Most African American cities in Washington research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Washington’s most recent Census data to determine the blackest cities in Washington based on the percentage of Black residents. Here are the results of our analysis:
The city with the largest African American population in Washington is SeaTac based on the most recent Census data.
SeaTac is 23.86% Black.
The least African American city in Washington is Prosser.
Prosser is 0.0% Black.
Washington is 3.8% Black.
Washington is the 35th blackest state in the United States.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Black community is one of the fastest-growing communities in America this decade.
Roughly 42 million people identifying as Black or African American live in the United States, making up 12% of the total population. According to the most recent American Community Survey, the Black population in Washington is 290,907 – at 3.8% of the total population of Washington.
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. Most scholars and historians agree that increasing diversity in America is a good thing.
We agree.
But how has the increase in the black population impacted Washington? Which cities and towns in Washington have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in Washington with the largest African American population in 2024:
Most African American Places In Washington
What’s the blackest city in Washington? The city with the largest Black population in Washington for 2024 is SeaTac. See if SeaTac ranked as one of the most african american places in America.
And if you already knew these places were Black, check out the best places to live in Washington or the most diverse places in Washington. Population: 30,927 Population: 21,569 Population: 99,614 Population: 63,142 Population: 135,169 Population: 7,097 Population: 10,887 Population: 219,234 Population: 32,667 Population: 39,867The 10 Blackest Cities In Washington For 2024
1. Seatac
/10
% African American: 23.86%
# Of African American Residents: 7,378
Percent Change Since 2010: 78.99%
More on Seatac: Data | Cost Of Living2. Tukwila
/10
% African American: 17.04%
# Of African American Residents: 3,675
Percent Change Since 2010: 33.98%
More on Tukwila: Data | Cost Of Living3. Federal Way
/10
% African American: 16.17%
# Of African American Residents: 16,105
Percent Change Since 2010: 113.74%
More on Federal Way: Data | Cost Of Living4. Lakewood
/10
% African American: 13.72%
# Of African American Residents: 8,661
Percent Change Since 2010: 17.06%
More on Lakewood: Data | Cost Of Living5. Kent
/10
% African American: 12.61%
# Of African American Residents: 17,048
Percent Change Since 2010: 83.13%
More on Kent: Data | Cost Of Living6. Pacific
/10
% African American: 11.7%
# Of African American Residents: 830
Percent Change Since 2010: 738.38%
More on Pacific: Data | Cost Of Living7. Fife
/10
% African American: 11.35%
# Of African American Residents: 1,236
Percent Change Since 2010: 38.41%
More on Fife: Data | Cost Of Living8. Tacoma
/10
% African American: 10.09%
# Of African American Residents: 22,121
Percent Change Since 2010: 0.45%
More on Tacoma: Data | Cost Of Living9. Des Moines
/10
% African American: 9.57%
# Of African American Residents: 3,126
Percent Change Since 2010: -4.2%
More on Des Moines: Data | Cost Of Living10. Lynnwood
/10
% African American: 8.41%
# Of African American Residents: 3,354
Percent Change Since 2010: 66.7%
More on Lynnwood: Data | Cost Of Living
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Washington. That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2018-2022 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: Our particular column of interest was the number of people who identified as Black or African American. We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 6,000 people in Washington. That left us with 115 cities. We then calculated the percentage of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 23.9% to 0.0%. Finally, we ranked each city based on the percentage of the Black population, with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. SeaTac took the distinction of being the most Black, while Prosser was the least African American city. We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the cities in Washington with the largest African American population. Read on for more information on how the cities in Washington 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.Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Washington With The Largest Black Population For 2024
Summary: Black Populations Across Washington
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Washington according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The blackest cities in Washington are SeaTac, Tukwila, Federal Way, Lakewood, Kent, Pacific, Fife, Tacoma, Des Moines, and Lynnwood.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in Washington:
- Prosser
- Stanwood
- Union Gap
For more Washington reading, check out:
African American Population By City In Washington
| Rank | City | Population | African American Population | % African American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seatac | 30,927 | 7,378 | 23.86% |
| 2 | Tukwila | 21,569 | 3,675 | 17.04% |
| 3 | Federal Way | 99,614 | 16,105 | 16.17% |
| 4 | Lakewood | 63,142 | 8,661 | 13.72% |
| 5 | Kent | 135,169 | 17,048 | 12.61% |
| 6 | Pacific | 7,097 | 830 | 11.7% |
| 7 | Fife | 10,887 | 1,236 | 11.35% |
| 8 | Tacoma | 219,234 | 22,121 | 10.09% |
| 9 | Des Moines | 32,667 | 3,126 | 9.57% |
| 10 | Lynnwood | 39,867 | 3,354 | 8.41% |
| 11 | Renton | 105,355 | 8,671 | 8.23% |
| 12 | Burien | 51,505 | 4,053 | 7.87% |
| 13 | Dupont | 9,955 | 752 | 7.55% |
| 14 | Auburn | 85,623 | 6,269 | 7.32% |
| 15 | University Place | 34,696 | 2,447 | 7.05% |
| 16 | Seattle | 734,603 | 48,754 | 6.64% |
| 17 | Covington | 20,814 | 1,337 | 6.42% |
| 18 | Everett | 110,847 | 7,062 | 6.37% |
| 19 | Shoreline | 58,673 | 3,598 | 6.13% |
| 20 | Brier | 6,539 | 364 | 5.57% |
| 21 | Airway Heights | 10,570 | 578 | 5.47% |
| 22 | Lacey | 56,263 | 2,985 | 5.31% |
| 23 | Steilacoom | 6,680 | 352 | 5.27% |
| 24 | Oak Harbor | 24,458 | 1,269 | 5.19% |
| 25 | Bremerton | 43,983 | 2,269 | 5.16% |
| 26 | Lake Forest Park | 13,462 | 658 | 4.89% |
| 27 | Mountlake Terrace | 21,350 | 1,023 | 4.79% |
| 28 | Mill Creek | 20,797 | 921 | 4.43% |
| 29 | Fircrest | 7,098 | 281 | 3.96% |
| 30 | Puyallup | 42,610 | 1,548 | 3.63% |
| 31 | Tumwater | 25,617 | 903 | 3.53% |
| 32 | Yelm | 10,438 | 358 | 3.43% |
| 33 | Moses Lake | 25,155 | 810 | 3.22% |
| 34 | Walla Walla | 33,842 | 967 | 2.86% |
| 35 | Lake Stevens | 38,816 | 1,104 | 2.84% |
| 36 | Cheney | 12,848 | 363 | 2.83% |
| 37 | Monroe | 19,632 | 524 | 2.67% |
| 38 | Vancouver | 190,700 | 5,013 | 2.63% |
| 39 | Olympia | 55,151 | 1,443 | 2.62% |
| 40 | Bellevue | 150,606 | 3,846 | 2.55% |
| 41 | Spokane | 227,922 | 5,813 | 2.55% |
| 42 | Sequim | 8,073 | 199 | 2.47% |
| 43 | Pullman | 31,972 | 787 | 2.46% |
| 44 | Newcastle | 12,931 | 292 | 2.26% |
| 45 | Kenmore | 23,611 | 528 | 2.24% |
| 46 | Kennewick | 83,823 | 1,817 | 2.17% |
| 47 | Redmond | 73,728 | 1,548 | 2.1% |
| 48 | Poulsbo | 11,824 | 244 | 2.06% |
| 49 | Edmonds | 42,705 | 850 | 1.99% |
| 50 | Marysville | 70,847 | 1,394 | 1.97% |
| 51 | Camas | 26,387 | 506 | 1.92% |
| 52 | Chehalis | 7,512 | 144 | 1.92% |
| 53 | Maple Valley | 27,889 | 495 | 1.77% |
| 54 | Clarkston | 7,222 | 128 | 1.77% |
| 55 | Issaquah | 39,400 | 689 | 1.75% |
| 56 | Pasco | 77,274 | 1,322 | 1.71% |
| 57 | Arlington | 20,263 | 333 | 1.64% |
| 58 | Port Orchard | 15,820 | 254 | 1.61% |
| 59 | Burlington | 9,361 | 143 | 1.53% |
| 60 | Kelso | 12,661 | 191 | 1.51% |
| 61 | Kirkland | 92,015 | 1,362 | 1.48% |
| 62 | Woodinville | 13,301 | 196 | 1.47% |
| 63 | Milton | 8,543 | 125 | 1.46% |
| 64 | Richland | 60,867 | 887 | 1.46% |
| 65 | Sammamish | 66,586 | 961 | 1.44% |
| 66 | Spokane Valley | 103,761 | 1,492 | 1.44% |
| 67 | Mukilteo | 21,365 | 297 | 1.39% |
| 68 | Edgewood | 12,397 | 172 | 1.39% |
| 69 | Ellensburg | 19,003 | 246 | 1.29% |
| 70 | Yakima | 96,764 | 1,246 | 1.29% |
| 71 | Mercer Island | 25,464 | 324 | 1.27% |
| 72 | Bellingham | 91,353 | 1,153 | 1.26% |
| 73 | Bonney Lake | 22,590 | 285 | 1.26% |
| 74 | Normandy Park | 6,697 | 84 | 1.25% |
| 75 | Hoquiam | 8,742 | 102 | 1.17% |
| 76 | Woodland | 6,463 | 72 | 1.11% |
| 77 | West Richland | 16,547 | 184 | 1.11% |
| 78 | Mount Vernon | 35,120 | 376 | 1.07% |
| 79 | Longview | 37,722 | 397 | 1.05% |
| 80 | Washougal | 16,828 | 175 | 1.04% |
| 81 | Ephrata | 8,419 | 75 | 0.89% |
| 82 | Selah | 8,203 | 73 | 0.89% |
| 83 | Wenatchee | 35,365 | 314 | 0.89% |
| 84 | Centralia | 18,234 | 158 | 0.87% |
| 85 | Lynden | 15,723 | 135 | 0.86% |
| 86 | Sumner | 10,589 | 90 | 0.85% |
| 87 | Bothell | 47,917 | 400 | 0.83% |
| 88 | Port Townsend | 10,161 | 81 | 0.8% |
| 89 | Shelton | 10,484 | 78 | 0.74% |
| 90 | Aberdeen | 16,969 | 113 | 0.67% |
| 91 | Sedro-Woolley | 12,470 | 80 | 0.64% |
| 92 | Port Angeles | 20,007 | 124 | 0.62% |
| 93 | Duvall | 8,128 | 50 | 0.62% |
| 94 | Snoqualmie | 13,762 | 81 | 0.59% |
| 95 | Orting | 8,898 | 52 | 0.58% |
| 96 | Anacortes | 17,667 | 99 | 0.56% |
| 97 | Gig Harbor | 11,917 | 64 | 0.54% |
| 98 | Enumclaw | 12,630 | 65 | 0.51% |
| 99 | East Wenatchee | 14,065 | 56 | 0.4% |
| 100 | Snohomish | 10,133 | 39 | 0.38% |
I think you missed the city of Silverdale.
Population of 19,204 in 2010 census
% African American = 3.24% in 2010 census