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 Colorado is 216,732 – at 3.9% of the total population of Colorado.
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 Colorado? Which cities and towns in Colorado have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
- Aurora (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Fountain (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Denver (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Fort Morgan (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Colorado Springs (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Avon (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Commerce City (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Centennial (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Greenwood Village (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Lone Tree (Photos | Homes For Sale)
What’s the blackest city in Colorado? Aurora took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in Colorado for 2020. 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 Colorado 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 Colorado or the most diverse places in Colorado.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Colorado For 2020
/10
Population: 363,550
% African American: 15.42%
# Of African American Residents: 56,073
Percent Change Since 2010: 20.31%
More on Aurora: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality in the U.S. state of Colorado, spanning Arapahoe and Adams counties, with the extreme southeastern portion of the city extending into Douglas County. Aurora is one of the principal cities of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city’s population was 325,078 in the 2010 census, which made it the third most populous city in the state of Colorado and the 54th most populous city in the United States.
/10
Population: 29,339
% African American: 9.77%
# Of African American Residents: 2,866
Percent Change Since 2010: 40.42%
More on Fountain: Real Estate | Data | Photos
The City of Fountain is a Home Rule Municipality located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city’s population was 25,846.
/10
Population: 693,417
% African American: 9.03%
# Of African American Residents: 62,617
Percent Change Since 2010: 7.56%
More on Denver: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Denver, officially the City and County of Denver, is the capital and most populous municipality of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The Denver downtown district is immediately east of the confluence of Cherry Creek with the South Platte River, approximately 12mi east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Denver is nicknamed the Mile High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile above sea level, making it the highest major city in the United States. The 105th meridian west of Greenwich, the longitudinal reference for the Mountain Time Zone, passes directly through Denver Union Station.
/10
Population: 11,309
% African American: 6.67%
# Of African American Residents: 754
Percent Change Since 2010: 25.04%
More on Fort Morgan: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Fort Morgan is the home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Morgan County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimated that the city population was 10,844 in 2005.
/10
Population: 457,502
% African American: 5.86%
# Of African American Residents: 26,815
Percent Change Since 2010: 14.98%
More on Colorado Springs: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality that is the largest city by area in Colorado as well as the county seat and the most populous municipality of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in the east central portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located 60 miles south of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver.
/10
Population: 6,529
% African American: 5.65%
# Of African American Residents: 369
Percent Change Since 2010: inf%
More on Avon: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 54,795
% African American: 4.02%
# Of African American Residents: 2,203
Percent Change Since 2010: 137.9%
More on Commerce City: Real Estate | Data | Photos
The City of Commerce City is a Home Rule Municipality located in Adams County, Colorado, United States. Commerce City is a northern suburb of Denver and as of 2013 is the 18th most populous municipality in Colorado. The city population was 45,913 at the 2010 United States Census, a population increase of 118.7% in the ten years since the 2000 census.
/10
Population: 109,505
% African American: 2.56%
# Of African American Residents: 2,805
Percent Change Since 2010: -0.39%
More on Centennial: Real Estate | Data | Photos
The City of Centennial is a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 100,377 at the 2010 United States Census. Centennial is a part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Centennial is the tenth most populous municipality in the state of Colorado and its 2001 city incorporation was the largest in U.S. history. Centennial is ranked as the 15th-safest city in the country.
/10
Population: 15,677
% African American: 2.45%
# Of African American Residents: 384
Percent Change Since 2010: 652.94%
More on Greenwood Village: Real Estate | Data | Photos
The City of Greenwood Village is a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The city is a part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the city has a total population of 13,925.
/10
Population: 14,209
% African American: 2.42%
# Of African American Residents: 344
Percent Change Since 2010: 209.91%
More on Lone Tree: Real Estate | Data | Photos
How We Determined The Cities In Colorado With The Largest Black Population For 2020
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 Colorado.
That lead us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2014-2018 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 71 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 15.4% 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. Aurora took the distinction of being the most Black, while Gypsum was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Colorado 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.
There You Have It – Black Populations Across Colorado
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Colorado according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in Colorado:
- Gypsum
- Estes Park
- Berthoud
For more Colorado reading, check out:
- These Are The 10 Best Counties To Live In Colorado
- These Are The 10 Best Places To Retire In Colorado
- 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Colorado
Detailed List Of The Most African American Cities In Colorado
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aurora | 15.42% |
| 2 | Fountain | 9.77% |
| 3 | Denver | 9.03% |
| 4 | Fort Morgan | 6.67% |
| 5 | Colorado Springs | 5.86% |
| 6 | Avon | 5.65% |
| 7 | Commerce City | 4.02% |
| 8 | Centennial | 2.56% |
| 9 | Greenwood Village | 2.45% |
| 10 | Lone Tree | 2.42% |
| 11 | Aspen | 2.41% |
| 12 | Englewood | 2.35% |
| 13 | La Junta | 2.3% |
| 14 | Sheridan | 2.26% |
| 15 | Edgewater | 2.25% |
| 16 | Greeley | 2.19% |
| 17 | Pueblo | 2.16% |
| 18 | Littleton | 2.09% |
| 19 | Westminster | 1.91% |
| 20 | Parker | 1.82% |
| 21 | Northglenn | 1.78% |
| 22 | Lamar | 1.72% |
| 23 | Brighton | 1.69% |
| 24 | Thornton | 1.61% |
| 25 | Fort Collins | 1.44% |
| 26 | Golden | 1.39% |
| 27 | Federal Heights | 1.32% |
| 28 | Sterling | 1.28% |
| 29 | Lakewood | 1.26% |
| 30 | Arvada | 1.25% |
| 31 | Steamboat Springs | 1.23% |
| 32 | Alamosa | 1.19% |
| 33 | Broomfield | 1.11% |
| 34 | Boulder | 1.07% |
| 35 | Castle Rock | 1.06% |
| 36 | Carbondale | 1.0% |
| 37 | Evans | 0.95% |
| 38 | Longmont | 0.92% |
| 39 | Craig | 0.87% |
| 40 | Grand Junction | 0.85% |
| 41 | Fort Lupton | 0.8% |
| 42 | Wheat Ridge | 0.78% |
| 43 | Gunnison | 0.74% |
| 44 | Frederick | 0.71% |
| 45 | Wellington | 0.7% |
| 46 | Woodland Park | 0.69% |
| 47 | Lafayette | 0.67% |
| 48 | Superior | 0.65% |
| 49 | Durango | 0.54% |
| 50 | Brush | 0.54% |
| 51 | Cherry Hills Village | 0.53% |
| 52 | Loveland | 0.46% |
| 53 | Vail | 0.4% |
| 54 | Windsor | 0.4% |
| 55 | John | 0.38% |
| 56 | Delta | 0.35% |
| 57 | Rifle | 0.33% |
| 58 | Louisville | 0.31% |
| 59 | Montrose | 0.27% |
| 60 | Erie | 0.21% |
| 61 | Salida | 0.19% |
| 62 | Trinidad | 0.17% |
| 63 | Glenwood Springs | 0.16% |
| 64 | Fruita | 0.14% |
| 65 | Cortez | 0.12% |
| 66 | Milliken | 0.09% |
| 67 | Eagle | 0.09% |
| 68 | Firestone | 0.08% |
| 69 | Berthoud | 0.05% |
| 70 | Estes Park | 0.0% |
| 71 | Gypsum | 0.0% |
