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The Black community is one of the fastest growing communities in America this decade.
There are now 42 million people who identify as Black or African American living in America, making up 12% of the total population. According to the most recent American Community Survey, the Black population in Arizona is 299,877 - at 4.2% of the total population of Arizona.
The percentage growth of Blacks in America is the third largest percentage change for any race according to the Census's race and ethnicity definition. As most scholars and historians agree, an increase in the diversity in America is a good thing.
We agree.
But how has the increase in the black population impacted Arizona? Which cities and towns in Arizona have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
What's the blackest city in Arizona? Tolleson took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in Arizona for 2023. See if it ranked as one of the most african american cities in America.
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked.
To see where Arizona ranked as a state on diversity, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in America.
And if you already knew these places were Black, check out the best places to live in Arizona or the most diverse places in Arizona.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Arizona For 2023
1. Tolleson
/10
Population: 7,180
% African American: 12.23%
# Of African American Residents: 878
Percent Change Since 2010: 109.55%
More on Tolleson: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Maricopa
/10
Population: 57,075
% African American: 12.07%
# Of African American Residents: 6,888
Percent Change Since 2010: 216.69%
More on Maricopa: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Eloy
/10
Population: 15,171
% African American: 10.58%
# Of African American Residents: 1,605
Percent Change Since 2010: 104.2%
More on Eloy: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Avondale
/10
Population: 88,065
% African American: 9.37%
# Of African American Residents: 8,255
Percent Change Since 2010: 35.62%
More on Avondale: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Florence
/10
Population: 25,356
% African American: 9.36%
# Of African American Residents: 2,373
Percent Change Since 2010: 18.06%
More on Florence: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. Coolidge
/10
Population: 13,347
% African American: 7.13%
# Of African American Residents: 952
Percent Change Since 2010: -12.5%
More on Coolidge: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Tempe
/10
Population: 178,862
% African American: 7.08%
# Of African American Residents: 12,671
Percent Change Since 2010: 89.37%
More on Tempe: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Phoenix
/10
Population: 1,591,119
% African American: 6.88%
# Of African American Residents: 109,498
Percent Change Since 2010: 26.56%
More on Phoenix: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. Glendale
/10
Population: 245,685
% African American: 6.85%
# Of African American Residents: 16,828
Percent Change Since 2010: 30.95%
More on Glendale: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Sierra Vista
/10
Population: 44,944
% African American: 6.62%
# Of African American Residents: 2,974
Percent Change Since 2010: 1.26%
More on Sierra Vista: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Arizona With The Largest Black Population For 2023
We still believe in the accuracy of data -- especially from the census. So that's where we went to get the breakdown of race across Arizona.
That lead us to the Census's most recently available data, the 2017-2021 American Community Survey data from the US Census.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: Hispanic OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- Hispanic or Latino
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
Our particular column of interest here was the number of people who identified as Black or African American.
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 5,000 people. That left us with 54 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 12.2% to 0.0%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percent of Black population with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Tolleson took the distinction of being the most Black, while Cottonwood was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Arizona ranked by population of African American residents or, for a more general take on diversity in America, head over to our ranking of the most diverse cities in America.
Summary: Black Populations Across Arizona
If you're looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Arizona according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least African American places in Arizona:
- Cottonwood
- Somerton
- Wickenburg
For more Arizona reading, check out:
African American Population By City In Arizona
Rank | City | % African American |
---|---|---|
1 | Tolleson | 12.23% |
2 | Maricopa | 12.07% |
3 | Eloy | 10.58% |
4 | Avondale | 9.37% |
5 | Florence | 9.36% |
6 | Coolidge | 7.13% |
7 | Tempe | 7.08% |
8 | Phoenix | 6.88% |
9 | Glendale | 6.85% |
10 | Sierra Vista | 6.62% |
11 | El Mirage | 6.02% |
12 | Goodyear | 5.81% |
13 | Chandler | 5.43% |
14 | Surprise | 4.97% |
15 | Winslow | 4.54% |
16 | Tucson | 4.43% |
17 | Mesa | 4.2% |
18 | Casa Grande | 3.81% |
19 | Gilbert | 3.72% |
20 | Queen Creek | 3.56% |
21 | Douglas | 3.54% |
22 | Safford | 3.1% |
23 | Peoria | 3.01% |
24 | Marana | 2.88% |
25 | Globe | 2.56% |
26 | Youn | 2.4% |
27 | Oro Valley | 2.27% |
28 | Sahuarita | 2.24% |
29 | Yuma | 2.22% |
30 | Scottsdale | 2.18% |
31 | Fountain Hills | 2.13% |
32 | Kingman | 1.85% |
33 | Bullhead City | 1.55% |
34 | Apache Junction | 1.52% |
35 | Flagstaff | 1.5% |
36 | Page | 1.37% |
37 | San Luis | 1.18% |
38 | Guadalupe | 1.16% |
39 | Litchfield Park | 1.14% |
40 | Paradise Valley | 0.73% |
41 | Payson | 0.63% |
42 | Prescott Valley | 0.63% |
43 | Benson | 0.63% |
44 | Nogales | 0.59% |
45 | Camp Verde | 0.44% |
46 | Sedona | 0.44% |
47 | Lake Havasu City | 0.42% |
48 | Prescott | 0.4% |
49 | Chino Valley | 0.36% |
50 | Show Low | 0.2% |
51 | Snowflake | 0.18% |
52 | Wickenburg | 0.1% |
53 | Somerton | 0.01% |
54 | Cottonwood | 0.0% |