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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 Pennsylvania is 1,352,329 - at 10.6% of the total population of Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania? Which cities and towns in Pennsylvania have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in Pennsylvania with the largest African American population in 2022:
What's the blackest city in Pennsylvania? Yeadon took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania or the most diverse places in Pennsylvania.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Pennsylvania For 2022
1. Yeadon
/10
Population: 11,495
% African American: 87.32%
# Of African American Residents: 10,038
Percent Change Since 2010: -3.01%
More on Yeadon: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Darby
/10
Population: 10,711
% African American: 83.86%
# Of African American Residents: 8,982
Percent Change Since 2010: 10.33%
More on Darby: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Sharon Hill
/10
Population: 5,680
% African American: 72.22%
# Of African American Residents: 4,102
Percent Change Since 2010: 38.16%
More on Sharon Hill: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Chester
/10
Population: 33,855
% African American: 69.85%
# Of African American Residents: 23,647
Percent Change Since 2010: -14.0%
More on Chester: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Collingdale
/10
Population: 8,776
% African American: 56.52%
# Of African American Residents: 4,960
Percent Change Since 2010: 79.78%
More on Collingdale: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. Wilkinsburg
/10
Population: 15,367
% African American: 51.38%
# Of African American Residents: 7,895
Percent Change Since 2010: -25.02%
More on Wilkinsburg: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Duquesne
/10
Population: 5,534
% African American: 50.74%
# Of African American Residents: 2,808
Percent Change Since 2010: -0.85%
More on Duquesne: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Lansdowne
/10
Population: 10,637
% African American: 46.49%
# Of African American Residents: 4,945
Percent Change Since 2010: 18.56%
More on Lansdowne: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. Harrisburg
/10
Population: 49,247
% African American: 45.88%
# Of African American Residents: 22,593
Percent Change Since 2010: -13.87%
More on Harrisburg: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Folcroft
/10
Population: 6,629
% African American: 42.34%
# Of African American Residents: 2,807
Percent Change Since 2010: 73.92%
More on Folcroft: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.
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 184 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 87.3% 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. Yeadon took the distinction of being the most Black, while Tyrone was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
If you're looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Pennsylvania according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least African American places in Pennsylvania:
- Tyrone
- Swoyersville
- Nazareth
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Pennsylvania
- Most Dangerous Cities In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
African American Population By City In Pennsylvania
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yeadon | 87.32% |
| 2 | Darby | 83.86% |
| 3 | Sharon Hill | 72.22% |
| 4 | Chester | 69.85% |
| 5 | Collingdale | 56.52% |
| 6 | Wilkinsburg | 51.38% |
| 7 | Duquesne | 50.74% |
| 8 | Lansdowne | 46.49% |
| 9 | Harrisburg | 45.88% |
| 10 | Folcroft | 42.34% |
| 11 | Clairton | 41.97% |
| 12 | Philadelphia | 40.1% |
| 13 | Coatesville | 38.13% |
| 14 | Steelton | 37.99% |
| 15 | Mckeesport | 37.55% |
| 16 | Norri | 36.25% |
| 17 | Aliquippa | 33.07% |
| 18 | Mckees Rocks | 31.19% |
| 19 | Clifton Heights | 31.13% |
| 20 | Swissvale | 30.17% |
| 21 | Turtle Creek | 26.39% |
| 22 | York | 24.16% |
| 23 | Pittsburgh | 22.75% |
| 24 | Beaver Falls | 21.27% |
| 25 | Pott | 20.97% |
| 26 | Coraopolis | 20.48% |
| 27 | Uniontown | 19.6% |
| 28 | East Stroudsburg | 19.02% |
| 29 | Monessen | 15.8% |
| 30 | Easton | 15.3% |
| 31 | Ambler | 15.29% |
| 32 | Ambridge | 15.2% |
| 33 | Erie | 14.99% |
| 34 | Johnstown | 14.46% |
| 35 | Sharon | 13.77% |
| 36 | Forest Hills | 13.71% |
| 37 | Stroudsburg | 13.49% |
| 38 | Williamsport | 13.37% |
| 39 | Munhall | 13.24% |
| 40 | Washington | 12.83% |
| 41 | Lancaster | 12.76% |
| 42 | Morrisville | 12.31% |
| 43 | Jeannette | 12.16% |
| 44 | Bellevue | 12.04% |
| 45 | West Chester | 11.97% |
| 46 | New Brighton | 11.95% |
| 47 | Downin | 11.52% |
| 48 | Wilkes-Barre | 11.35% |
| 49 | Carnegie | 11.21% |
| 50 | Glenolden | 10.83% |
| 51 | Chambersburg | 10.82% |
| 52 | New Castle | 10.79% |
| 53 | California | 9.82% |
| 54 | Allentown | 9.68% |
| 55 | Reading | 9.19% |
| 56 | Middl | 8.88% |
| 57 | Columbia | 8.83% |
| 58 | Collegeville | 8.8% |
| 59 | Brookhaven | 8.61% |
| 60 | New Kensington | 8.59% |
| 61 | West Mifflin | 8.23% |
| 62 | Bethlehem | 8.15% |
| 63 | Carlisle | 8.11% |
| 64 | Wilson | 7.06% |
| 65 | Brentwood | 6.96% |
| 66 | Swarthmore | 6.91% |
| 67 | Kennett Square | 6.39% |
| 68 | Phoenixville | 6.38% |
| 69 | Lansdale | 6.35% |
| 70 | Baldwin | 6.32% |
| 71 | Prospect Park | 6.24% |
| 72 | Canonsburg | 6.23% |
| 73 | Bristol | 6.0% |
| 74 | Media | 5.67% |
| 75 | Plymouth | 5.57% |
| 76 | Indiana | 5.39% |
| 77 | Crafton | 5.39% |
| 78 | Scranton | 5.39% |
| 79 | Clarion | 5.35% |
| 80 | Meadville | 5.06% |
| 81 | Franklin | 4.89% |
| 82 | Hermitage | 4.86% |
| 83 | Pittston | 4.81% |
| 84 | Franklin Park | 4.77% |
| 85 | Millersville | 4.77% |
| 86 | Bloomsburg | 4.75% |
| 87 | Waynesboro | 4.72% |
| 88 | Hatboro | 4.42% |
| 89 | Nanticoke | 4.36% |
| 90 | Mount Joy | 4.12% |
| 91 | Perkasie | 4.09% |
| 92 | Shippensburg | 4.07% |
| 93 | Moosic | 4.03% |
| 94 | Kingston | 4.0% |
| 95 | Corry | 3.99% |
| 96 | Monaca | 3.95% |
| 97 | Pleasant Hills | 3.9% |
| 98 | Selinsgrove | 3.87% |
| 99 | Castle Shannon | 3.62% |
| 100 | Greensburg | 3.48% |
