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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 maine is 17,368 - at 1.3% of the total population of maine.
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 maine? Which cities and towns in maine have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
What's the blackest city in Maine? Portland took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in maine for 2021. 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 maine 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 maine or the most diverse places in maine.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Maine For 2021
1. Portland
/10
Population: 66,595
% African American: 8.3%
# Of African American Residents: 5,530
Percent Change Since 2010: 48.66%
More on Portland: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Lewiston
/10
Population: 36,095
% African American: 5.34%
# Of African American Residents: 1,926
Percent Change Since 2010: 61.44%
More on Lewiston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Westbrook
/10
Population: 18,633
% African American: 4.91%
# Of African American Residents: 915
Percent Change Since 2010: 51.99%
More on Westbrook: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. South Portland
/10
Population: 25,548
% African American: 4.07%
# Of African American Residents: 1,039
Percent Change Since 2010: 36.89%
More on South Portland: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Biddeford
/10
Population: 21,462
% African American: 2.97%
# Of African American Residents: 637
Percent Change Since 2010: 156.85%
More on Biddeford: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. Bangor
/10
Population: 32,095
% African American: 1.79%
# Of African American Residents: 576
Percent Change Since 2010: 44.0%
More on Bangor: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Caribou
/10
Population: 7,710
% African American: 1.47%
# Of African American Residents: 113
Percent Change Since 2010: 3666.67%
More on Caribou: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Auburn
/10
Population: 23,187
% African American: 1.23%
# Of African American Residents: 286
Percent Change Since 2010: -41.27%
More on Auburn: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. Belfast
/10
Population: 6,688
% African American: 1.14%
# Of African American Residents: 76
Percent Change Since 2010: inf%
More on Belfast: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Augusta
/10
Population: 18,605
% African American: 0.84%
# Of African American Residents: 156
Percent Change Since 2010: 168.97%
More on Augusta: Real Estate | Data | Photos
How We Determined The Cities In maine With The Largest Black Population For 2021
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 maine.
That lead us to the Census's most recently available data, the 2015-2019 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 19 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 8.3% 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. Portland took the distinction of being the most Black, while Rockland was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in maine 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 Maine
If you're looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Maine according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least African American places in Maine:
- Rockland
- Ellsworth
- Gardiner
For more Maine reading, check out:
Detailed List Of The Most African American Cities In Maine
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland | 8.3% |
| 2 | Lewiston | 5.34% |
| 3 | Westbrook | 4.91% |
| 4 | South Portland | 4.07% |
| 5 | Biddeford | 2.97% |
| 6 | Bangor | 1.79% |
| 7 | Caribou | 1.47% |
| 8 | Auburn | 1.23% |
| 9 | Belfast | 1.14% |
| 10 | Augusta | 0.84% |
| 11 | Waterville | 0.83% |
| 12 | Saco | 0.82% |
| 13 | Presque Isle | 0.72% |
| 14 | Bath | 0.71% |
| 15 | Old Town | 0.67% |
| 16 | Brewer | 0.66% |
| 17 | Gardiner | 0.65% |
| 18 | Ellsworth | 0.34% |
| 19 | Rockland | 0.0% |
Could you possibly publish the dramatic increase in crime percentages in the cities you listed ?Tim J.