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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 North Carolina is 2,182,623 - at 21.0% of the total population of North Carolina.
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 North Carolina? Which cities and towns in North Carolina have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in North Carolina with the largest African American population in 2022:
What's the blackest city in North Carolina? Wadesboro took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in North Carolina for 2022. 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina or the most diverse places in North Carolina.
The 10 Blackest Cities In North Carolina For 2022
1. Wadesboro
/10
Population: 5,273
% African American: 74.93%
# Of African American Residents: 3,951
Percent Change Since 2010: 35.35%
More on Wadesboro: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Kinston
/10
Population: 20,173
% African American: 67.5%
# Of African American Residents: 13,617
Percent Change Since 2010: -7.33%
More on Kinston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Rocky Mount
/10
Population: 54,330
% African American: 63.06%
# Of African American Residents: 34,261
Percent Change Since 2010: 0.23%
More on Rocky Mount: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Henderson
/10
Population: 15,127
% African American: 62.41%
# Of African American Residents: 9,441
Percent Change Since 2010: 3.25%
More on Henderson: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Oxford
/10
Population: 8,812
% African American: 56.71%
# Of African American Residents: 4,997
Percent Change Since 2010: 6.36%
More on Oxford: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. Nashville
/10
Population: 5,521
% African American: 56.44%
# Of African American Residents: 3,116
Percent Change Since 2010: 38.98%
More on Nashville: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Whiteville
/10
Population: 5,348
% African American: 52.02%
# Of African American Residents: 2,782
Percent Change Since 2010: 13.6%
More on Whiteville: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Goldsboro
/10
Population: 34,610
% African American: 51.99%
# Of African American Residents: 17,995
Percent Change Since 2010: -10.02%
More on Goldsboro: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. Laurinburg
/10
Population: 15,118
% African American: 51.46%
# Of African American Residents: 7,780
Percent Change Since 2010: 5.74%
More on Laurinburg: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Elizabeth City
/10
Population: 17,725
% African American: 50.89%
# Of African American Residents: 9,020
Percent Change Since 2010: -13.18%
More on Elizabeth City: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In North Carolina With The Largest Black Population For 2022
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 North Carolina.
That lead us to the Census's most recently available data, the 2016-2020 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 126 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 74.9% to 0.1%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percent of Black population with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Wadesboro took the distinction of being the most Black, while Carolina Beach was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in North Carolina 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 North Carolina
If you're looking for a breakdown of African American populations across North Carolina according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least African American places in North Carolina:
- Carolina Beach
- Oak Island
- Sawmills
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In North Carolina
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
African American Population By City In North Carolina
Rank | City | % African American |
---|---|---|
1 | Wadesboro | 74.93% |
2 | Kinston | 67.5% |
3 | Rocky Mount | 63.06% |
4 | Henderson | 62.41% |
5 | Oxford | 56.71% |
6 | Nashville | 56.44% |
7 | Whiteville | 52.02% |
8 | Goldsboro | 51.99% |
9 | Laurinburg | 51.46% |
10 | Elizabeth City | 50.89% |
11 | Tarboro | 50.06% |
12 | Selma | 49.34% |
13 | Knightdale | 48.83% |
14 | Wilson | 48.26% |
15 | Williamston | 46.7% |
16 | Hamlet | 45.1% |
17 | Greensboro | 41.92% |
18 | Fayetteville | 41.64% |
19 | Roxboro | 41.21% |
20 | Clinton | 39.0% |
21 | Greenville | 38.93% |
22 | Dunn | 38.7% |
23 | Reidsville | 38.02% |
24 | Lumberton | 37.21% |
25 | Washington | 37.17% |
26 | Durham | 37.05% |
27 | Butner | 36.71% |
28 | Roanoke Rapids | 36.38% |
29 | Shelby | 35.19% |
30 | Salisbury | 35.06% |
31 | Charlotte | 34.87% |
32 | Statesville | 34.8% |
33 | High Point | 34.57% |
34 | Rockingham | 34.5% |
35 | Spring Lake | 33.69% |
36 | Hope Mills | 33.38% |
37 | Winston-Salem | 33.34% |
38 | Winterville | 32.88% |
39 | New Bern | 31.06% |
40 | Lexington | 29.99% |
41 | Gastonia | 29.01% |
42 | Smithfield | 28.49% |
43 | Gibsonville | 28.42% |
44 | Raleigh | 28.07% |
45 | Eden | 28.07% |
46 | Forest City | 27.83% |
47 | Burlington | 27.38% |
48 | Garner | 27.0% |
49 | Sanford | 26.76% |
50 | Mebane | 26.09% |
51 | Graham | 23.86% |
52 | Wendell | 23.67% |
53 | Pineville | 23.57% |
54 | Kings Mountain | 23.26% |
55 | Albemarle | 23.23% |
56 | Clayton | 22.65% |
57 | Monroe | 22.53% |
58 | Kannapolis | 21.16% |
59 | Concord | 21.12% |
60 | Siler City | 19.94% |
61 | Havelock | 19.73% |
62 | Fuquay-Varina | 19.14% |
63 | Wake Forest | 18.2% |
64 | Mount Holly | 17.49% |
65 | Harrisburg | 17.46% |
66 | Jacksonville | 17.44% |
67 | Wilmington | 17.4% |
68 | Lincolnton | 16.08% |
69 | Mint Hill | 16.03% |
70 | Thomasville | 15.94% |
71 | Carrboro | 15.94% |
72 | Kernersville | 14.6% |
73 | Hillsborough | 14.49% |
74 | Aberdeen | 13.89% |
75 | Lewisville | 13.83% |
76 | Southern Pines | 13.37% |
77 | Lenoir | 12.51% |
78 | Huntersville | 12.47% |
79 | Morrisville | 12.36% |
80 | Asheboro | 12.35% |
81 | Hickory | 11.94% |
82 | Matthews | 11.83% |
83 | Brevard | 11.72% |
84 | Bessemer City | 11.71% |
85 | Marion | 11.24% |
86 | Stallings | 11.21% |
87 | Newton | 11.19% |
88 | Asheville | 11.11% |
89 | Belmont | 11.02% |
90 | Morganton | 10.93% |
91 | Holly Springs | 10.08% |
92 | Chapel Hill | 10.08% |
93 | Mooresville | 10.01% |
94 | Waxhaw | 9.37% |
95 | Morehead City | 9.28% |
96 | Oak Ridge | 9.06% |
97 | Indian Trail | 8.83% |
98 | Mount Airy | 8.61% |
99 | Davidson | 8.01% |
100 | Hendersonville | 7.63% |