Most African American cities in Wisconsin research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Wisconsin’s most recent Census data to determine the blackest cities in Wisconsin based on the percentage of Black residents. Here are the results of our analysis:
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The city with the largest African American population in Wisconsin is Milwaukee based on the most recent Census data.
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Milwaukee is 38.08% Black.
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The least African American city in Wisconsin is Hobart.
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Hobart is 0.0% Black.
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Wisconsin is 6.1% Black.
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Wisconsin is the 28th 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 Wisconsin is 356,150 – at 6.1% of the total population of Wisconsin.
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 Wisconsin? Which cities and towns in Wisconsin have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in Wisconsin with the largest African American population in 2024:
Most African American Places In Wisconsin
What’s the blackest city in Wisconsin? The city with the largest Black population in Wisconsin for 2024 is Milwaukee. See if Milwaukee 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 Wisconsin or the most diverse places in Wisconsin.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Wisconsin For 2024
1. Milwaukee
/10
Population: 573,299
% African American: 38.08%
# Of African American Residents: 218,327
Percent Change Since 2010: -4.99%
More on Milwaukee: Data | Cost Of Living
2. Brown Deer
/10
Population: 12,593
% African American: 30.64%
# Of African American Residents: 3,858
Percent Change Since 2010: 17.02%
More on Brown Deer: Data | Cost Of Living
3. Racine
/10
Population: 77,453
% African American: 21.13%
# Of African American Residents: 16,369
Percent Change Since 2010: -4.63%
More on Racine: Data | Cost Of Living
4. Glendale
/10
Population: 13,227
% African American: 17.41%
# Of African American Residents: 2,303
Percent Change Since 2010: 29.75%
More on Glendale: Data | Cost Of Living
5. Beloit
/10
Population: 36,642
% African American: 12.83%
# Of African American Residents: 4,701
Percent Change Since 2010: -11.9%
More on Beloit: Data | Cost Of Living
6. Sturtevant
/10
Population: 6,823
% African American: 10.23%
# Of African American Residents: 698
Percent Change Since 2010: -33.96%
More on Sturtevant: Data | Cost Of Living
7. Kenosha
/10
Population: 99,493
% African American: 9.96%
# Of African American Residents: 9,914
Percent Change Since 2010: 6.52%
More on Kenosha: Data | Cost Of Living
8. Mount Pleasant
/10
Population: 27,640
% African American: 8.49%
# Of African American Residents: 2,348
Percent Change Since 2010: 69.65%
More on Mount Pleasant: Data | Cost Of Living
9. Sun Prairie
/10
Population: 35,847
% African American: 7.67%
# Of African American Residents: 2,750
Percent Change Since 2010: 150.91%
More on Sun Prairie: Data | Cost Of Living
10. Fitchburg
/10
Population: 29,826
% African American: 7.42%
# Of African American Residents: 2,214
Percent Change Since 2010: 15.07%
More on Fitchburg: Data | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Wisconsin With The Largest Black Population For 2024
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Wisconsin.
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:
- Hispanic or Latino
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
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 5,000 people in Wisconsin. That left us with 137 cities.
We then calculated the percentage of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 38.1% 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. Milwaukee took the distinction of being the most Black, while Hobart was the least African American city.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the cities in Wisconsin with the largest African American population.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Wisconsin 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.
Summary: Black Populations Across Wisconsin
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Wisconsin according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The blackest cities in Wisconsin are Milwaukee, Brown Deer, Racine, Glendale, Beloit, Sturtevant, Kenosha, Mount Pleasant, Sun Prairie, and Fitchburg.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in Wisconsin:
- Hobart
- Milton
- Kimberly
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
African American Population By City In Wisconsin
| Rank | City | Population | African American Population | % African American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee | 573,299 | 218,327 | 38.08% |
| 2 | Brown Deer | 12,593 | 3,858 | 30.64% |
| 3 | Racine | 77,453 | 16,369 | 21.13% |
| 4 | Glendale | 13,227 | 2,303 | 17.41% |
| 5 | Beloit | 36,642 | 4,701 | 12.83% |
| 6 | Sturtevant | 6,823 | 698 | 10.23% |
| 7 | Kenosha | 99,493 | 9,914 | 9.96% |
| 8 | Mount Pleasant | 27,640 | 2,348 | 8.49% |
| 9 | Sun Prairie | 35,847 | 2,750 | 7.67% |
| 10 | Fitchburg | 29,826 | 2,214 | 7.42% |
| 11 | St. Francis | 9,288 | 677 | 7.29% |
| 12 | Wauwatosa | 47,919 | 3,478 | 7.26% |
| 13 | Madison | 268,516 | 19,331 | 7.2% |
| 14 | Waupun | 11,109 | 693 | 6.24% |
| 15 | Allouez | 14,089 | 871 | 6.18% |
| 16 | West Allis | 59,907 | 3,369 | 5.62% |
| 17 | Greenfield | 37,521 | 1,971 | 5.25% |
| 18 | Portage | 10,450 | 480 | 4.59% |
| 19 | Oshkosh | 66,373 | 2,834 | 4.27% |
| 20 | Menomonee Falls | 38,610 | 1,590 | 4.12% |
| 21 | Green Bay | 106,846 | 4,323 | 4.05% |
| 22 | Fox Point | 6,811 | 262 | 3.85% |
| 23 | Franklin | 36,513 | 1,396 | 3.82% |
| 24 | Whitewater | 15,725 | 565 | 3.59% |
| 25 | Caledonia | 25,277 | 906 | 3.58% |
| 26 | Platteville | 11,543 | 401 | 3.47% |
| 27 | Neenah | 27,309 | 937 | 3.43% |
| 28 | Janesville | 65,669 | 2,178 | 3.32% |
| 29 | Waukesha | 70,945 | 2,301 | 3.24% |
| 30 | Oregon | 11,240 | 363 | 3.23% |
| 31 | Elm Grove | 6,445 | 204 | 3.17% |
| 32 | Sparta | 9,943 | 312 | 3.14% |
| 33 | Prairie Du Chien | 5,502 | 172 | 3.13% |
| 34 | Oak Creek | 36,286 | 1,128 | 3.11% |
| 35 | Fond Du Lac | 44,527 | 1,367 | 3.07% |
| 36 | Middleton | 21,864 | 656 | 3.0% |
| 37 | Sheboygan | 49,805 | 1,490 | 2.99% |
| 38 | Beaver Dam | 16,652 | 488 | 2.93% |
| 39 | Shorewood | 13,707 | 399 | 2.91% |
| 40 | Chippewa Falls | 14,623 | 392 | 2.68% |
| 41 | Appleton | 75,133 | 1,971 | 2.62% |
| 42 | Whitefish Bay | 14,804 | 384 | 2.59% |
| 43 | Howard | 20,022 | 512 | 2.56% |
| 44 | Onalaska | 18,837 | 468 | 2.48% |
| 45 | Grafton | 12,160 | 302 | 2.48% |
| 46 | Cudahy | 18,087 | 434 | 2.4% |
| 47 | Ashland | 7,903 | 182 | 2.3% |
| 48 | South Milwaukee | 20,678 | 476 | 2.3% |
| 49 | Rothschild | 5,537 | 127 | 2.29% |
| 50 | Monona | 8,592 | 194 | 2.26% |
| 51 | Germa | 20,885 | 467 | 2.24% |
| 52 | La Crosse | 52,043 | 1,103 | 2.12% |
| 53 | Mequon | 25,102 | 523 | 2.08% |
| 54 | Jefferson | 7,778 | 162 | 2.08% |
| 55 | Tomah | 9,527 | 187 | 1.96% |
| 56 | Pleasant Prairie | 21,373 | 411 | 1.92% |
| 57 | New London | 7,342 | 141 | 1.92% |
| 58 | New Richmond | 10,158 | 189 | 1.86% |
| 59 | Superior | 26,562 | 468 | 1.76% |
| 60 | Manitowoc | 34,500 | 604 | 1.75% |
| 61 | Waunakee | 14,794 | 259 | 1.75% |
| 62 | Hartford | 15,667 | 273 | 1.74% |
| 63 | Menasha | 18,125 | 313 | 1.73% |
| 64 | Jackson | 7,814 | 133 | 1.7% |
| 65 | West Bend | 31,682 | 526 | 1.66% |
| 66 | Stevens Point | 25,549 | 419 | 1.64% |
| 67 | Suamico | 12,878 | 211 | 1.64% |
| 68 | Verona | 14,040 | 227 | 1.62% |
| 69 | Deforest | 10,767 | 170 | 1.58% |
| 70 | Two Rivers | 11,252 | 167 | 1.48% |
| 71 | Port Washington | 12,446 | 174 | 1.4% |
| 72 | Shawano | 9,212 | 124 | 1.35% |
| 73 | Eau Claire | 69,098 | 926 | 1.34% |
| 74 | Delafield | 7,181 | 95 | 1.32% |
| 75 | Elkhorn | 10,253 | 134 | 1.31% |
| 76 | Ashwaubenon | 16,939 | 220 | 1.3% |
| 77 | Greendale | 14,722 | 189 | 1.28% |
| 78 | De Pere | 25,373 | 324 | 1.28% |
| 79 | Marshfield | 18,795 | 234 | 1.25% |
| 80 | New Berlin | 40,387 | 497 | 1.23% |
| 81 | Sturgeon Bay | 9,620 | 113 | 1.17% |
| 82 | Weston | 15,698 | 184 | 1.17% |
| 83 | Baraboo | 12,541 | 142 | 1.13% |
| 84 | Waupaca | 6,294 | 71 | 1.13% |
| 85 | Sussex | 11,549 | 126 | 1.09% |
| 86 | Wisconsin Rapids | 18,783 | 197 | 1.05% |
| 87 | Rhinelander | 8,236 | 86 | 1.04% |
| 88 | Kronenwetter | 8,335 | 87 | 1.04% |
| 89 | Stoughton | 13,091 | 128 | 0.98% |
| 90 | Pewaukee | 15,817 | 154 | 0.97% |
| 91 | Merrill | 9,266 | 87 | 0.94% |
| 92 | Little Chute | 11,798 | 110 | 0.93% |
| 93 | Lake Geneva | 8,335 | 77 | 0.92% |
| 94 | Richland Center | 5,058 | 46 | 0.91% |
| 95 | Marinette | 11,065 | 97 | 0.88% |
| 96 | Plymouth | 8,907 | 78 | 0.88% |
| 97 | Twin Lakes | 6,341 | 50 | 0.79% |
| 98 | River Falls | 16,165 | 127 | 0.79% |
| 99 | Bellevue | 16,086 | 124 | 0.77% |
| 100 | Mount Horeb | 7,717 | 59 | 0.76% |