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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 Dakota is 23,887 - at 3.1% of the total population of North Dakota.
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 Dakota? Which cities and towns in North Dakota have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in North Dakota with the largest African American population in 2023:
What's the blackest city in North Dakota? Fargo took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in North Dakota for 2023. 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 Dakota 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 Dakota or the most diverse places in North Dakota.
The 10 Blackest Cities In North Dakota For 2023
1. Fargo
/10
Population: 124,979
% African American: 8.02%
# Of African American Residents: 10,021
Percent Change Since 2010: 338.56%
More on Fargo: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Williston
/10
Population: 27,368
% African American: 6.64%
# Of African American Residents: 1,816
Percent Change Since 2010: 11250.0%
More on Williston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Minot
/10
Population: 48,005
% African American: 4.55%
# Of African American Residents: 2,182
Percent Change Since 2010: 221.83%
More on Minot: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Grand Forks
/10
Population: 58,867
% African American: 4.32%
# Of African American Residents: 2,545
Percent Change Since 2010: 165.38%
More on Grand Forks: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. West Fargo
/10
Population: 37,913
% African American: 2.79%
# Of African American Residents: 1,058
Percent Change Since 2010: 65.05%
More on West Fargo: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. Valley City
/10
Population: 6,586
% African American: 2.75%
# Of African American Residents: 181
Percent Change Since 2010: 5933.33%
More on Valley City: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Dickinson
/10
Population: 24,851
% African American: 2.69%
# Of African American Residents: 669
Percent Change Since 2010: 842.25%
More on Dickinson: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Bismarck
/10
Population: 73,321
% African American: 2.62%
# Of African American Residents: 1,924
Percent Change Since 2010: 609.96%
More on Bismarck: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. Jamestown
/10
Population: 15,823
% African American: 1.98%
# Of African American Residents: 314
Percent Change Since 2010: 540.82%
More on Jamestown: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Mandan
/10
Population: 23,784
% African American: 1.63%
# Of African American Residents: 388
Percent Change Since 2010: 846.34%
More on Mandan: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In North Dakota With The Largest Black Population For 2023
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 Dakota.
That lead us to the Census's most recently available data, the 2017-2021 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 6,000 people. That left us with 12 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 8.0% to 0.4%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percent of Black population with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Fargo took the distinction of being the most Black, while Devils Lake was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in North Dakota 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 Dakota
If you're looking for a breakdown of African American populations across North Dakota 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 Dakota:
- Devils Lake
- Wahpeton
- Mandan
For more North Dakota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In North Dakota
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Dakota
- Safest Places In North Dakota
African American Population By City In North Dakota
Rank | City | % African American |
---|---|---|
1 | Fargo | 8.02% |
2 | Williston | 6.64% |
3 | Minot | 4.55% |
4 | Grand Forks | 4.32% |
5 | West Fargo | 2.79% |
6 | Valley City | 2.75% |
7 | Dickinson | 2.69% |
8 | Bismarck | 2.62% |
9 | Jamestown | 1.98% |
10 | Mandan | 1.63% |
11 | Wahpeton | 1.44% |
12 | Devils Lake | 0.4% |