Graph and download economic data for Population Level - Black or African American (LNU00000006) from Jan 1972 to Sep 2025 about African-American, civilian, population, and USA.

In 2024, white Americans remained the largest racial group in the United States, numbering just over 254 million. Black Americans followed at nearly 47 million, with Asians totaling around 23 million. Hispanic residents, of any race, constituted the nation’s largest ethnic minority. Despite falling fertility, the U.S. population continues to edge upward and is expected to reach 342 million in 2025. International migrations driving population growth The United States’s population growth now hinges on immigration. Fertility rates have long been in decline, falling well below the replacement rate of 2.1. On the other hand, international migration stepped in to add some 2.8 million new arrivals to the national total that year. Changing demographics and migration patterns Looking ahead, the U.S. population is projected to grow increasingly diverse. By 2060, the Hispanic population is expected to grow to 27 percent of the total population. Likewise, African Americans will remain the largest racial minority at just under 15 percent.

The statistic shows the share of U.S. population, by race and Hispanic origin, in 2016 and a projection for 2060. As of 2016, about 17.79 percent of the U.S. population was of Hispanic origin. Race and ethnicity in the U.S. For decades, America was a melting pot of the racial and ethnical diversity of its population. The number of people of different ethnic groups in the United States has been growing steadily over the last decade, as has the population in total. For example, 35.81 million Black or African Americans were counted in the U.S. in 2000, while 43.5 million Black or African Americans were counted in 2017.

The median annual family income in the United States in 2017 earned by Black families was about 50,870 U.S. dollars, while the average family income earned by the Asian population was about 92,784 U.S. dollars. This is more than 15,000 U.S. dollars higher than the U.S. average family income, which was 75,938 U.S. dollars.

The unemployment rate varies by ethnicity as well. In 2018, about 6.5 percent of the Black or African American population in the United States were unemployed. In contrast to that, only three percent of the population with Asian origin was unemployed.

United States - Population Level - Black or African American was 35892.00000 Thous. of Persons in September of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Population Level - Black or African American reached a record high of 35892.00000 in September of 2025 and a record low of 14332.00000 in January of 1972. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Population Level - Black or African American - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on December of 2025.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the population of United States by race. It includes the population of United States across racial categories (excluding ethnicity) as identified by the Census Bureau. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of United States across relevant racial categories.

Key observations

The percent distribution of United States population by race (across all racial categories recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau): 63.44% are white, 12.36% are Black or African American, 0.88% are American Indian and Alaska Native, 5.82% are Asian, 0.19% are Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 6.60% are some other race and 10.71% are multiracial.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Racial categories include:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Some other race
• Two or more races (multiracial)

Variables / Data Columns

• Race: This column displays the racial categories (excluding ethnicity) for the United States
• Population: The population of the racial category (excluding ethnicity) in the United States is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each race as a proportion of United States total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for United States Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Black or African American (LNS14000006) from Jan 1972 to Sep 2025 about African-American, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

There were almost 700 thousand slaves in the U.S. in 1790, which equated to approximately 18 percent of the total population, or roughly one in six people. By 1860, the final census taken before the American Civil War, there were four million slaves in the South, compared with less than 500,000 free Black Americans in all of the U.S.. Of the 4.4 million Blacks in the U.S. before the war, almost four million of these people were held as slaves; meaning that for all African Americans living in the US in 1860, there was an 89 percent* chance that they lived in slavery. A brief history Trans-Atlantic slavery began in the early 16th century, when the Portuguese and Spanish forcefully brought enslaved Africans to the New World. The British Empire introduced slavery to North America on a large scale, and the economy of the British colonies there depended on slave labor, particularly regarding cotton, sugar, and tobacco output. In the seventeenth and eighteenth century the number of slaves being brought to the Americas increased exponentially, and at the time of American independence it was legal in all thirteen colonies. Although slavery became increasingly prohibited in the north, the number of slaves remained high during this time as they were simply relocated or sold from the north to the south. It is also important to remember that the children of slaves were also viewed as property, and were overwhelmingly born into a life of slavery. Abolition and the American Civil War In the years that followed independence, the Northern States gradually prohibited slavery, it was officially abolished there by 1805, and the importation of slave labor was prohibited nationwide from 1808 (although both still existed in practice after this). Business owners in the Southern States however depended on slave labor in order to meet the demand of their rapidly expanding industries, and the issue of slavery continued to polarize American society in the decades to come. This culminated in the election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860, who promised to prohibit slavery in the newly acquired territories to the west, leading to the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Although the Confederacy (south) took the upper hand in much of the early stages of the war, the strength in numbers of the northern states including many free, Black men, eventually resulted in a victory for the Union (north), and the nationwide abolishment of slavery with the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865. Legacy In total, an estimated twelve to thirteen million Africans were transported to the Americas as slaves, and this does not include the high number who did not survive the journey (which was as high as 23 percent in some years). In the 150 years since the abolition of slavery in the US, the African-American community have continuously campaigned for equal rights and opportunities that were not afforded to them along with freedom. The most prominent themes have been the Civil Rights Movement, voter suppression, mass incarceration, and the relationship between the police and the African-American community.

This statistics shows the leading metropolitan areas with the highest percentage of Black population in the United States in 2023. Among the 81 largest metropolitan areas, Memphis, Tennessee was ranked first with ** percent of residents reporting as Black or African-Americans in 2023.

United States Employment: Black or African American data was reported at 20,886.000 Person th in Apr 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 20,787.000 Person th for Mar 2025. United States Employment: Black or African American data is updated monthly, averaging 14,555.000 Person th from Jan 1972 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 640 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20,938.000 Person th in Mar 2023 and a record low of 7,367.000 Person th in Jan 1972. United States Employment: Black or African American data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Population Survey: Employment.

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Dallas County, TX (B03002004E048113) from 2009 to 2023 about Dallas County, TX; African-American; Dallas; non-hispanic; estimate; TX; 5-year; persons; population; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Homeownership Rates by Race and Ethnicity: Black Alone in the United States (BOAAAHORUSQ156N) from Q1 1994 to Q2 2025 about African-American, homeownership, rate, and USA.

About this dataset

Context

This list ranks the 51 states in the United States by Multi-Racial Black or African American population, as estimated by the United States Census Bureau. It also highlights population changes in each states over the past five years.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, including:

• 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
• 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
• 2017-2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
• 2016-2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
• 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Variables / Data Columns

• Rank by Multi-Racial Black Population: This column displays the rank of states in the United States by their Multi-Racial Black or African American population, using the most recent ACS data available.
• states: The states for which the rank is shown in the previous column.
• Multi-Racial Black Population: The Multi-Racial Black population of the states is shown in this column.
• % of Total states Population: This shows what percentage of the total states population identifies as Multi-Racial Black. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.
• % of Total U.S. Multi-Racial Black Population: This tells us how much of the entire United States Multi-Racial Black population lives in that states. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.
• 5 Year Rank Trend: TThis column displays the rank trend across the last 5 years.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

The Population - Bridged-Race July 1st Estimates online databases report bridged-race population estimates of the July 1st resident population of the United States, based on Census 2000 counts, for use in calculating vital rates. These estimates result from "bridging" the 31 race categories used in Census 2000, as specified in the 1997 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards for the collection of data on race and ethnicity, to the four race categories specified under the 1977 standards (Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, White). Many data systems, such as vital statistics, are continuing to use the 1977 OMB standards during the transition to full implementation of the 1997 OMB standards. Postcensal estimates are available for year 2000 - 2009; intercensal estimates are available for the years 1990-1999. Obtain population counts by Year, State, County, Race (4-categories), Ethnicity, Sex and Age (1-year or 5-year groups). The data are released by the National Center for Health Statistics.

United States - Unemployment Rate - Black or African American was 5.80% in April of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - Black or African American reached a record high of 21.70 in June of 1983 and a record low of 4.40 in April of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - Black or African American - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on December of 2025.

Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Baylor County, TX was 26.00000 Persons in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Baylor County, TX reached a record high of 122.00000 in January of 2021 and a record low of 24.00000 in January of 2011. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Baylor County, TX - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on December of 2025.

United States Employment: Black or African American: Female data was reported at 10,682.000 Person th in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10,690.000 Person th for Mar 2025. United States Employment: Black or African American: Female data is updated monthly, averaging 7,699.000 Person th from Jan 1972 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 640 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,955.000 Person th in Apr 2023 and a record low of 3,341.000 Person th in Jan 1972. United States Employment: Black or African American: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Population Survey: Employment.

Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Anderson County, TN was 2578.00000 Persons in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Anderson County, TN reached a record high of 3012.00000 in January of 2013 and a record low of 2395.00000 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Anderson County, TN - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on December of 2025.

In the fiscal year of 2019, 21.39 percent of active-duty enlisted women were of Hispanic origin. The total number of active duty military personnel in 2019 amounted to 1.3 million people.

Ethnicities in the United States The United States is known around the world for the diversity of its population. The Census recognizes six different racial and ethnic categories: White American, Native American and Alaska Native, Asian American, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. People of Hispanic or Latino origin are classified as a racially diverse ethnicity.

The largest part of the population, about 61.3 percent, is composed of White Americans. The largest minority in the country are Hispanics with a share of 17.8 percent of the population, followed by Black or African Americans with 13.3 percent. Life in the U.S. and ethnicity However, life in the United States seems to be rather different depending on the race or ethnicity that you belong to. For instance: In 2019, native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders had the highest birth rate of 58 per 1,000 women, while the birth rae of white alone, non Hispanic women was 49 children per 1,000 women.

The Black population living in the United States has the highest poverty rate with of all Census races and ethnicities in the United States. About 19.5 percent of the Black population was living with an income lower than the 2020 poverty threshold. The Asian population has the smallest poverty rate in the United States, with about 8.1 percent living in poverty.

The median annual family income in the United States in 2020 earned by Black families was about 57,476 U.S. dollars, while the average family income earned by the Asian population was about 109,448 U.S. dollars. This is more than 25,000 U.S. dollars higher than the U.S. average family income, which was 84,008 U.S. dollars.

In 2024, **** percent of Black people living in the United States were living below the poverty line, compared to *** percent of white people. That year, the overall poverty rate in the U.S. across all races and ethnicities was **** percent. Poverty in the United States The poverty threshold for a single person in the United States was measured at an annual income of ****** U.S. dollars in 2023. Among families of four, the poverty line increases to ****** U.S. dollars a year. Women and children are more likely to suffer from poverty. This is due to the fact that women are more likely than men to stay at home, to care for children. Furthermore, the gender-based wage gap impacts women's earning potential. Poverty data Despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the United States has some of the highest poverty rates among OECD countries. While, the United States poverty rate has fluctuated since 1990, it has trended downwards since 2014. Similarly, the average median household income in the U.S. has mostly increased over the past decade, except for the covid-19 pandemic period. Among U.S. states, Louisiana had the highest poverty rate, which stood at some ** percent in 2024.

Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Lincoln County, KS was 6.00000 Persons in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Lincoln County, KS reached a record high of 30.00000 in January of 2016 and a record low of 0.00000 in January of 2010. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population Estimate, Total, Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Alone (5-year estimate) in Lincoln County, KS - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.