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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 Oregon is 75,418 - 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?
What's the blackest city in Oregon? Fairview took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in Oregon 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 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.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Oregon For 2022
1. Fairview
/10
Population: 9,382
% African American: 9.58%
# Of African American Residents: 899
Percent Change Since 2010: 31.24%
More on Fairview: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Portland
/10
Population: 650,380
% African American: 5.71%
# Of African American Residents: 37,107
Percent Change Since 2010: 5.36%
More on Portland: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Gresham
/10
Population: 110,456
% African American: 3.52%
# Of African American Residents: 3,893
Percent Change Since 2010: 25.38%
More on Gresham: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Monmouth
/10
Population: 10,411
% African American: 3.33%
# Of African American Residents: 347
Percent Change Since 2010: 468.85%
More on Monmouth: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Umatilla
/10
Population: 7,215
% African American: 3.13%
# Of African American Residents: 226
Percent Change Since 2010: 179.01%
More on Umatilla: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. Troutdale
/10
Population: 16,433
% African American: 2.66%
# Of African American Residents: 437
Percent Change Since 2010: 7.11%
More on Troutdale: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Hillsboro
/10
Population: 108,026
% African American: 2.53%
# Of African American Residents: 2,738
Percent Change Since 2010: 90.14%
More on Hillsboro: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Sweet Home
/10
Population: 9,763
% African American: 2.43%
# Of African American Residents: 237
Percent Change Since 2010: inf%
More on Sweet Home: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. Pendleton
/10
Population: 16,685
% African American: 2.41%
# Of African American Residents: 402
Percent Change Since 2010: 125.84%
More on Pendleton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Stayton
/10
Population: 8,199
% African American: 2.31%
# Of African American Residents: 189
Percent Change Since 2010: inf%
More on Stayton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Oregon 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 Oregon.
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 73 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 9.6% 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. Fairview took the distinction of being the most Black, while Milton-Freewater was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
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.
Summary: 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:
- Milton-Freewater
- Sheridan
- Talent
For more Oregon reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Oregon
- Most Dangerous Cities In Oregon
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Oregon
African American Population By City In Oregon
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairview | 9.58% |
| 2 | Portland | 5.71% |
| 3 | Gresham | 3.52% |
| 4 | Monmouth | 3.33% |
| 5 | Umatilla | 3.13% |
| 6 | Troutdale | 2.66% |
| 7 | Hillsboro | 2.53% |
| 8 | Sweet Home | 2.43% |
| 9 | Pendleton | 2.41% |
| 10 | Stayton | 2.31% |
| 11 | Beaverton | 2.19% |
| 12 | Seaside | 2.08% |
| 13 | Wilsonville | 1.99% |
| 14 | Eagle Point | 1.88% |
| 15 | Tualatin | 1.75% |
| 16 | West Linn | 1.63% |
| 17 | Baker City | 1.4% |
| 18 | Cornelius | 1.37% |
| 19 | Roseburg | 1.35% |
| 20 | Eugene | 1.33% |
| 21 | Cottage Grove | 1.25% |
| 22 | Corvallis | 1.25% |
| 23 | Hood River | 1.21% |
| 24 | Gladstone | 1.16% |
| 25 | Salem | 1.07% |
| 26 | Klamath Falls | 1.03% |
| 27 | Ashland | 1.02% |
| 28 | Mcminnville | 1.02% |
| 29 | Madras | 1.01% |
| 30 | Florence | 0.98% |
| 31 | Medford | 0.97% |
| 32 | Tigard | 0.97% |
| 33 | Lake Oswego | 0.9% |
| 34 | Central Point | 0.88% |
| 35 | Happy Valley | 0.88% |
| 36 | Milwaukie | 0.83% |
| 37 | Forest Grove | 0.81% |
| 38 | Newport | 0.73% |
| 39 | Sutherlin | 0.72% |
| 40 | Coos Bay | 0.7% |
| 41 | Oregon City | 0.69% |
| 42 | Springfield | 0.67% |
| 43 | La Grande | 0.67% |
| 44 | Grants Pass | 0.66% |
| 45 | Bend | 0.61% |
| 46 | Woodburn | 0.59% |
| 47 | Ontario | 0.58% |
| 48 | Newberg | 0.54% |
| 49 | North Bend | 0.47% |
| 50 | Redmond | 0.46% |
| 51 | St. Helens | 0.45% |
| 52 | Sandy | 0.44% |
| 53 | Albany | 0.41% |
| 54 | Astoria | 0.4% |
| 55 | Independence | 0.35% |
| 56 | Canby | 0.35% |
| 57 | Hermiston | 0.34% |
| 58 | Brookings | 0.32% |
| 59 | Molalla | 0.28% |
| 60 | Lebanon | 0.28% |
| 61 | Silverton | 0.28% |
| 62 | Keizer | 0.27% |
| 63 | Prineville | 0.26% |
| 64 | Lincoln City | 0.26% |
| 65 | Winston | 0.24% |
| 66 | Junction City | 0.21% |
| 67 | The Dalles | 0.19% |
| 68 | Dallas | 0.13% |
| 69 | Scappoose | 0.08% |
| 70 | Sherwood | 0.07% |
| 71 | Talent | 0.02% |
| 72 | Sheridan | 0.0% |
| 73 | Milton-Freewater | 0.0% |
