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 Delaware is 204,665 – at 21.6% of the total population of Delaware.
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 Delaware? Which cities and towns in Delaware have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
- Wilmington (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Dover (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Seaford (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Middl (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- New Castle (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Smyrna (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Milford (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Georg (Homes For Sale)
- Elsmere (Photos | Homes For Sale)
- Newark (Photos | Homes For Sale)
What’s the blackest city in Delaware? Wilmington took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware or the most diverse places in Delaware.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Delaware For 2020
/10
Population: 70,904
% African American: 57.36%
# Of African American Residents: 40,670
Percent Change Since 2010: 5.75%
More on Wilmington: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Wilmington is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It is at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine River, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley metropolitan area. Wilmington was named by Proprietor Thomas Penn after his friend Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, who was prime minister in the reign of George II of Great Britain.
/10
Population: 37,331
% African American: 43.48%
# Of African American Residents: 16,230
Percent Change Since 2010: 4.99%
More on Dover: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Dover is the capital and second-largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, DE Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County and is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware River coastal plain. It was named by William Penn of Dover in Kent, England. As of 2010, the city had a population of 36,047.
/10
Population: 7,572
% African American: 31.87%
# Of African American Residents: 2,413
Percent Change Since 2010: 17.82%
More on Seaford: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Seaford is a city located along the Nanticoke River in Sussex County, Delaware. According to the 2010 Census Bureau figures, the population of the city is 6,928, an increase of 3.4% from the 2000 census. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.
/10
Population: 21,250
% African American: 26.2%
# Of African American Residents: 5,567
Percent Change Since 2010: 35.19%
More on Middl: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 5,359
% African American: 24.82%
# Of African American Residents: 1,330
Percent Change Since 2010: -25.99%
More on New Castle: Real Estate | Data | Photos
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 5,285.
/10
Population: 11,333
% African American: 23.47%
# Of African American Residents: 2,660
Percent Change Since 2010: 6.02%
More on Smyrna: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Smyrna is a town in Kent and New Castle counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is part of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the Census Bureau, as of 2010, the population of the town is 10,023.
/10
Population: 10,835
% African American: 20.43%
# Of African American Residents: 2,214
Percent Change Since 2010: 31.94%
More on Milford: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Milford is a city in Kent and Sussex counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 9,559.
/10
Population: 7,123
% African American: 14.88%
# Of African American Residents: 1,060
Percent Change Since 2010: 13.49%
More on Georg: Real Estate | Data
/10
Population: 6,049
% African American: 12.98%
# Of African American Residents: 785
Percent Change Since 2010: -24.88%
More on Elsmere: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Elsmere is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States, bordering the city of Wilmington along Wilmington’s western border. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town is 6,131.
/10
Population: 33,352
% African American: 8.42%
# Of African American Residents: 2,809
Percent Change Since 2010: 22.29%
More on Newark: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Newark is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It is located 12 miles west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is home to the University of Delaware, which is often regarded as a top ten ranked University in the United States.
How We Determined The Cities In Delaware 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 Delaware.
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 10 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 57.4% to 8.4%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percent of Black population with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Wilmington took the distinction of being the most Black, while Newark was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Delaware 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 Delaware
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Delaware according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in Delaware:
- Newark
- Elsmere
- Georg
For more Delaware reading, check out:
- These Are The 10 Best Places To Retire In Delaware
- 10 Safest Places In Delaware
- 10 Best Places To Live In Delaware
Detailed List Of The Most African American Cities In Delaware
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilmington | 57.36% |
| 2 | Dover | 43.48% |
| 3 | Seaford | 31.87% |
| 4 | Middl | 26.2% |
| 5 | New Castle | 24.82% |
| 6 | Smyrna | 23.47% |
| 7 | Milford | 20.43% |
| 8 | Georg | 14.88% |
| 9 | Elsmere | 12.98% |
| 10 | Newark | 8.42% |
