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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 west virginia is 65,848 - at 3.6% of the total population of west virginia.
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 west virginia? Which cities and towns in west virginia have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
What's the blackest city in West Virginia? Bluefield took the number one over all spot for the largest Black population in west virginia 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 west virginia 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 west virginia or the most diverse places in west virginia.
The 10 Blackest Cities In West Virginia For 2021
1. Bluefield
/10
Population: 9,889
% African American: 25.95%
# Of African American Residents: 2,566
Percent Change Since 2010: 5.42%
More on Bluefield: Real Estate | Data | Photos
2. Beckley
/10
Population: 16,452
% African American: 21.33%
# Of African American Residents: 3,509
Percent Change Since 2010: -5.29%
More on Beckley: Real Estate | Data | Photos
3. Charleston
/10
Population: 48,006
% African American: 15.62%
# Of African American Residents: 7,498
Percent Change Since 2010: 45.76%
More on Charleston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
4. Martinsburg
/10
Population: 17,475
% African American: 13.88%
# Of African American Residents: 2,426
Percent Change Since 2010: 25.44%
More on Martinsburg: Real Estate | Data | Photos
5. Dunbar
/10
Population: 7,333
% African American: 13.32%
# Of African American Residents: 977
Percent Change Since 2010: 49.39%
More on Dunbar: Real Estate | Data
6. Keyser
/10
Population: 5,050
% African American: 12.0%
# Of African American Residents: 606
Percent Change Since 2010: -9.28%
More on Keyser: Real Estate | Data | Photos
7. Charles Town
/10
Population: 5,943
% African American: 10.47%
# Of African American Residents: 622
Percent Change Since 2010: -29.56%
More on Charles Town: Real Estate | Data | Photos
8. Oak Hill
/10
Population: 8,336
% African American: 8.76%
# Of African American Residents: 730
Percent Change Since 2010: 48.37%
More on Oak Hill: Real Estate | Data | Photos
9. South Charleston
/10
Population: 12,475
% African American: 8.43%
# Of African American Residents: 1,052
Percent Change Since 2010: 6.05%
More on South Charleston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
10. Huntington
/10
Population: 46,667
% African American: 8.29%
# Of African American Residents: 3,871
Percent Change Since 2010: -3.99%
More on Huntington: Real Estate | Data | Photos
How We Determined The Cities In west virginia 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 west virginia.
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 27 cities.
We then calculated the percent of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 25.9% 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. Bluefield took the distinction of being the most Black, while New Martinsville was the least African American city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in west virginia 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 West Virginia
If you're looking for a breakdown of African American populations across West Virginia according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least African American places in West Virginia:
- New Martinsville
- Moundsville
- Vienna
For more West Virginia reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In West Virginia
- Cheapest Places To Live In West Virginia
- Most Dangerous Cities In West Virginia
Detailed List Of The Most African American Cities In West Virginia
| Rank | City | % African American |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bluefield | 25.95% |
| 2 | Beckley | 21.33% |
| 3 | Charleston | 15.62% |
| 4 | Martinsburg | 13.88% |
| 5 | Dunbar | 13.32% |
| 6 | Keyser | 12.0% |
| 7 | Charles Town | 10.47% |
| 8 | Oak Hill | 8.76% |
| 9 | South Charleston | 8.43% |
| 10 | Huntington | 8.29% |
| 11 | Buckhannon | 7.73% |
| 12 | Fairmont | 6.91% |
| 13 | Nitro | 6.52% |
| 14 | Princeton | 6.21% |
| 15 | Wheeling | 5.74% |
| 16 | Morgantown | 4.11% |
| 17 | Elkins | 3.28% |
| 18 | Parkersburg | 3.15% |
| 19 | Clarksburg | 2.98% |
| 20 | St. Albans | 2.72% |
| 21 | Weirton | 2.65% |
| 22 | Hurricane | 1.19% |
| 23 | Bridgeport | 0.89% |
| 24 | Grafton | 0.77% |
| 25 | Vienna | 0.34% |
| 26 | Moundsville | 0.19% |
| 27 | New Martinsville | 0.0% |
Why r u looking at the places with the most blacks???