Introduction
Though the term “African Americans” was historically used to denote the descendants of those who came to America as slaves, the phrase “black Americans” is used to describe anyone with African ancestry, no matter when their ancestors came to the United States. Interestingly, around 95% of African immigrants do not wish to be identified as “African American,” but as their respective ethnicity.
According to the 2020 United States Census, about 14.2% of the United States population is black. These percentages have increased since the 2010 Census when the black population was 11.7% of all Americans. The largest increase was seen by North Dakota, which experienced a 211.2% increase in its black population.
Learn for yourself how the black population has changed by state by browsing the data in the charts.
| # | State | Black Population | Population | White Population | Hispanic and Latino Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 3,552,997 | 30,345,487 | 14,609,365 | 11,441,717 |
| 2 | Georgia | 3,320,513 | 11,019,186 | 5,555,483 | 1,123,457 |
| 3 | Florida | 3,246,381 | 22,359,251 | 12,422,961 | 5,697,240 |
| 4 | New York | 2,986,172 | 20,448,194 | 11,143,349 | 3,948,032 |
| 5 | California | 2,237,044 | 40,223,504 | 16,296,122 | 15,579,652 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 2,140,217 | 10,710,558 | 6,488,459 | 1,118,596 |
| 7 | Maryland | 1,820,472 | 6,298,325 | 3,007,874 | 729,745 |
| 8 | Illinois | 1,808,271 | 12,807,072 | 7,868,227 | 2,337,410 |
| 9 | Virginia | 1,607,581 | 8,820,504 | 5,208,856 | 908,749 |
| 10 | Ohio | 1,478,781 | 11,878,330 | 9,080,688 | 521,308 |
| 11 | Louisiana | 1,464,023 | 4,695,071 | 2,657,652 | 322,549 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 1,423,169 | 13,092,796 | 9,750,687 | 1,049,615 |
| 13 | Michigan | 1,376,579 | 10,135,438 | 7,444,974 | 564,422 |
| 14 | Alabama | 1,296,162 | 5,097,641 | 3,220,452 | 264,047 |
| 15 | South Carolina | 1,280,531 | 5,266,343 | 3,243,442 | 352,838 |
| 16 | New Jersey | 1,219,770 | 9,438,124 | 5,112,280 | 2,002,575 |
| 17 | Tennessee | 1,092,948 | 7,080,262 | 4,990,938 | 479,187 |
| 18 | Mississippi | 1,084,481 | 2,959,473 | 1,658,893 | 105,220 |
| 19 | Indiana | 648,513 | 6,876,047 | 5,241,795 | 554,191 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | 494,029 | 7,174,604 | 4,896,037 | 887,685 |
| 21 | Arkansas | 453,783 | 3,040,207 | 2,114,512 | 256,847 |
| 22 | Minnesota | 398,434 | 5,827,265 | 4,423,146 | 345,640 |
| 23 | Connecticut | 388,675 | 3,615,499 | 2,395,128 | 623,293 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 376,256 | 5,955,737 | 4,737,545 | 447,290 |
| 25 | Kentucky | 362,417 | 4,555,777 | 3,711,254 | 207,854 |
| 26 | Washington | 307,565 | 7,999,503 | 5,130,920 | 1,059,213 |
| 27 | Nevada | 304,739 | 3,225,832 | 1,588,463 | 890,257 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | 289,961 | 4,021,753 | 2,514,885 | 471,931 |
| 29 | Colorado | 234,828 | 5,997,070 | 4,082,927 | 1,263,390 |
| 30 | Delaware | 218,899 | 1,017,551 | 597,763 | 104,290 |
| 31 | Kansas | 168,809 | 2,963,308 | 2,222,462 | 382,603 |
| 32 | Iowa | 131,972 | 3,233,572 | 2,694,521 | 215,986 |
| 33 | Nebraska | 96,535 | 2,002,052 | 1,538,052 | 234,715 |
| 34 | Oregon | 82,655 | 4,359,110 | 3,169,096 | 588,757 |
| 35 | Missouri | 69,984 | 6,204,710 | 4,740,335 | 303,068 |
| 36 | West Virginia | 65,813 | 1,775,932 | 1,610,749 | 34,827 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | 62,168 | 1,110,822 | 782,920 | 182,101 |
| 38 | New Mexico | 45,904 | 2,135,024 | 1,078,937 | 1,010,811 |
| 39 | Utah | 40,058 | 3,423,935 | 2,573,413 | 492,912 |
| 40 | Arizona | 33,915 | 7,379,346 | 4,322,337 | 2,192,253 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 28,581 | 273,194 | 77,652 | |
| 42 | North Dakota | 26,783 | 811,044 | 645,938 | 33,412 |
| 43 | Maine | 25,752 | 1,372,559 | 1,237,041 | 26,609 |
| 44 | Hawaii | 23,417 | 1,483,762 | 333,261 | 138,923 |
| 45 | Alaska | 21,898 | 740,339 | 435,392 | 49,824 |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 20,127 | 1,395,847 | 1,216,203 | 59,454 |
| 47 | South Dakota | 17,842 | 908,414 | 715,336 | 38,741 |
| 48 | Idaho | 15,726 | 1,920,562 | 1,510,360 | 239,407 |
| 49 | Vermont | 9,034 | 648,279 | 577,751 | 15,504 |
| 50 | Montana | 5,484 | 1,112,668 | 916,524 | 45,199 |
| 51 | Wyoming | 5,232 | 580,817 | 488,374 | 59,046 |
Black Population by State
Alabama
Black Population
1,296,162
Ranked in the US
#14
5,097,641
↑ 1.15%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#24
White Population
3,220,452
Ranked in the US
#24
Ranked in the US
#32
Alaska
Black Population
21,898
Ranked in the US
#45
740,339
↑ 1.05%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#48
White Population
435,392
Ranked in the US
#50
Ranked in the US
#45
Arizona
Black Population
33,915
Ranked in the US
#40
7,379,346
↑ 1.42%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#14
White Population
4,322,337
Ranked in the US
#20
2,192,253
Ranked in the US
#6
Arkansas
Black Population
453,783
Ranked in the US
#21
3,040,207
↑ 0.47%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#33
White Population
2,114,512
Ranked in the US
#33
Ranked in the US
#33
California
Black Population
2,237,044
Ranked in the US
#5
40,223,504
↑ 2.51%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#1
White Population
16,296,122
Ranked in the US
#1
15,579,652
Ranked in the US
#1
Colorado
Black Population
234,828
Ranked in the US
#29
5,997,070
↑ 3.18%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#20
White Population
4,082,927
Ranked in the US
#21
1,263,390
Ranked in the US
#8
Connecticut
Black Population
388,675
Ranked in the US
#23
3,615,499
↑ 0.27%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#29
White Population
2,395,128
Ranked in the US
#31
Ranked in the US
#18
Delaware
Black Population
218,899
Ranked in the US
#30
1,017,551
↑ 1.41%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#45
White Population
597,763
Ranked in the US
#46
Ranked in the US
#41
District of Columbia
Black Population
28,581
Ranked in the US
#41
White Population
273,194
Ranked in the US
#52
Ranked in the US
#42
Florida
Black Population
3,246,381
Ranked in the US
#3
22,359,251
↑ 2.65%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#3
White Population
12,422,961
Ranked in the US
#3
5,697,240
Ranked in the US
#3
Georgia
Black Population
3,320,513
Ranked in the US
#2
11,019,186
↑ 2.03%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#8
White Population
5,555,483
Ranked in the US
#10
1,123,457
Ranked in the US
#9
Hawaii
Black Population
23,417
Ranked in the US
#44
1,483,762
↑ 2.93%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#40
White Population
333,261
Ranked in the US
#51
Ranked in the US
#39
Idaho
Black Population
15,726
Ranked in the US
#48
1,920,562
↑ 1.03%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#38
White Population
1,510,360
Ranked in the US
#38
Ranked in the US
#34
Illinois
Black Population
1,808,271
Ranked in the US
#8
12,807,072
↑ 1.07%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#6
White Population
7,868,227
Ranked in the US
#7
2,337,410
Ranked in the US
#5
Indiana
Black Population
648,513
Ranked in the US
#19
6,876,047
↑ 1.03%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#17
White Population
5,241,795
Ranked in the US
#11
Ranked in the US
#21
Iowa
Black Population
131,972
Ranked in the US
#32
3,233,572
↑ 1.27%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#31
White Population
2,694,521
Ranked in the US
#27
Ranked in the US
#36
Kansas
Black Population
168,809
Ranked in the US
#31
2,963,308
↑ 0.98%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#34
White Population
2,222,462
Ranked in the US
#32
Ranked in the US
#27
Kentucky
Black Population
362,417
Ranked in the US
#25
4,555,777
↑ 1.03%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#26
White Population
3,711,254
Ranked in the US
#22
Ranked in the US
#37
Louisiana
Black Population
1,464,023
Ranked in the US
#11
4,695,071
↑ 1.54%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#25
White Population
2,657,652
Ranked in the US
#28
Ranked in the US
#30
Maine
Black Population
25,752
Ranked in the US
#43
1,372,559
↑ 0.02%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#42
White Population
1,237,041
Ranked in the US
#39
Ranked in the US
#50
Maryland
Black Population
1,820,472
Ranked in the US
#7
6,298,325
↑ 2.16%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#18
White Population
3,007,874
Ranked in the US
#26
Ranked in the US
#17
Massachusetts
Black Population
494,029
Ranked in the US
#20
7,174,604
↑ 2.72%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#15
White Population
4,896,037
Ranked in the US
#16
Ranked in the US
#16
Michigan
Black Population
1,376,579
Ranked in the US
#13
10,135,438
↑ 0.84%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#10
White Population
7,444,974
Ranked in the US
#8
Ranked in the US
#20
Minnesota
Black Population
398,434
Ranked in the US
#22
5,827,265
↑ 2.1%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#22
White Population
4,423,146
Ranked in the US
#19
Ranked in the US
#29
Mississippi
Black Population
1,084,481
Ranked in the US
#18
2,959,473
↑ 0.32%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#35
White Population
1,658,893
Ranked in the US
#34
Ranked in the US
#40
Missouri
Black Population
69,984
Ranked in the US
#35
6,204,710
↑ 0.59%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#19
White Population
4,740,335
Ranked in the US
#17
Ranked in the US
#31
Montana
Black Population
5,484
Ranked in the US
#50
1,112,668
↑ 0.76%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#43
White Population
916,524
Ranked in the US
#42
Ranked in the US
#46
Nebraska
Black Population
96,535
Ranked in the US
#33
2,002,052
↑ 1.95%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#37
White Population
1,538,052
Ranked in the US
#37
Ranked in the US
#35
Nevada
Black Population
304,739
Ranked in the US
#27
3,225,832
↑ 2.6%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#32
White Population
1,588,463
Ranked in the US
#36
Ranked in the US
#15
New Hampshire
Black Population
20,127
Ranked in the US
#46
1,395,847
↑ 0.49%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#41
White Population
1,216,203
Ranked in the US
#40
Ranked in the US
#43
New Jersey
Black Population
1,219,770
Ranked in the US
#16
9,438,124
↑ 1.85%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#11
White Population
5,112,280
Ranked in the US
#14
2,002,575
Ranked in the US
#7
New Mexico
Black Population
45,904
Ranked in the US
#38
2,135,024
↑ 0.9%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#36
White Population
1,078,937
Ranked in the US
#41
1,010,811
Ranked in the US
#13
New York
Black Population
2,986,172
Ranked in the US
#4
20,448,194
↑ 3.09%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#4
White Population
11,143,349
Ranked in the US
#4
3,948,032
Ranked in the US
#4
North Carolina
Black Population
2,140,217
Ranked in the US
#6
10,710,558
↑ 1.51%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#9
White Population
6,488,459
Ranked in the US
#9
1,118,596
Ranked in the US
#10
North Dakota
Black Population
26,783
Ranked in the US
#42
811,044
↑ 4.66%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#47
White Population
645,938
Ranked in the US
#45
Ranked in the US
#49
Ohio
Black Population
1,478,781
Ranked in the US
#10
11,878,330
↑ 0.83%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#7
White Population
9,080,688
Ranked in the US
#6
Ranked in the US
#22
Oklahoma
Black Population
289,961
Ranked in the US
#28
4,021,753
↑ 0.88%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#28
White Population
2,514,885
Ranked in the US
#30
Ranked in the US
#25
Oregon
Black Population
82,655
Ranked in the US
#34
4,359,110
↑ 2.66%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#27
White Population
3,169,096
Ranked in the US
#25
Ranked in the US
#19
Pennsylvania
Black Population
1,423,169
Ranked in the US
#12
13,092,796
↑ 0.99%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#5
White Population
9,750,687
Ranked in the US
#5
1,049,615
Ranked in the US
#12
Rhode Island
Black Population
62,168
Ranked in the US
#37
1,110,822
↑ 1.39%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#44
White Population
782,920
Ranked in the US
#43
Ranked in the US
#38
South Carolina
Black Population
1,280,531
Ranked in the US
#15
5,266,343
↑ 1.46%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#23
White Population
3,243,442
Ranked in the US
#23
Ranked in the US
#28
South Dakota
Black Population
17,842
Ranked in the US
#47
908,414
↑ 1.46%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#46
White Population
715,336
Ranked in the US
#44
Ranked in the US
#47
Tennessee
Black Population
1,092,948
Ranked in the US
#17
7,080,262
↑ 1.51%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#16
White Population
4,990,938
Ranked in the US
#15
Ranked in the US
#24
Texas
Black Population
3,552,997
Ranked in the US
#1
30,345,487
↑ 2.77%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#2
White Population
14,609,365
Ranked in the US
#2
11,441,717
Ranked in the US
#2
Utah
Black Population
40,058
Ranked in the US
#39
3,423,935
↑ 2.58%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#30
White Population
2,573,413
Ranked in the US
#29
Ranked in the US
#23
Vermont
Black Population
9,034
Ranked in the US
#49
648,279
↑ 0.42%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#49
White Population
577,751
Ranked in the US
#47
Ranked in the US
#51
Virginia
Black Population
1,607,581
Ranked in the US
#9
8,820,504
↑ 2.06%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#12
White Population
5,208,856
Ranked in the US
#12
Ranked in the US
#14
Washington
Black Population
307,565
Ranked in the US
#26
7,999,503
↑ 3.37%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#13
White Population
5,130,920
Ranked in the US
#13
1,059,213
Ranked in the US
#11
West Virginia
Black Population
65,813
Ranked in the US
#36
1,775,932
↓ 0.39%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#39
White Population
1,610,749
Ranked in the US
#35
Ranked in the US
#48
Wisconsin
Black Population
376,256
Ranked in the US
#24
5,955,737
↑ 1.01%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#21
White Population
4,737,545
Ranked in the US
#18
Ranked in the US
#26
Wyoming
Black Population
5,232
Ranked in the US
#51
580,817
↑ 0.35%
Vs 2021
Ranked in the US
#50
White Population
488,374
Ranked in the US
#49
Ranked in the US
#44