These Are The 10 Oregon Cities With The Largest Black Population For 2018

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 Oregon is 70,359 – at 1.8% of the total population of Oregon.

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 Oregon? Which cities and towns in Oregon have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?

We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in Oregon with the largest African American population in 2018:

1. Sheridan (Photos)
2. Portland (Photos)
3. Gresham (Photos)
4. Fairview (Photos)
5. Troutdale (Photos)
6. Beaverton (Photos)
7. Umatilla (Photos)
8. Monmouth (Photos)
9. Tigard (Photos)
10. Ashland (Photos)

Sheridan took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in Oregon for 2018. 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 Oregon 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 Oregon or the most diverse places in Oregon.

How We Determined The Cities In Oregon With The Largest Black Population For 2018

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 Oregon.

That lead us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2012-2016 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 74 cities.

We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 5.7% 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. Sheridan took the distinction of being the most Black, while Winston was the least African American city.

Read on for more information on how the cities in Oregon 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.

1. Sheridan

Population: 6,054
% African American: 5.67%
# Of African American Residents: 343
Percent Change Since 2010: 34.51%
More on Sheridan: Data | Jobs

Sheridan is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. Platted in the 1860s when it received a post office, the city was incorporated in 1880. A major fire burned much of the city in 1913, and a flood covered much of the city in 1964. The population of the city as of the 2010 Census was 6,127, an increase from 3,570 at the 2000 census. However, the 2000 Census count failed to include those incarcerated at the federal prison in the city, while the newer count did include those inmates.

2. Portland

Population: 620,589
% African American: 5.56%
# Of African American Residents: 34,494
Percent Change Since 2010: -2.06%
More on Portland: Data | Jobs

Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Multnomah County. It is a major port in the Willamette Valley region of the Pacific Northwest, at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. The city covers 145 square miles and had an estimated population of 639,863 in 2016, making it the 26th most populous city in the United States, and the second-most populous in the Pacific Northwest. Approximately 2,424,955 people live in the Portland metropolitan statistical area, making it the 25th most populous MSA in the United States. Its Combined Statistical Area ranks 18th with a population of 3,160,488. Roughly 60% of Oregon’s population resides within the Portland metropolitan area.

3. Gresham

Population: 110,042
% African American: 4.92%
# Of African American Residents: 5,417
Percent Change Since 2010: 74.46%
More on Gresham: Data | Jobs

Gresham is a city located in Multnomah County, Oregon, in the United States, immediately east of Portland. Though it began as a settlement in the mid-1800s, it was not officially incorporated as a city until 1905; it was named after Walter Quinton Gresham, the American Civil War general and United States Postmaster General.

4. Fairview

Population: 9,215
% African American: 4.6%
# Of African American Residents: 424
Percent Change Since 2010: -38.1%
More on Fairview: Data | Jobs

Fairview is a city in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,920.

5. Troutdale

Population: 16,535
% African American: 3.1%
# Of African American Residents: 513
Percent Change Since 2010: 25.74%
More on Troutdale: Data | Jobs

Troutdale is a city in Multnomah County, Oregon, U.S.A., north of Gresham and east of Wood Village. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 15,962. The city serves as the western gateway to the Historic Columbia River Highway, the Mount Hood Scenic Byway, and the Columbia River Gorge.

6. Beaverton

Population: 94,865
% African American: 1.94%
# Of African American Residents: 1,838
Percent Change Since 2010: 58.86%
More on Beaverton: Data | Jobs

Beaverton is a city in Washington County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The city center is 7 miles west of downtown Portland in the Tualatin River Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population is 89,803. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon’s sixth-largest city. Fire protection and EMS services are provided through Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue.

7. Umatilla

Population: 6,986
% African American: 1.89%
# Of African American Residents: 132
Percent Change Since 2010: 62.96%
More on Umatilla: Data | Jobs

Umatilla is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. It is named for the Umatilla River, which enters the Columbia River on the side of the city. The river is named after the Umatilla Tribe. The city is on the south side of the Columbia River along U.S. Route 730 and I-82.

8. Monmouth

Population: 9,919
% African American: 1.89%
# Of African American Residents: 187
Percent Change Since 2010: 206.56%
More on Monmouth: Data | Jobs

Monmouth ( is a city in Polk County in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was named for Monmouth, Illinois, the origin of its earliest settlers. The population has reached 9,534 as of the 2010 census and it is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.

9. Tigard

Population: 50,787
% African American: 1.88%
# Of African American Residents: 954
Percent Change Since 2010: 66.2%
More on Tigard: Data | Jobs

Tigard is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 48,035 at the 2010 census. As of 2007, Tigard was the state’s 12th largest city. Incorporated in 1961, the city is located south of Beaverton and north of Tualatin, and is part of the Portland metropolitan area. Interstate 5 and Oregon Route 217 are the main freeways in the city, with Oregon Route 99W and Oregon Route 210 serving as other major highways. Public transit service is provided by TriMet, via several bus routes and the WES Commuter Rail line.

10. Ashland

Population: 21,002
% African American: 1.74%
# Of African American Residents: 366
Percent Change Since 2010: 12.62%
More on Ashland: Data | Jobs

Ashland is a city in Jackson County, in the State of Oregon. It lies along Interstate 5 approximately 16 miles north of the California border and near the south end of the Rogue Valley. As of 2015, the city’s population was approaching 21,000.

There You Have It – Black Populations Across Oregon

If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Oregon according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.

If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in Oregon:

1. Winston
2. Milton-Freewater
3. Eagle Point

For more Oregon reading, check out:

• 10 Safest Places In Oregon
• Best College Towns In Oregon
• 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Oregon

Detailed List Of The Most African American Cities In Oregon

Rank	City	Population	% African American
1	Sheridan	6,054	5.67%
2	Portland	620,589	5.56%
3	Gresham	110,042	4.92%
4	Fairview	9,215	4.6%
5	Troutdale	16,535	3.1%
6	Beaverton	94,865	1.94%
7	Umatilla	6,986	1.89%
8	Monmouth	9,919	1.89%
9	Tigard	50,787	1.88%
10	Ashland	21,002	1.74%
11	Eugene	161,649	1.66%
12	Milwaukie	20,643	1.61%
13	Hillsboro	100,462	1.5%
14	Stayton	7,875	1.47%
15	Pendleton	16,861	1.47%
16	Tualatin	27,024	1.32%
17	Klamath Falls	21,322	1.29%
18	Salem	161,975	1.28%
19	Madras	6,504	1.2%
20	Coos Bay	16,129	1.2%
21	Newport	10,139	1.16%
22	West Linn	26,242	1.14%
23	Corvallis	55,766	1.1%
24	Brookings	6,390	1.08%
25	La Grande	13,079	1.06%
26	Redmond	27,998	0.97%
27	Albany	51,919	0.94%
28	Wilsonville	21,814	0.93%
29	Gladstone	11,850	0.92%
30	Mcminnville	33,724	0.91%
31	Keizer	37,497	0.9%
32	Sutherlin	7,883	0.86%
33	Oregon City	35,057	0.86%
34	Damascus	10,842	0.84%
35	Happy Valley	17,474	0.81%
36	Roseburg	22,201	0.74%
37	Medford	78,856	0.69%
38	Seaside	6,514	0.69%
39	Grants Pass	36,776	0.62%
40	The Dalles	15,276	0.6%
41	Springfield	60,611	0.56%
42	Forest Grove	23,214	0.5%
43	North Bend	9,635	0.48%
44	Bend	84,416	0.44%
45	Astoria	9,595	0.43%
46	Prineville	9,419	0.41%
47	Lake Oswego	38,065	0.41%
48	Sandy	10,369	0.41%
49	Baker City	9,757	0.4%
50	Sweet Home	9,171	0.39%
51	Ontario	11,045	0.38%
52	Hermiston	17,150	0.38%
53	St. Helens	13,169	0.36%
54	Cornelius	12,241	0.26%
55	Lebanon	16,162	0.26%
56	Lincoln City	8,452	0.25%
57	Florence	8,597	0.23%
58	Hood River	7,476	0.2%
59	Newberg	22,749	0.2%
60	Independence	8,982	0.19%
61	Central Point	17,793	0.19%
62	Woodburn	24,765	0.17%
63	Scappoose	6,901	0.16%
64	Dallas	15,175	0.16%
65	Junction City	5,735	0.12%
66	Sherwood	18,965	0.08%
67	Talent	6,323	0.08%
68	Canby	17,218	0.08%
69	Molalla	8,867	0.03%
70	Cottage Grove	9,889	0.02%
71	Silverton	9,585	0.0%
72	Eagle Point	8,790	0.0%
73	Milton-Freewater	7,059	0.0%
74	Winston	5,364	0.0%