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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 rhode island is 60,415 - at 5.7% of the total population of rhode island.
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 rhode island? Which cities and towns in rhode island have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
What's the blackest city in Rhode Island? Pawtucket took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in rhode island 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 rhode island 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 rhode island or the most diverse places in rhode island.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Rhode Island For 2021
1. Pawtucket
/10
Population: 71,844
% African American: 15.91%
# Of African American Residents: 11,427
Percent Change Since 2010: -1.67%
More on Pawtucket: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Providence
/10
Population: 179,494
% African American: 13.9%
# Of African American Residents: 24,947
Percent Change Since 2010: 6.47%
More on Providence: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Central Falls
/10
Population: 19,429
% African American: 8.57%
# Of African American Residents: 1,666
Percent Change Since 2010: -5.93%
More on Central Falls: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Woonsocket
/10
Population: 41,603
% African American: 7.74%
# Of African American Residents: 3,218
Percent Change Since 2010: 106.81%
More on Woonsocket: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Newport
/10
Population: 24,663
% African American: 6.27%
# Of African American Residents: 1,546
Percent Change Since 2010: -7.43%
More on Newport: Real Estate | Data | Photos
6. East Providence
/10
Population: 47,483
% African American: 6.21%
# Of African American Residents: 2,948
Percent Change Since 2010: 28.34%
More on East Providence: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Cranston
/10
Population: 81,254
% African American: 5.33%
# Of African American Residents: 4,329
Percent Change Since 2010: 38.31%
More on Cranston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Warwick
/10
Population: 80,993
% African American: 1.85%
# Of African American Residents: 1,500
Percent Change Since 2010: 12.44%
More on Warwick: Real Estate | Data | Photos
How We Determined The Cities In rhode island 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 rhode island.
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 19,000 people. That left us with 8 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 15.9% to 1.9%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percent of Black population with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Pawtucket took the distinction of being the most Black, while Warwick was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in rhode island 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 Rhode Island
If you're looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Rhode Island according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least African American places in Rhode Island:
- Warwick
- Cranston
- East Providence
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Worst Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Cheapest Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Best Places To Live In Rhode Island
Detailed List Of The Most African American Cities In Rhode Island
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pawtucket | 15.91% |
| 2 | Providence | 13.9% |
| 3 | Central Falls | 8.57% |
| 4 | Woonsocket | 7.74% |
| 5 | Newport | 6.27% |
| 6 | East Providence | 6.21% |
| 7 | Cranston | 5.33% |
| 8 | Warwick | 1.85% |
Rhode Island does not have a high black American population. In fact, its immigrant black population consist of West Africans and black Hispanics in urban centers.