At the start of Black History Month, a new study from the Pew Research Center offers s snapshot of the more than 47 million African Americans. The Black population has increased by 32 percent since 2000. This group of Black Americans is diverse, with a growing number and share born outside the U.S. and an increasing number saying they are of two or more races.
In 2022, there were 5.1 million Black immigrants in the U.S., up from 2.4 million in 2000. Immigrants accounted for 11percent of the Black population in 2022, up from 7 percent in 2000.
Utah, Hawaii, and Nevada had the largest increases in the Black population. Illinois was the only state that showed a decline in its Black population.
The New York City Metropolitan Area had a Black population of 3.6 million in 2022, but there was a slight decline since 2010. In the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, 40 percent of the population is Black, up 28 percent from 2010.
In 2022, the median age of Black Americans was 32.1 years, meaning half of the nation’s Black population was younger than that age and half was older. By comparison, the median age of the nation overall was 38.0 that year.
About a third of Black adults are currently married. That compares with 53 percent of adults who are not Black.
In 2022, 26.1 percent of Black adults ages 25 and older – 7.8 million people – had earned at least a bachelor’s degree. That was up from 14.5 percent in 2000. Nearly 29 percent of Black women adults were college educated compared to 22.8 percent of Black men.
