 83% | 7/19/2021 | 29 |
46 | Waterbury, CT | 63.9 | 23,285 | $37,976 | $1,039 | 82% | 8/28/2021 | 38 |
47 | Albuquerque, NM | 63.4 | 17,712 | $60,973 | $3,453 | 83% | equal or better | 29 |
48 | Hartford, CT | 63.3 | 45,821 | $38,150 | $2,919 | 82% | 10/22/2021 | 46 |
49 | Bridgeport, CT | 63.1 | 47,762 | $38,617 | $1,954 | 81% | 1/11/2022 | 45 |
50 | Los Angeles, CA | 63.0 | 344,360 | $38,519 | $1,647 | 76% | 4/24/2021 | 19 |
51 | Clarksville, TN | 63.0 | 38,866 | $41,154 | $1,846 | 79% | 4/26/2021 | 26 |
52 | Boston, MA | 62.9 | 173,098 | $36,667 | $1,416 | 83% | 12/7/2021 | 21 |
53 | San Diego, CA | 62.9 | 87,265 | $35,976 | $927 | 83% | 7/17/2021 | 13 |
54 | Evanston, IL | 62.6 | 12,283 | $44,127 | $440 | 88% | 5/7/2022 | 10 |
55 | Tamarac, FL | 62.1 | 20,703 | $23,722 | $915 | 85% | 10/11/2021 | 38 |
56 | Longview, TX | 61.1 | 15,545 | $50,100 | $1,310 | 74% | 2/26/2021 | 37 |
57 | Plantation, FL | 60.8 | 24,568 | $36,110 | $584 | 89% | 4/16/2021 | 7 |
58 | Charleston, SC | 60.6 | 29,585 | $32,130 | $1,215 | 83% | 2/7/2022 | 16 |
59 | Fayetteville, NC | 60.6 | 87,700 | $35,311 | $2,475 | 77% | 5/6/2021 | 37 |
60 | Las Vegas, NV | 60.4 | 77,834 | $38,535 | $1,412 | 74% | 5/8/2021 | 9 |
61 | Portsmouth, VA | 60.3 | 50,972 | $43,229 | $3,170 | 73% | 5/15/2021 | 31 |
62 | New Haven, CT | 60.2 | 43,479 | $39,865 | $2,262 | 70% | 7/31/2021 | 38 |
63 | Buffalo, NY | 60.1 | 94,822 | $35,628 | $3,190 | 73% | 8/28/2021 | 40 |
64 | Colorado Springs, CO | 60.1 | 31,432 | $35,943 | $1,530 | 85% | 8/2/2021 | 22 |
65 | St. Petersburg, FL | 59.8 | 51,397 | $36,270 | $1,578 | 85% | 6/17/2021 | 28 |
66 | Washington, DC | 59.4 | 320,704 | $43,019 | $3,731 | 81% | 1/18/2022 | 21 |
67 | Decatur, IL | 59.2 | 17,322 | $37,319 | $2,502 | 68% | 8/30/2021 | 47 |
68 | Chandler, AZ | 58.7 | 14,417 | $38,571 | $607 | 82% | 9/28/2021 | 15 |
69 | Joliet, IL | 58.1 | 26,738 | $42,617 | $1,994 | 85% | 7/17/2021 | 21 |
70 | San Jose, CA | 57.7 | 30,288 | $39,919 | $1,044 | 81% | 12/3/2021 | |
71 | Long Beach, CA | 57.4 | 52,141 | $35,923 | $1,487 | 76% | 6/2/2021 | 14 |
72 | Fort Worth, TX | 57.3 | 171,689 | $41,209 | $1,509 | 83% | 5/23/2021 | 25 |
73 | Bakersfield, CA | 57.0 | 26,672 | $40,611 | $1,672 | 75% | 7/28/2021 | 19 |
74 | Philadelphia, PA | 56.9 | 657,343 | $35,802 | $3,499 | 75% | 11/10/2021 | 39 |
75 | El Paso, TX | 56.3 | 23,085 | $40,434 | $1,167 | 95% | 2/20/2021 | 34 |
76 | Wichita Falls, TX | 56.2 | 12,693 | $44,321 | $1,098 | 84% | 1/22/2021 | 38 |
77 | San Antonio, TX | 55.8 | 112,670 | $41,397 | $1,909 | 79% | 3/19/2021 | 25 |
78 | Detroit, MI | 55.7 | 521,857 | $36,689 | $7,080 | 73% | 10/14/2021 | 68 |
79 | Austin, TX | 55.3 | 76,480 | $36,757 | $1,052 | 80% | 9/13/2021 | 9 |
80 | Hayward, CA | 55.3 | 15,163 | $46,300 | $879 | 92% | 8/17/2021 | 15 |
81 | Phoenix, AZ | 55.2 | 122,763 | $36,768 | $1,850 | 79% | 6/4/2021 | 12 |
82 | Gainesville, FL | 55.1 | 30,248 | $36,376 | $1,280 | 84% | 7/7/2021 | 21 |
83 | Rochester, NY | 55.0 | 83,449 | $36,514 | $2,736 | 77% | 8/6/2021 | 42 |
84 | Fort Wayne, IN | 54.8 | 40,495 | $36,563 | $1,597 | 78% | 8/22/2021 | 22 |
85 | Portland, OR | 54.2 | 36,862 | $40,164 | $1,443 | 74% | 7/31/2021 | 23 |
86 | Newport News, VA | 54.0 | 74,156 | $36,473 | $2,287 | 81% | 8/15/2021 | 20 |
87 | Garland, TX | 53.8 | 39,227 | $35,770 | $1,020 | 77% | 8/8/2021 | 35 |
88 | Oakland, CA | 53.7 | 108,013 | $36,806 | $3,507 | 76% | 1/18/2022 | 20 |
89 | Tacoma, WA | 53.7 | 25,068 | $42,058 | $2,110 | 86% | 8/13/2021 | 15 |
90 | Greenville, NC | 53.6 | 38,724 | $33,545 | $1,245 | 77% | 12/4/2021 | 17 |
91 | Lawton, OK | 53.4 | 17,187 | $37,618 | $3,153 | 73% | 5/2/2021 | 30 |
92 | Westland, MI | 53.3 | 12,909 | $41,930 | $811 | 71% | 7/25/2021 | 15 |
93 | Denver, CO | 53.1 | 62,853 | $40,596 | $2,173 | 75% | 8/28/2021 | 26 |
94 | Columbus, OH | 52.3 | 263,796 | $37,891 | $1,766 | 75% | 9/21/2021 | 21 |
95 | Albany, NY | 52.3 | 23,059 | $38,646 | $1,490 | 75% | 9/2/2021 | 17 |
96 | San Francisco, CA | 52.3 | 48,225 | $40,160 | $1,401 | 76% | 5/16/2022 | 12 |
97 | Killeen, TX | 52.2 | 64,973 | $35,941 | $1,628 | 74% | 6/19/2021 | 32 |
98 | Chicago, IL | 52.0 | 782,431 | $39,104 | $3,136 | 76% | 9/6/2021 | 23 |
99 | Elizabeth, NJ | 51.8 | 27,360 | $29,203 | $1,497 | 86% | 3/7/2022 | 8 |
100 | Flint, MI | 51.1 | 52,944 | $40,592 | $4,401 | 69% | 7/30/2021 | 100 |
101 | Warner Robins, GA | 51.1 | 30,742 | $39,916 | $1,340 | 86% | 8/17/2021 | 23 |
102 | Sunrise, FL | 51.1 | 30,552 | $27,207 | $767 | 76% | 12/22/2021 | 47 |
103 | Miami Gardens, FL | 50.9 | 72,250 | $28,454 | $3,386 | 87% | 6/25/2021 | 43 |
104 | Anchorage, AK | 50.8 | 15,207 | $36,052 | $3,110 | 86% | 9/10/2021 | 20 |
105 | Wilmington, DE | 50.7 | 38,802 | $44,766 | $5,409 | 71% | 9/13/2021 | 29 |
106 | Providence, RI | 50.3 | 37,817 | $32,911 | $1,536 | 68% | 11/8/2021 | 35 |
107 | Pasadena, CA | 49.9 | 8,182 | $43,346 | $926 | 81% | 9/9/2021 | 25 |
108 | Lynchburg, VA | 49.8 | 23,704 | $29,623 | $867 | 77% | 10/1/2021 | 14 |
109 | Pittsburgh, PA | 49.5 | 71,191 | $39,025 | $1,962 | 75% | 9/4/2021 | 27 |
110 | Jersey City, NJ | 49.5 | 60,542 | $33,689 | $1,207 | 77% | 11/21/2021 | 26 |
111 | Milwaukee, WI | 49.4 | 226,762 | $37,554 | $3,445 | 73% | 9/24/2021 | 26 |
112 | Worcester, MA | 49.0 | 24,158 | $29,462 | $1,588 | 68% | 3/15/2022 | 18 |
113 | Indianapolis, IN | 48.6 | 250,615 | $39,727 | $3,646 | 78% | 8/18/2021 | 26 |
114 | Seattle, WA | 48.1 | 55,955 | $38,434 | $1,324 | 76% | 4/11/2022 | 5 |
115 | New Orleans, LA | 47.9 | 229,418 | $37,753 | $5,073 | 72% | 11/16/2021 | 29 |
116 | Jacksonville, FL | 47.5 | 284,385 | $34,756 | $2,473 | 79% | 9/5/2021 | 22 |
117 | Baltimore, MD | 47.3 | 371,243 | $37,453 | $8,179 | 78% | 11/12/2021 | 34 |
118 | Brockton, MA | 47.3 | 51,631 | $35,472 | $1,687 | 85% | 12/16/2021 | 32 |
119 | Dayton, OH | 46.7 | 52,630 | $36,083 | $5,081 | 74% | 10/4/2021 | 49 |
120 | Stockton, CA | 46.6 | 31,426 | $39,146 | $2,942 | 80% | 12/4/2021 | 28 |
121 | Lafayette, LA | 45.8 | 37,610 | $34,311 | $1,978 | 70% | 2/5/2022 | 22 |
122 | Kansas City, MO | 45.7 | 129,375 | $38,175 | $5,109 | 82% | 9/18/2021 | 28 |
123 | Syracuse, NY | 45.7 | 45,318 | $29,200 | $2,567 | 62% | 6/30/2021 | 37 |
124 | Lansing, MI | 45.4 | 26,440 | $40,504 | $2,687 | 69% | 6/16/2021 | 42 |
125 | Paterson, NJ | 45.0 | 37,815 | $33,588 | $2,387 | 74% | 11/23/2021 | 35 |
126 | Beaumont, TX | 44.8 | 52,622 | $36,818 | $3,123 | 85% | 12/6/2021 | 31 |
127 | Akron, OH | 44.2 | 58,601 | $37,161 | $2,776 | 69% | 8/11/2021 | 42 |
128 | Tucson, AZ | 43.9 | 28,528 | $32,784 | $1,818 | 83% | 9/3/2021 | 16 |
129 | Hammond, IN | 43.8 | 19,486 | $36,520 | $1,927 | 66% | 8/6/2021 | 29 |
130 | Greensboro, NC | 43.8 | 127,349 | $39,416 | $2,653 | 70% | 7/29/2021 | 17 |
131 | Hollywood, FL | 43.7 | 34,019 | $28,813 | $1,155 | 85% | 8/5/2021 | 15 |
132 | Winston-Salem, NC | 43.5 | 88,464 | $35,812 | $2,377 | 75% | 7/29/2021 | 19 |
133 | Cleveland, OH | 42.8 | 189,865 | $37,002 | $4,544 | 68% | 10/20/2021 | 52 |
134 | Shreveport, LA | 42.7 | 108,150 | $34,312 | $3,194 | 70% | 3/25/2022 | 32 |
135 | Lakeland, FL | 42.6 | 23,681 | $33,572 | $1,218 | 77% | 8/8/2021 | 19 |
136 | Norfolk, VA | 42.1 | 100,025 | $32,746 | $2,415 | 78% | 10/22/2021 | 17 |
137 | Dallas, TX | 41.9 | 330,519 | $38,846 | $2,682 | 78% | 6/23/2021 | 20 |
138 | Peoria, IL | 41.9 | 30,292 | $31,286 | $3,799 | 71% | 1/12/2022 | 21 |
139 | South Bend, IN | 41.3 | 28,275 | $35,753 | $3,257 | 67% | 8/28/2021 | 41 |
140 | Baton Rouge, LA | 40.7 | 113,957 | $34,364 | $4,604 | 76% | 4/10/2022 | 23 |
141 | St. Paul, MN | 40.6 | 50,813 | $29,259 | $1,884 | 75% | 4/12/2022 | 8 |
142 | Jackson, TN | 40.6 | 31,822 | $31,160 | $4,044 | 79% | 1/10/2022 | 23 |
143 | Tampa, FL | 40.6 | 94,204 | $30,554 | $1,402 | 75% | 12/28/2021 | 19 |
144 | Oklahoma City, OK | 40.5 | 90,300 | $39,346 | $2,384 | 68% | 7/4/2021 | 22 |
145 | Fresno, CA | 40.4 | 37,875 | $44,109 | $1,717 | 62% | 2/27/2021 | 18 |
146 | Richmond, VA | 40.4 | 104,272 | $34,086 | $3,176 | 76% | 12/28/2021 | 23 |
147 | Memphis, TN | 40.3 | 409,998 | $36,068 | $5,637 | 77% | 10/6/2021 | 34 |
148 | Trenton, NJ | 40.2 | 42,262 | $34,549 | $3,284 | 69% | 11/27/2021 | 49 |
149 | Daytona Beach, FL | 40.0 | 22,549 | $33,137 | $3,523 | 75% | 6/18/2021 | 41 |
150 | Cincinnati, OH | 39.9 | 125,214 | $35,545 | $3,450 | 72% | 11/21/2021 | 16 |
151 | Houston, TX | 39.7 | 534,981 | $33,528 | $2,616 | 76% | 10/8/2021 | 19 |
152 | Birmingham, AL | 39.7 | 142,107 | $35,918 | $4,453 | 69% | 11/29/2021 | 44 |
153 | Victorville, CA | 39.5 | 22,685 | $47,346 | $1,475 | 66% | 1/16/2021 | 27 |
154 | Orlando, FL | 39.4 | 61,670 | $26,788 | $2,054 | 79% | 10/27/2021 | 23 |
155 | Gary, IN | 39.0 | 55,369 | $28,545 | $8,786 | 74% | 4/21/2022 | 50 |
156 | Atlanta, GA | 39.0 | 248,709 | $36,490 | $3,026 | 69% | 9/12/2022 | 20 |
157 | Pittsburg, CA | 38.6 | 9,335 | $42,739 | $1,840 | 79% | 10/6/2021 | 5 |
158 | Toledo, OH | 38.2 | 76,848 | $42,274 | $2,638 | 62% | 6/10/2021 | 37 |
159 | Stamford, CT | 38.1 | 21,081 | $26,196 | $711 | 87% | 12/29/2022 | 9 |
160 | Wilmington, NC | 37.2 | 22,782 | $37,633 | $1,530 | 71% | 5/31/2021 | 18 |
161 | West Palm Beach, FL | 36.6 | 40,301 | $28,423 | $2,649 | 80% | 8/16/2021 | 16 |
162 | Columbia, SC | 36.3 | 47,503 | $34,160 | $3,526 | 73% | 10/7/2021 | 18 |
163 | Cambridge, MA | 35.8 | 13,954 | $38,257 | $511 | 77% | 3/3/2022 | 3 |
164 | Waterloo, IA | 35.7 | 12,258 | $30,405 | $856 | 72% | 11/11/2021 | 15 |
165 | Newark, NJ | 34.3 | 140,648 | $28,746 | $2,921 | 74% | 3/19/2022 | 25 |
166 | High Point, NC | 34.3 | 39,359 | $33,149 | $2,836 | 79% | 9/15/2021 | 11 |
167 | Grand Rapids, MI | 34.2 | 37,938 | $34,926 | $1,339 | 63% | 8/17/2021 | 19 |
168 | Jackson, MS | 33.8 | 129,690 | $33,831 | $5,875 | 77% | 12/6/2021 | 36 |
169 | Omaha, NE | 33.5 | 61,657 | $34,313 | $1,550 | 80% | 11/4/2021 | 17 |
170 | Tallahassee, FL | 33.1 | 75,379 | $28,515 | $2,230 | 68% | 11/29/2021 | 10 |
171 | Wichita, KS | 32.8 | 40,916 | $34,257 | $2,734 | 74% | 9/17/2021 | 22 |
172 | St Louis, MO | 32.8 | 135,967 | $39,996 | 75% | 9/16/2021 | 25 | |
173 | Rockford, IL | 32.3 | 32,042 | $34,863 | $2,661 | 61% | 11/10/2021 | 21 |
174 | Tempe, AZ | 31.3 | 14,782 | $41,079 | $1,229 | 82% | 6/30/2021 | |
175 | Tulsa, OK | 30.5 | 58,254 | $34,847 | $3,004 | 68% | 10/4/2021 | 22 |
176 | Lake Charles, LA | 30.5 | 38,778 | $31,922 | $2,381 | 62% | 7/20/2022 | 27 |
177 | Roanoke, VA | 29.8 | 30,538 | $28,083 | $2,064 | 70% | 12/30/2021 | 20 |
178 | Greenville, SC | 29.7 | 16,556 | $31,709 | $1,548 | 76% | 8/16/2022 | 13 |
179 | San Bernardino, CA | 29.7 | 33,969 | $29,839 | $3,959 | 76% | 8/28/2021 | |
180 | Waco, TX | 29.3 | 28,254 | $27,242 | $1,672 | 71% | 7/19/2021 | 26 |
181 | North Charleston, SC | 28.8 | 52,938 | $29,149 | $3,917 | 81% | 3/13/2022 | 26 |
182 | Albany, GA | 26.5 | 54,399 | $41,204 | $3,157 | 68% | 10/14/2021 | 30 |
183 | Chattanooga, TN | 26.4 | 53,674 | $34,248 | $3,622 | 76% | 9/1/2021 | 18 |
184 | Knoxville, TN | 26.2 | 28,611 | $29,707 | $2,338 | 61% | 11/29/2021 | 24 |
185 | Minneapolis, MN | 25.2 | 82,973 | $39,356 | $2,499 | 64% | 9/11/2021 | 3 |
186 | Springfield, IL | 24.7 | 24,303 | $30,925 | $2,051 | 62% | 1/8/2022 | 2 |
187 | Des Moines, IA | 24.5 | 29,088 | $29,137 | $1,814 | 71% | 4/3/2022 | 6 |
188 | Erie, PA | 24.2 | 14,772 | $28,399 | $1,725 | 46% | 10/31/2021 | 15 |
189 | Canton, OH | 22.9 | 19,859 | $36,735 | $3,067 | 63% | 8/15/2021 | 30 |
190 | Waukegan, IL | 21.6 | 17,758 | $25,090 | $643 | 69% | 8/15/2022 | 23 |
191 | Abilene, TX | 20.7 | 13,948 | $24,302 | $1,180 | 72% | 3/27/2022 | 15 |
192 | Kalamazoo, MI | 20.5 | 19,305 | $29,733 | $3,093 | 66% | 1/5/2022 | 22 |
193 | North Little Rock, AR | 20.2 | 27,574 | $34,958 | $3,108 | 65% | 9/11/2021 | 23 |
194 | Boynton Beach, FL | 19.5 | 25,824 | $27,188 | $1,544 | 91% | 9/5/2021 | 24 |
195 | Allentown, PA | 16.6 | 21,307 | $29,221 | $1,193 | 59% | 1/29/2022 | 16 |
196 | Pompano Beach, FL | 15.9 | 30,200 | $25,151 | $1,846 | 73% | 10/13/2021 | 24 |
197 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 15.7 | 56,716 | $27,027 | $2,120 | 75% | 4/16/2022 | 19 |
198 | Gulfport, MS | 13.3 | 29,980 | $32,977 | $2,386 | 48% | 6/19/2021 | 30 |
199 | Miami, FL | 12.7 | 73,250 | $26,936 | $1,808 | 70% | 7/25/2021 | 21 |
200 | Corpus Christi, TX | 0.0 | 13,816 | $33,519 | $2,188 | 64% | 8/10/2021 | 23 |
About the Author
As a longtime writer and editor with a master's degree in journalism, Erin has written about a variety of topics over the years including lifestyle, business, entertainment and government, but she has spent the last few years focused on various money topics like banking, insurance and budgeting for AAA Living Magazine, Wells Fargo and BB&T. She loves creating content that inspires financial empowerment.
sources
- Status of Women in the States. "The Status of Black Women in the United States." Accessed January 27, 2021.
- Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman. "Black women best: Why putting Black women first may save us from economic disaster." Accessed January 15, 2021.
- Brentin Mock. "What ‘Livability’ Looks Like for Black Women." Accessed January 12, 2021.
- Center for American Progress. "Ensuring an Economy That Works for Black Women." Accessed January 21, 2021.
- National Partnership for Women and Families. "Black Women and the Wage Gap." Accessed January 22, 2021.
- Catalyst. "Buying Power: Quick Take." Accessed January 22, 2021.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey." Accessed January 20, 2021.
- AAUW. "Black Women and the Pay Gap." Accessed January 22, 2021.
- Equal Pay Day. "Black Women’s Equal Pay Day." Accessed January 21, 2021.
- SCORE. "State of African-American Business." Accessed January 18, 2021.
- U.S. Census. "2019 American Community Survey (ACS)." Accessed January 25, 2021.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis. "Real Personal Income by State and Metropolitan Area, 2019." Accessed January 25, 2021.
- American Heart Association. "Health disparities – even in the face of socioeconomic success – baffle experts." Accessed January 25, 2021.
- Center for American Progress. "The Health Care System and Racial Disparities in Maternal Mortality." Accessed January 25, 2021.
- Center for American Progress. "The Basic Facts About Women in Poverty." Accessed January 25, 2021.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women and the Role of Intimate Partner Violence — United States, 2003–2014." Accessed January 25, 2021.
- Institute for Women’s Policy Research. "Violence Against Black Women — Many Types, Far-reaching Effects." Accessed January 25, 2021.
FAQs
What is the best city to be African American in? ›
- Atlanta. You can't mention one of the best cities for Black people and not mention Atlanta. ...
- Frederick, Maryland. ...
- Montclair. ...
- Beaufort, South Carolina. ...
- New York City. ...
- Oakland. ...
- Washington D.C. ...
- Accra, Ghana.
- Oklahoma. ...
- Illinois. ...
- Ohio. ...
- South Carolina. Charleston city in South Carolina. ...
- Washington. Washington D.C., USA's capital city. ...
- Texas. The city of Dallas in Texas. ...
- Maryland. Fort Washington in Maryland. ...
- Oregon. The city of Portland in Oregon.
San Antonio makes top 10 list in best cities for Black professionals, #1 in Texas.
Where do most blacks live? ›Texas is home to the largest number of Black people of any state, with around 3.4 million single-race Black people. Georgia and Florida are home to the next largest populations of this population, with roughly 3.3 million single-race Black people each.
Where is the richest Black community? ›Opacity. NBC Universal, Inc. For decades Prince George's County has carried the unique distinction of the country's wealthiest majority Black county, but data now shows that title belongs to neighboring Charles County.
What cities are for black people to move to? ›Atlanta began its long reign as the top Black migration magnet, outpacing other southern metro areas such as Dallas, Charlotte, N.C., and Orlando, Fla., along with Raleigh, N.C., Columbia, S.C., and, later, Houston, among others.
What part of Texas do most black people live? ›A large majority of Black Texans live in the Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio metropolitan areas. Texas has the largest African American population in the United States.
What part of Texas is everyone moving to? ›The Dallas-Fort Worth metro area is the big winner, according to a report from moveBuddha, which measured the number of people looking to move into each city versus moving out in the first half of 2022.
Where do middle class blacks live in Dallas? ›The southern suburbs (DeSoto, Duncanville, Lancaster, Cedar Hill) have been noted as the core of the African-American middle class and upper middle class community in the metroplex.
What is the whitest big city in America? ›| 2015 rank | City | White percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 44.0% |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 41.3% |
| 3 | Chicago | 45.0% |
| 4 | Houston | 49.3% |
What is the blackest state? ›
- Louisiana - 33.24%
- Georgia - 31.76%
- Maryland - 30.76%
- South Carolina - 27.02%
- Alabama - 26.47%
- Delaware - 23.03%
- North Carolina - 22.34%
- Virginia - 20.41%
At 90 percent, South Fulton is the Blackest city in America. No other city above 100,000 population has more than 80 percent Black residents. South Fulton, Ga.
Which US city has the best quality of life? ›- San Diego, California.
- Hartford, Connecticut.
- Portland, Maine.
- Reno, Nevada.
- Fort Collins, Colorado.
- Boston, Massachusetts.
- Madison, Wisconsin.
- Trenton, New Jersey.
| Ranking | City | Final Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | 72.4 |
| 2 | Atlanta, GA | 69.2 |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | 66.1 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | 63.8 |
Most Black immigrants live in Northeast, South; New York City has largest Black immigrant population by metro area.
Which major US city has the highest Black population? ›| City | State | Black population |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Alabama | 140,156 |
| Miami Gardens | Florida | 74,761 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | 401,033 |
| Montgomery | Alabama | 124,187 |
The largest landowner in the country is John Malone, owner of Liberty Media and something few know is he was the second largest shareholder in Black Entertainment Television behind the founders Bob and Sheila Johnson.
What is the wealthiest Black county in America? ›Charles County is a county in Southern Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 166,617. The county seat is La Plata.
Where are Black Californians moving to? ›Most exiting California blacks are returning to Texas and the Atlanta metropolitan area. In 2018, there are Black neighborhoods and cities with Black populations surpassing 15% in Southern California like in Compton, South Los Angeles and Inglewood, and in Northern California like Stockton, Oakland, and Vallejo.
Are blacks moving to the suburbs? ›For decades, Black residents have been leaving some of the nation's largest cities while suburbs have seen Black population growth.
What is the wealthiest Black county in the US? ›
Charles County is a county in Southern Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 166,617. The county seat is La Plata.
What is the blackest state in the US? ›| % Black or African- American alone | Rank | State or territory |
|---|---|---|
| 76.0% | 1 | Virgin Islands (U.S.) |
| 44.17% | 2 | District of Columbia |
| 37.94% | 3 | Mississippi |
| 33.13% | 4 | Louisiana |
Charles County, MD has overtaken Prince George's County, MD as the richest majority-Black jurisdiction in the country, with Waldorf being the new epicenter of the area's Black middle class washingtonpost.com/business/2022/…