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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 1,363,043 - at 10.7% 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?
What's the blackest city in Pennsylvania? Yeadon took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in pennsylvania for 2021. 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 2021
1. Yeadon
/10
Population: 11,485
% African American: 88.05%
# Of African American Residents: 10,112
Percent Change Since 2010: -2.29%
More on Yeadon: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Darby
/10
Population: 10,695
% African American: 81.22%
# Of African American Residents: 8,687
Percent Change Since 2010: 6.71%
More on Darby: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Sharon Hill
/10
Population: 5,684
% African American: 71.15%
# Of African American Residents: 4,044
Percent Change Since 2010: 36.21%
More on Sharon Hill: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Chester
/10
Population: 33,982
% African American: 67.58%
# Of African American Residents: 22,965
Percent Change Since 2010: -16.48%
More on Chester: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Duquesne
/10
Population: 5,543
% African American: 56.67%
# Of African American Residents: 3,141
Percent Change Since 2010: 10.91%
More on Duquesne: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. Wilkinsburg
/10
Population: 15,485
% African American: 55.3%
# Of African American Residents: 8,563
Percent Change Since 2010: -18.67%
More on Wilkinsburg: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Collingdale
/10
Population: 8,791
% African American: 52.5%
# Of African American Residents: 4,615
Percent Change Since 2010: 67.27%
More on Collingdale: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Lansdowne
/10
Population: 10,638
% African American: 50.55%
# Of African American Residents: 5,378
Percent Change Since 2010: 28.94%
More on Lansdowne: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. Harrisburg
/10
Population: 49,209
% African American: 46.68%
# Of African American Residents: 22,973
Percent Change Since 2010: -12.42%
More on Harrisburg: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Coatesville
/10
Population: 13,136
% African American: 41.3%
# Of African American Residents: 5,425
Percent Change Since 2010: -3.91%
More on Coatesville: Real Estate | Data | Photos
How We Determined The Cities In pennsylvania With The Largest Black Population For 2021
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 2015-2019 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 185 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 88.0% 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 Fox Chapel 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.
There You Have It - 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:
- Fox Chapel
- Nazareth
- Blakely
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Most Dangerous Cities In Pennsylvania
- Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
Detailed List Of The Most African American Cities In Pennsylvania
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yeadon | 88.05% |
| 2 | Darby | 81.22% |
| 3 | Sharon Hill | 71.15% |
| 4 | Chester | 67.58% |
| 5 | Duquesne | 56.67% |
| 6 | Wilkinsburg | 55.3% |
| 7 | Collingdale | 52.5% |
| 8 | Lansdowne | 50.55% |
| 9 | Harrisburg | 46.68% |
| 10 | Coatesville | 41.3% |
| 11 | Philadelphia | 40.83% |
| 12 | Clairton | 37.3% |
| 13 | Norri | 36.33% |
| 14 | Steelton | 36.12% |
| 15 | Mckeesport | 34.89% |
| 16 | Folcroft | 34.83% |
| 17 | Aliquippa | 34.02% |
| 18 | Swissvale | 32.34% |
| 19 | Mckees Rocks | 32.34% |
| 20 | York | 23.71% |
| 21 | Clifton Heights | 23.25% |
| 22 | Pott | 22.91% |
| 23 | Pittsburgh | 22.77% |
| 24 | Uniontown | 19.06% |
| 25 | Coraopolis | 18.53% |
| 26 | Beaver Falls | 17.49% |
| 27 | Ambridge | 16.68% |
| 28 | East Stroudsburg | 16.05% |
| 29 | Turtle Creek | 15.99% |
| 30 | Erie | 15.53% |
| 31 | Sharon | 14.95% |
| 32 | Williamsport | 14.2% |
| 33 | Johnstown | 14.13% |
| 34 | Munhall | 14.03% |
| 35 | Morrisville | 13.65% |
| 36 | Easton | 13.2% |
| 37 | Lancaster | 13.04% |
| 38 | Stroudsburg | 12.97% |
| 39 | Downin | 12.6% |
| 40 | Washington | 12.55% |
| 41 | Wilkes-Barre | 12.09% |
| 42 | New Brighton | 11.94% |
| 43 | Forest Hills | 11.93% |
| 44 | Jeannette | 11.55% |
| 45 | Monessen | 11.45% |
| 46 | Ambler | 11.43% |
| 47 | Bellevue | 11.24% |
| 48 | Columbia | 10.89% |
| 49 | Chambersburg | 10.81% |
| 50 | New Castle | 10.66% |
| 51 | Carnegie | 10.29% |
| 52 | Allentown | 10.15% |
| 53 | Bristol | 10.04% |
| 54 | New Kensington | 9.87% |
| 55 | Middl | 9.37% |
| 56 | Canonsburg | 8.96% |
| 57 | Collegeville | 8.89% |
| 58 | Glenolden | 8.88% |
| 59 | Reading | 8.82% |
| 60 | Baldwin | 8.12% |
| 61 | Phoenixville | 8.0% |
| 62 | West Chester | 7.7% |
| 63 | West Mifflin | 7.34% |
| 64 | Bethlehem | 7.27% |
| 65 | Carlisle | 7.27% |
| 66 | Wilson | 6.69% |
| 67 | Hatboro | 6.59% |
| 68 | Crafton | 6.41% |
| 69 | Indiana | 6.3% |
| 70 | Brookhaven | 6.18% |
| 71 | California | 6.07% |
| 72 | Prospect Park | 6.02% |
| 73 | Waynesboro | 5.84% |
| 74 | Media | 5.69% |
| 75 | Clarion | 5.61% |
| 76 | Scranton | 5.28% |
| 77 | Meadville | 5.25% |
| 78 | Lansdale | 5.21% |
| 79 | Bloomsburg | 5.15% |
| 80 | Kennett Square | 5.09% |
| 81 | Gettysburg | 5.02% |
| 82 | Quake | 4.88% |
| 83 | Hermitage | 4.82% |
| 84 | Pittston | 4.69% |
| 85 | Millersville | 4.67% |
| 86 | Corry | 4.58% |
| 87 | Swarthmore | 4.54% |
| 88 | Greensburg | 4.44% |
| 89 | Bellefonte | 4.43% |
| 90 | Edinboro | 4.42% |
| 91 | Lebanon | 4.35% |
| 92 | Lock Haven | 4.33% |
| 93 | Plymouth | 4.31% |
| 94 | Pottsville | 4.27% |
| 95 | Elizabet | 4.11% |
| 96 | Lehighton | 4.05% |
| 97 | Moosic | 4.01% |
| 98 | Shippensburg | 3.97% |
| 99 | Selinsgrove | 3.91% |
| 100 | Catasauqua | 3.9% |
