Unexpected States Blacks are Moving to

Look at a map of America. You would probably say the states that got the biggest influx of black residents in recent years are Texas, Florida, and maybe Georgia. And this time you would be right. That is if you're looking at an increase in just the raw numbers. But if you're looking at a percentage increase, some of the fastest growing black populations are showing up in places that would barely make the list. These states don't fit the traditional image of where black Americans are moving yet the numbers tell a remarkable story jobs migration education military service refugee resettlement rising metropolitan areas and the search for a different quality of life are reshaping Black America in places many people never expected and in some of these states the change has been dramatic looking purely at the percentage increase in the black population in all 50 states these are the top seven states that have seen the biggest jump going from number seven to the number one spot at number seven we have Washington State Washington might not immediately come to mind when people think about black population growth but over the long term the state has become one of the most important black population centers in the Pacific Northwest The state's Black population increased from about 230,000 in 2010 to roughly 296,000 in 2020 when measuring Black or African American alone, an increase of around 29%. And Washington's Black population has continued to evolve. The state's Office of Financial Management estimated approximately 356,800 Black residents in 2024, representing about 4.4 percent of Washington's population. And this story begins long before Amazon, Microsoft, and Seattle's modern technology economy. Black people were present in the Pacific Northwest as early as the late 1700s, but the population remained small for much of the state's early history. That began changing as Seattle developed into a major industrial and transportation center. During World War II, the transformation accelerated. Seattle's booming defense industry desperately needed workers, and Black migrants arrived from across the country looking for that opportunity. The University of Washington's History of Black Seattle notes that the city's African-American population jumped from approximately 3,700 to 10,000 in less than three years during the war as defense industry jobs opened up. That created the foundation for today's black communities in Seattle and Tacoma. The modern attraction is different but follows the same basic formula, opportunity. Seattle became one of America's premier technology and corporate centers. Washington also developed large aerospace, healthcare, education, logistics, and military sectors. In case you haven't been there, the state isn't cheap. In fact, housing costs are one of the biggest obstacles for anyone considering the region. But high-paying employment can make the equation work for professionals who can access it. Seattle today has an unusually highly educated workforce, with roughly 70% of adults 25 and older holding at least a bachelor's degree, while median household income is well above the national level. Washington's black population is also increasingly international. Black immigrants, particularly people with roots in Africa, have become an important part of the state's demographic transformation. Washington's black community, therefore, isn't simply growing because black Americans are leaving one state for another. It is being reshaped by domestic migration, immigration, and the children of both groups. At number six, and I just did a video about this state, we have Arizona. Arizona is another state where the black population has grown much faster than the state's old reputation would suggest. Between 2010 and 2020, Arizona's black alone population increased from about 239,000 to 317,000, a gain of approximately 33%. That is remarkable considering that Arizona's overall population grew much more slowly. Today, the Census Bureau estimates that roughly 5.9% of Arizona's population is black, or about 450,000 people using the state's 2025 population estimate. Phoenix developed a significant black community during the first half of the 20th century. During the 1930s, the African American population of Phoenix nearly doubled as people arrived looking for employment and relief from difficult conditions elsewhere. Some came from Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma to work in agriculture, while others came from communities throughout Arizona. The Great Migration, therefore, wasn't exclusively a northern story. Some black migrants headed west. Today, the economic motivations are even broader. Phoenix has transformed into one of the country's major metropolitan areas. Construction, healthcare, logistics, education, technology, semiconductor manufacturing, and professional services have all helped fuel its expansion. Arizona also sits at the intersection of several migration trends. People have been leaving California for less expensive sunbelt destinations. The result is a state that can offer something that is increasingly difficult to find in parts of coastal California. More space and historically lower housing costs. that advantage has narrowed considerably as Phoenix housing prices have risen. But the metropolitan areas sheer economic growth continues to create opportunity. Phoenix is no longer simply a desert retirement destination. It is becoming one of the country's major cities and black Americans are increasingly part of that story. And number five, we have Nevada. Nevada may be the least surprising state on this list once you understand Las Vegas. But the scale of the transformation is still striking. Between 2010 and 2020, Nevada's black alone population grew from approximately 208,000 to 292,000, an increase of about 40%. If people identifying as black alone or in combination with another race are included, Nevada's black population increased by roughly 48% during the decade. And almost everything about Nevada's black population story revolved around one metropolitan area, Las Vegas. The city has long attracted black workers from around the country. Entertainment was a major part of that history. Black performers helped build Las Vegas tourism, even while facing segregation and discrimination in the city's hotels and casinos. Over time, Las Vegas became much more than a gambling destination. Hospitality remains crucial, but healthcare, construction, logistics, retail, professional services and entertainment have created a much broader economy. The state's location is also critical. Las Vegas is relatively close to Southern California, but historically offered a much lower cost alternative. That helped make it particularly attractive to people leaving California. And that migration relationship remains powerful today. I'm from Southern California and I grew up going there pretty much two or three times a year. So it's like a second home, I guess. In 2024, Nevada gained roughly 41,300 residents through net domestic migration, ranking sixth among all the states. California was by far Nevada's largest source of net migration, with Nevada gaining approximately 32,200 residents from California alone. That helps explain why Nevada's black population has grown so rapidly. In the 2020 census, black residents represented about 9.4% of Nevada's population under the non-Hispanic black alone measure. Las Vegas isn't simply becoming bigger, it's becoming more black. At number four, we have Utah. No one would have thought Utah would make this list. Perhaps no state on this list challenges conventional assumptions more than Utah. For decades, Utah was one of the least racially diverse states in America, yet its black population exploded during the 2010s. When I say exploded, keep in mind that we're still talking about percentages here. You gotta remember, it's still Utah. For decades, Utah was one of the least racially diverse states in America. According to the University of Utah's Kim C. Gardner Policy Institute, Utah's black population increased by 55% between 2010 and 2020. When people identifying as black alone or in combination with another race are included. The state's overall population grew only 18%. The black alone population rose from roughly 26,000 in 2010 to about 37,000 in 2020. Today, black residents remain only about 1% of Utah's population, but that actually makes the growth more remarkable. A relatively small starting population can grow rapidly when thousands of newcomers arrive. So I bet you guys are all asking, why Utah? One answer is the state's extraordinary economic growth. Salt Lake City and the surrounding Wasatch Front have developed into major centers of technology, finance, health care, education, and business services. Utah has also experienced substantial overall population growth, and people moving into the state have tended to be more racially diverse than the existing population. A University of Utah analysis found that non-white residents accounted for 52% of Utah's population growth between 2010 and 2020. The state also has something that can be attractive to young professionals and families. Economic opportunity combined with access to outdoor recreation. At number three, we have Minnesota. Minnesota is perhaps the most complicated state on the list. Unlike Utah or North Dakota, Minnesota already had a substantial black population, which I did not know before making this video. That's crazy to think about. But during the 2010s, that population grew dramatically. The black population alone increased from 274,000 in 2010 to approximately 398,000 in 2020, a gain of 45.2 percent. Minnesota's overall population increased only 7.6%. That made Minnesota the fifth fastest growing state for its black population during the decade. And there is an important reason for the state's growth. Minnesota has become one of America's major destinations for African immigrants. The Twin Cities, Minneapolis, and St. Paul are home to one of the country's largest Somali communities, along with substantial Ethiopian, Liberian, and Nigerian populations. Between 2010 and 2021, Minnesota received more than 63,000 new immigrants from Africa. That migration has deep roots. Somali refugees began arriving in large numbers during the 1990s after Civil War devastated Somalia. Minneapolis became a major resettlement destination, and established communities then helped attract additional newcomers. This is a classic example of how migration networks work. One family arrives, they establish themselves, they find housing, employment, schools, religious institutions, and businesses. Then relatives and friends have a reason to choose the same destination. Minnesota's economy also matters. The state has major healthcare, manufacturing, retail, finance, education, and professional service industries. And projections suggest that that trend will probably continue. Number two, South Dakota. South Dakota may be one of the most surprising names on this entire list. In 2010, only about 10,000 South Dakotians identified as Black or African American alone. By 2020, that number had climbed to approximately 17,400. That's roughly a 75% increase in one decade. We know the absolute numbers are still small, but percentage growth tells a very different story. And much of it is concentrated around Sioux Falls. the state's largest city. Sioux Falls has become an economic magnet in the Great Plains with health care, financial services, manufacturing, retail, construction, and logistics providing employment. South Dakota has also benefited from international migration. African immigration has become increasingly important including people from countries such as Sudan and Ethiopia. While refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo have also contributed to the state's changing demographics. When a state goes from 10,000 black residents to 17,000, the percentage change is enormous. And if those newcomers establish communities, businesses, churches, families, and institutions, the population can create its own momentum. And at number one we have North Dakota. Few states in America would seem less likely to experience a black population boom but during the 2010s something extraordinary happened North Dakota's black population increased from roughly 8,000 people in 2010 to more than 26,000 in 2020 that's more than a 200% increase the state's black population more than tripled and the reason isn't mysterious it was jobs North Dakota experienced an economic boom driven in large part by energy development, particularly oil production in the Bakken region. Thousands of workers came into the state. The migration wasn't exclusively white. Black workers from other parts of the country also followed the employment opportunities. North Dakota's overall population grew by nearly 16 percent between 2010 and 2020, making it one of America's fastest growing states during the decade. The state also became considerably younger and more diverse according to the state's demographic research black residents represented only about 1.2 percent of north dakota's population in 2010 but roughly 3.4 by 2020. the boom wasn't limited to oil north dakota has continued promoting employment opportunities relatively low taxes education and health care as reasons for people to relocate by 2024 the state had reached a record estimated population of about 796 600 people but north dakota also demonstrates the limits of using percentages a 200 increase sounds enormous as it is but it represents a much smaller number of people than a 30 increase in california or texas still the demographic significance is enormous and that changes schools businesses neighborhoods politics and culture these seven states tell a larger story about the future of black america for much of american history black population geography was shaped by slavery the great migration and the industrial economy millions of black americans left the rural south for cities such as chicago detroit cleveland philadelphia and new york later millions moved again towards Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, Washington D.C., and other parts of the Sun Belt. But today's migration is becoming more complicated. Black Americans are increasingly following jobs rather than simply following established black population centers. That's why places like Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Seattle are becoming increasingly important. It's also why smaller states such as North Dakota and South Dakota can experience extraordinary percentage growth black america isn't disappearing from atlanta birmingham jackson or new orleans but it is expanding beyond them that's it for this video if you made it to the end of this video you're one of my most favorite people and i want to let you guys know that i actually came out with my own journal it's pretty cool 90 days of black excellence it has quotes in here from black celebrities that will help you get through your 90 day challenge it really helped me get a lot of things done and stop getting distracted so check it out we left a description below so get your copy thank you guys so much make sure to leave a comment like and subscribe and i'll catch you guys on the next one peace