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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 massachusetts is 473,181 - at 6.9% of the total population of massachusetts.
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 massachusetts? Which cities and towns in massachusetts have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
What's the blackest city in Massachusetts? Brockton took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in massachusetts 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 massachusetts 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 massachusetts or the most diverse places in massachusetts.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Massachusetts For 2021
1. Brockton
/10
Population: 95,594
% African American: 44.06%
# Of African American Residents: 42,122
Percent Change Since 2010: 32.92%
More on Brockton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Boston
/10
Population: 684,379
% African American: 22.66%
# Of African American Residents: 155,096
Percent Change Since 2010: 10.99%
More on Boston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Springfield
/10
Population: 154,139
% African American: 18.52%
# Of African American Residents: 28,543
Percent Change Since 2010: -7.5%
More on Springfield: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Malden
/10
Population: 60,984
% African American: 17.79%
# Of African American Residents: 10,849
Percent Change Since 2010: 28.13%
More on Malden: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Everett
/10
Population: 46,118
% African American: 16.53%
# Of African American Residents: 7,625
Percent Change Since 2010: 55.71%
More on Everett: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. Worcester
/10
Population: 185,143
% African American: 12.2%
# Of African American Residents: 22,594
Percent Change Since 2010: 34.79%
More on Worcester: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Lynn
/10
Population: 93,743
% African American: 10.84%
# Of African American Residents: 10,164
Percent Change Since 2010: 2.83%
More on Lynn: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Cambridge
/10
Population: 116,632
% African American: 9.93%
# Of African American Residents: 11,576
Percent Change Since 2010: 1.68%
More on Cambridge: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. Medford
/10
Population: 57,637
% African American: 9.13%
# Of African American Residents: 5,263
Percent Change Since 2010: 2.69%
More on Medford: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Taunton
/10
Population: 57,124
% African American: 8.38%
# Of African American Residents: 4,789
Percent Change Since 2010: 47.76%
More on Taunton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
How We Determined The Cities In massachusetts 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 massachusetts.
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 12,000 people. That left us with 53 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 44.1% to 0.6%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percent of Black population with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Brockton took the distinction of being the most Black, while Amesbury Town was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
If you're looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Massachusetts according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least African American places in Massachusetts:
- Amesbury Town
- Franklin Town
- Gloucester
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Safest Places In Massachusetts
- Best Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts
Detailed List Of The Most African American Cities In Massachusetts
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brockton | 44.06% |
| 2 | Boston | 22.66% |
| 3 | Springfield | 18.52% |
| 4 | Malden | 17.79% |
| 5 | Everett | 16.53% |
| 6 | Worcester | 12.2% |
| 7 | Lynn | 10.84% |
| 8 | Cambridge | 9.93% |
| 9 | Medford | 9.13% |
| 10 | Taunton | 8.38% |
| 11 | Lowell | 7.19% |
| 12 | Waltham | 6.7% |
| 13 | New Bedford | 6.35% |
| 14 | Leominster | 5.81% |
| 15 | Barnstable Town | 5.64% |
| 16 | Somerville | 5.6% |
| 17 | Weymouth Town | 5.48% |
| 18 | Woburn | 5.44% |
| 19 | Chelsea | 5.37% |
| 20 | Fall River | 5.29% |
| 21 | Revere | 4.98% |
| 22 | Quincy | 4.98% |
| 23 | Salem | 4.72% |
| 24 | Chicopee | 4.14% |
| 25 | Pittsfield | 4.06% |
| 26 | Attleboro | 4.0% |
| 27 | Marlborough | 3.83% |
| 28 | Fitchburg | 3.64% |
| 29 | Peabody | 3.3% |
| 30 | Methuen Town | 3.16% |
| 31 | Haverhill | 3.06% |
| 32 | Holyoke | 2.89% |
| 33 | Melrose | 2.88% |
| 34 | Newton | 2.83% |
| 35 | West Springfield Town | 2.81% |
| 36 | Braintree Town | 2.67% |
| 37 | Gardner | 2.31% |
| 38 | Lawrence | 2.22% |
| 39 | Palmer Town | 2.13% |
| 40 | Agawam Town | 2.12% |
| 41 | Northampton | 2.11% |
| 42 | Greenfield Town | 1.92% |
| 43 | Southbridge Town | 1.91% |
| 44 | Easthampton Town | 1.88% |
| 45 | Beverly | 1.64% |
| 46 | Newburyport | 1.64% |
| 47 | North Adams | 1.62% |
| 48 | Winthrop Town | 1.61% |
| 49 | Watertown Town | 1.51% |
| 50 | Westfield | 1.44% |
| 51 | Gloucester | 1.42% |
| 52 | Franklin Town | 0.91% |
| 53 | Amesbury Town | 0.57% |
