African Americans by the Numbers
From the U.S. Census Bureau
Find information on African-American populations, veterans, business-owners, incomes, home-owners, and more, in honor of Black History Month.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Population
45.7 million
The number of blacks, either alone or in combination with one or more other races, on July 1, 2014, up 1.3 percent from July 1, 2013.
74.5 million
The projected black, either alone or in combination, population of the United States (including those of more than one race) for July 1, 2060. On that date, according to the projection, blacks would constitute 17.9 percent of the nation's total population.
3.8 million
The black population in New York, which led all states as of July 1, 2014. Texas had the largest numeric increase since 2013 (88,000). The District of Columbia had the highest percentage of blacks (50.6 percent), followed by Mississippi (38.2 percent).
1.3 million
Cook County, Ill. (Chicago) had the largest black population of any county in 2014 (1.3 million), and Harris, Texas (Houston) had the largest numeric increase since 2014 (21,000). Holmes, Miss., was the county with the highest percentage of blacks in the nation (82.5 percent).
Businesses
2.6 million
The number of black-owned firms nationally in 2012, up from 1.9 million or 34.5 percent from 2007.
649,896
The number of African-American/black-owned firms in "other services," which includes repair and maintenance (automotive, consumer electronics, etc.) and personal/laundry services (hair/nail salons, dry cleaning, pet care). This is the largest sector of black-owned businesses. The "other services" sector is followed by health care and social assistance (492,983 black-owned firms); administrative, support, waste management and remediation (294,977); professional, scientific and technical support (206,942); and transportation and warehousing (184,777).
Serving Our Nation
2.2 million
Number of black military veterans in the United States in 2014.
Education
84.4%
The percentage of blacks 25 and over with a high school diploma or higher in 2014.
19.7%
The percentage of blacks 25 and over who had a bachelor's degree or higher in 2014.
1.8 million
Among blacks 25 and over, the number who had an advanced degree in 2014.
2.9 million
Number of blacks enrolled in undergraduate college in 2014 compared with 2.8 million in 2009, a 5.3 percent increase.
Voting
17.8 million
The number of blacks who voted in the 2012 presidential election. In comparison to the 2008 election, about 1.7 million additional black voters reported going to the polls in 2012.
66.2%
Percent of blacks who voted in the 2012 presidential election, higher than the 64.1 percent of non-Hispanic whites who did so. This marks the first time that blacks have voted at a higher rate than whites since the Census Bureau started publishing statistics on voting by the eligible citizen population in 1996.
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance
$35,398
The annual median income of black households in 2014, compared with the nation at $53,657.
26.2
Poverty rate in 2014 for blacks, while nationally it was 14.8 percent.
88.2%
Percentage of blacks that were covered by health insurance during all or part of 2014. Nationally, 89.6 percent of all races were covered by health insurance.
Families and Children
61.3%
Among households with a black householder, the percentage that contained a family in 2014. There were 9.9 million black family households.
50.0%
Among families with black householders, the percentage that were married couples in 2014.
1.2 million
Number of black grandparents who lived with their own grandchildren younger than 18 in 2014. Of this number, 44.0 percent were also responsible for their care.
Jobs
28.6%
The percentage of civilian employed blacks 16 and over who worked in management, business, science and arts occupations, while 36.9 percent of the total civilian employed population worked in these occupations.
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