List of U.S. states and territories by African-American population
The following is a list of U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia ranked by the proportion of African Americans in the population.
By 2010 census results
African-American proportion of state and territory populations (1790–2010)
| State/Territory | 1790 | 1800 | 1810 | 1820 | 1830 | 1840 | 1850 | 1860 | 1870 | 1880 | 1890 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 |
 United States of America | 19.3% | 18.9% | 19.0% | 18.4% | 18.1% | 16.8% | 15.7% | 14.1% | 12.7% | 13.1% | 11.9% | 11.6% | 10.7% | 9.9% | 9.7% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 11.1% | 11.7% | 12.1% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 13.4% |
 Alabama | 41.4% | 29.0% | 33.2% | 38.5% | 43.3% | 44.7% | 45.4% | 47.7% | 47.5% | 44.8% | 45.2% | 42.5% | 38.4% | 35.7% | 34.7% | 32.0% | 30.0% | 26.2% | 25.6% | 25.3% | 26.0% | 26.2% | 26.8% | |
 Alaska | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.4% | 4.1% | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.8% | ||||||||||||
 American Samoa | 0.02% | 0.04% | 0.02% | - | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Arizona | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.0% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 4.1% | 5.1% | |||||||
 Arkansas | 13.0% | 11.7% | 15.5% | 20.9% | 22.7% | 25.6% | 25.2% | 26.3% | 27.4% | 28.0% | 28.1% | 27.0% | 25.8% | 24.8% | 22.3% | 21.8% | 18.3% | 16.3% | 15.9% | 15.7% | 15.4% | 15.7% | ||
 California | 1.0% | 1.1% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 4.4% | 5.6% | 7.0% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 6.7% | 6.2% | 6.5% | ||||||
 Colorado | 0.1% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 3.0% | 3.5% | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.0% | 4.6% | |||||||
 Connecticut | 2.3% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2.7% | 4.2% | 6.0% | 7.0% | 8.3% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 12.0% |
 Delaware | 21.6% | 22.4% | 23.8% | 24.0% | 24.9% | 25.0% | 22.2% | 19.3% | 18.2% | 18.0% | 16.8% | 16.6% | 15.4% | 13.6% | 13.7% | 13.5% | 13.7% | 13.6% | 14.3% | 16.1% | 16.9% | 19.2% | 21.4% | 23.0% |
 District of Columbia | 30.4% | 33.1% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 29.1% | 26.6% | 19.1% | 33.0% | 33.6% | 32.8% | 31.1% | 28.5% | 25.1% | 27.1% | 28.2% | 35.0% | 53.9% | 71.1% | 70.3% | 65.8% | 60.0% | 50.7% | 46.4% | |
 Florida | 47.1% | 48.7% | 46.0% | 44.6% | 48.8% | 47.0% | 42.5% | 43.7% | 41.0% | 34.0% | 29.4% | 27.1% | 21.8% | 17.8% | 15.3% | 13.8% | 13.6% | 14.6% | 16.0% | 16.9% | ||||
 Georgia | 35.9% | 37.1% | 42.5% | 44.4% | 42.6% | 41.0% | 42.4% | 44.0% | 46.0% | 47.0% | 46.7% | 46.7% | 45.1% | 41.7% | 36.8% | 34.7% | 30.9% | 28.5% | 25.9% | 26.8% | 27.0% | 28.7% | 30.5% | 32.4% |
 Guam | 2.37% | 1.02% | 0.96% | - | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Hawaii | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.8% | 2.5% | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.2% | |||||||||||
 Idaho | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.9% | ||||||||
 Illinois | 7.4% | 6.4% | 2.5% | 1.5% | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2.8% | 4.3% | 4.9% | 7.4% | 10.3% | 12.8% | 14.7% | 14.8% | 15.1% | 14.5% | 14.6% | |
 Indiana | 4.4% | 2.6% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 4.4% | 5.8% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 7.8% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 9.8% | |
 Iowa | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 2.9% | 4.0% | |||||
 Kansas | 0.6% | 4.7% | 4.3% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.9% | 6.1% | |||||||
 Kentucky | 17.0% | 18.6% | 20.2% | 22.9% | 24.7% | 24.3% | 22.5% | 20.4% | 16.8% | 16.5% | 14.4% | 13.3% | 11.4% | 9.8% | 8.6% | 7.5% | 6.9% | 7.1% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 7.8% | 8.4% |
 Louisiana | 55.2% | 51.8% | 58.5% | 55.0% | 50.7% | 49.5% | 50.1% | 51.5% | 50.0% | 47.1% | 43.1% | 38.9% | 36.9% | 35.9% | 32.9% | 31.9% | 29.8% | 29.4% | 30.8% | 32.5% | 32.0% | 32.7% | ||
 Maine | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 1.6% |
 Maryland | 34.7% | 36.7% | 38.2% | 36.1% | 34.9% | 32.3% | 28.3% | 24.9% | 22.5% | 22.5% | 20.7% | 19.8% | 17.9% | 16.9% | 16.9% | 16.6% | 16.5% | 16.7% | 17.8% | 22.7% | 24.9% | 27.9% | 29.4% | 30.9% |
 Massachusetts | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 3.1% | 3.9% | 5.0% | 5.4% | 7.9% | 8.9% |
 Michigan | 3.7% | 3.0% | 2.1% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 1.6% | 3.5% | 4.0% | 6.9% | 9.2% | 11.2% | 12.9% | 13.9% | 14.2% | 14.2% | 14.1% | |
 Minnesota | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 2.2% | 3.5% | 5.2% | 6.8% | ||||||
| Mississippi | 41.5% | 47.0% | 44.1% | 48.4% | 52.3% | 51.2% | 55.3% | 53.7% | 57.5% | 57.6% | 58.5% | 56.2% | 52.2% | 50.2% | 49.2% | 45.3% | 42.0% | 36.8% | 35.2% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 37.0% | 37.8% | |
 Missouri | 17.6% | 15.9% | 18.3% | 15.6% | 13.2% | 10.0% | 6.9% | 6.7% | 5.6% | 5.2% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 6.2% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 9.0% | 10.3% | 10.5% | 10.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.8% | ||
 Montana | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.6% | ||||||||
 Nebraska | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 2.7% | 3.1% | 3.6% | 4.0% | 4.5% | 5.1% | |||||||
 Nevada | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 2.7% | 4.7% | 5.7% | 6.4% | 6.6% | 6.8% | 8.1% | 10.1% | |||||||
 New Hampshire | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 1.7% |
 New Jersey | 7.7% | 8.0% | 7.6% | 7.2% | 6.4% | 5.8% | 4.9% | 3.8% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 5.5% | 6.6% | 8.5% | 10.7% | 12.6% | 13.4% | 13.6% | 13.7% | 15.0% |
 New Mexico | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.6% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2.6% | ||||||
 New York | 7.6% | 5.3% | 4.2% | 2.9% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 3.3% | 4.2% | 6.2% | 8.4% | 11.9% | 13.7% | 15.9% | 15.9% | 17.5% | 17.6% |
 North Carolina | 26.8% | 29.4% | 32.2% | 34.4% | 35.9% | 35.6% | 36.4% | 36.4% | 36.6% | 38.0% | 34.7% | 33.0% | 31.6% | 29.8% | 29.0% | 27.5% | 25.8% | 24.5% | 22.2% | 22.4% | 22.0% | 21.6% | 21.5% | 22.2% |
 North Dakota | 1.0% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1.2% | 3.4% | ||||||||
 Northern Mariana Islands | 0.06% | 0.06% | 0.1% | - | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Ohio | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 3.2% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 6.5% | 8.1% | 9.1% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 11.5% | 12.2% | 13.0% | |
 Oklahoma | 8.4% | 7.0% | 8.3% | 7.4% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 6.5% | 6.6% | 6.7% | 6.8% | 7.4% | 7.6% | 7.4% | 7.8% | ||||||||||
 Oregon | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 2.2% | ||||||
 Pennsylvania | 2.4% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 3.3% | 4.5% | 4.7% | 6.1% | 7.5% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 9.2% | 10.0% | 10.8% | 12.0% |
 Puerto Rico | 8.0% | 12.4% | - | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Rhode Island | 6.3% | 5.3% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 3.7% | 3.0% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 3.9% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 8.4% |
 South Carolina | 43.7% | 43.2% | 48.4% | 52.8% | 55.6% | 56.4% | 58.9% | 58.6% | 58.9% | 60.7% | 59.8% | 58.4% | 55.2% | 51.4% | 45.6% | 42.9% | 38.8% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 30.4% | 29.8% | 29.5% | 27.9% | 27.1% |
 South Dakota | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 1.3% | 2.4% | |||||||
 Tennessee | 10.6% | 13.2% | 17.5% | 19.6% | 21.4% | 22.7% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 25.6% | 26.1% | 24.4% | 23.8% | 21.7% | 19.3% | 18.3% | 17.4% | 16.1% | 16.5% | 15.8% | 15.8% | 16.0% | 16.4% | 16.7% | 17.1% |
 Texas | 27.5% | 30.3% | 31.0% | 24.7% | 21.8% | 20.4% | 17.7% | 15.9% | 14.7% | 14.4% | 12.7% | 12.4% | 12.5% | 12.0% | 11.9% | 11.5% | 11.8% | 12.8% | ||||||
 Utah | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 1.4% | ||||||
 Vermont | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 1.4% |
 Virgin Islands | 76.62% | 76.19% | 76.03% | - | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Virginia | 43.4% | 44.6% | 47.1% | 47.8% | 47.9% | 46.9% | 45.0% | 43.3% | 41.9% | 41.8% | 38.4% | 35.6% | 32.6% | 29.9% | 26.8% | 24.7% | 22.1% | 20.6% | 18.5% | 18.9% | 18.8% | 19.6% | 19.4% | 19.9% |
 Washington | 12.7% | 0.3% | 0.9% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 4.3% | ||||||
 West Virginia | 9.5% | 9.8% | 11.5% | 12.1% | 11.2% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 5.6% | 4.1% | 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.5% | 5.3% | 5.9% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 5.7% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 3.4% | 3.6% |
 Wisconsin | 1.2% | 1.8% | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 3.9% | 5.0% | 5.7% | 6.3% | 6.7% | |||
 Wyoming | 2.0% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.3% |
Free Blacks as a percentage out of the total Black population by U.S. region and U.S. state between 1790 and 1860
In 1865, all enslaved Blacks in the United States were emancipated as a result of the Thirteenth Amendment. However, some U.S. states had previously emancipated some or all of their Black population. The table below shows the percentage of free Blacks as a percentage of the total Black population in various U.S. regions and U.S. states between 1790 and 1860.| State/territory | 1790 | 1800 | 1810 | 1820 | 1830 | 1840 | 1850 | 1860 |
| United States | 7.9% | 10.8% | 13.5% | 13.2% | 13.7% | 13.4% | 11.9% | 11.0% |
| Northeast | 40.1% | 56.2% | 73.5% | 83.7% | 97.8% | 99.5% | 99.8% | 100.0% |
| Midwest | 78.7% | 52.4% | 38.0% | 37.7% | 34.4% | 35.5% | 37.6% | |
| South | 4.7% | 6.7% | 8.5% | 8.2% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 7.0% | 6.3% |
| West | 97.9% | 99.4% | ||||||
| Alabama | 4.4% | 2.2% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.6% | |
| Alaska | ||||||||
| Arizona | 100.0% | |||||||
| Arkansas | 1.4% | 3.5% | 3.0% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 0.1% | ||
| California | 100.0% | 100.0% | ||||||
| Colorado | 100.0% | |||||||
| Connecticut | 50.4% | 84.9% | 95.4% | 98.8% | 99.7% | 99.8% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Delaware | 30.5% | 57.3% | 75.9% | 74.2% | 82.8% | 86.7% | 88.8% | 91.7% |
| District of Columbia | 16.2% | 30.7% | 37.9% | 50.5% | 66.2% | 73.2% | 77.8% | |
| Florida | 5.2% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 1.5% | ||||
| Georgia | 1.3% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Hawaii | ||||||||
| Idaho | ||||||||
| Illinois | 41.5% | 78.5% | 33.3% | 68.7% | 91.6% | 100.0% | 100.0% | |
| Indiana | 75.7% | 62.4% | 86.6% | 99.9% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | |
| Iowa | 91.5% | 100.0% | 100.0% | |||||
| Kansas | 99.7% | |||||||
| Kentucky | 0.9% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.9% | 3.9% | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Louisiana | 18.0% | 13.2% | 13.2% | 13.1% | 6.7% | 5.3% | ||
| Maine | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 99.8% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Maryland | 7.2% | 15.6% | 23.3% | 27.0% | 33.9% | 40.9% | 45.3% | 49.1% |
| Massachusetts | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Michigan | 100.0% | 83.3% | 100.0% | 99.6% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | |
| Minnesota | 100.0% | 100.0% | ||||||
| Mississippi | 5.0% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.2% | |
| Missouri | 17.4% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 3.0% | ||
| Montana | ||||||||
| Nebraska | 81.7% | |||||||
| Nevada | 100.0% | |||||||
| New Hampshire | 79.9% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 99.5% | 99.8% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| New Jersey | 19.5% | 26.2% | 42.0% | 62.2% | 89.0% | 96.9% | 99.0% | 99.9% |
| New Mexico | 100.0% | 100.0% | ||||||
| New York | 17.9% | 33.3% | 62.8% | 74.4% | 99.8% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| North Carolina | 4.7% | 5.0% | 5.7% | 6.7% | 7.4% | 8.5% | 8.7% | 8.4% |
| North Dakota | ||||||||
| Ohio | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 99.9% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | |
| Oklahoma | ||||||||
| Oregon | 100.0% | 100.0% | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | 63.6% | 89.5% | 96.6% | 99.3% | 98.9% | 99.9% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Rhode Island | 78.2% | 89.7% | 97.1% | 98.7% | 99.5% | 99.8% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| South Carolina | 1.7% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| South Dakota | N/A | |||||||
| Tennessee | 9.6% | 2.2% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Texas | 0.7% | 0.2% | ||||||
| Utah | 48.0% | 50.8% | ||||||
| Vermont | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Virginia | 4.1% | 5.6% | 7.3% | 8.2% | 9.3% | 10.1% | 10.2% | 10.5% |
| Washington | 100.0% | 100.0% | ||||||
| West Virginia | 11.6% | 6.8% | 10.5% | 8.5% | 10.9% | 14.1% | 13.1% | 13.1% |
| Wisconsin | 100.0% | 51.6% | 94.4% | 100.0% | 100.0% | |||
| Wyoming |
a There were no Blacks at all—either free or enslaved—in South Dakota in 1860.