Recompiled data showed the cities in the United States where black Americans are doing best and worst economically.
Across 133 of the country’s largest cities, the study compared factors such as the median household income of black residents to the percentage of that population who had a bachelor’s degree, owned a home and were actively involved in the labor force.
The study found that black Americans were economically safest in the city of Murfreesboro, Tenn., where the population’s poverty rate was the lowest — eight percent — of all other cities in the study.
Black residents fared worst in Cincinnati, Ohio, where their median household income was just $24,359, according to data compiled by SmartAsset. The study found that black Americans do best in cities with fewer than 500,000 residents — the average population of all the top ten cities was about 260,000.
Below are the top ten cities where black Americans are performing economically.
1.Murfreesboro, Tennessee
The city is located in central Tennessee, southeast of Nashville, and has a population of approximately 152,769.
One of the largest employees of the city is the car company Nissan.
The data revealed that the median income for black residents was $94,972. 40 percent of the black population had a bachelor’s degree, 62 percent were homeowners, and 78 percent were actively involved in the labor market.
Located in central Tennessee, southeast of Nashville, Murfreesboro has been found to be the best city for black residents to live economically
2nd Company, Nevada
Enterprise is within sight of Las Vegas and has a population of approximately 221,831.
The area’s casino industry provides a variety of jobs in the city, and technology company Switch is headquartered there.
Enterprise’s Black residents had a median household income of $84,023, 36.5 percent had a bachelor’s degree, 56 percent were homeowners, and 73 percent were employed.
Enterprise is within sight of Las Vegas and has a population of approximately 221,831. It came second in the study
3. Chesapeake, Virginia
Chesapeake is located near the southeast corner of Virginia and has a population of 249,422.
The Chesapeake Medical Center is a large employer in the city, as is Walmart. There are also two naval bases.
The median household income for black residents was $81,031. 36 percent had a bachelor’s degree. 56 percent were homeowners and 67 percent were employed.
Chesapeake, Virginia was found to be the third best city for black residents to thrive in
4. Pembroke Pines, Florida
North of Miami, Pembroke Pines has a population of 171,178.
The city is a favorite spot for many people working in Miami.
The median household income for black residents was $90,525, 30 percent had a bachelor’s degree, 56 percent were homeowners, and 67 percent were employed.
Data revealed that Pembroke Pines, Florida was the fifth best city for black residents to thrive in
5.Aurora, Illinois
The Central American city has 180,542 inhabitants.
Located just outside of Chicago, the city has a long history as a hub for local manufacturing.
Data found that the median household income for black residents was $55,517. 30 percent of residents had a bachelor’s degree, 57 percent were homeowners, and 69 percent were employed.
Aurora, Illinois was ranked the fifth best city economically for black residents
6. Virginia Beach, Virginia
The city in southeast Virginia has about 457,672 residents.
The city is home to a number of corporate headquarters, has a large US military presence and is a hub for regional tourism.
The median household income was $60,185. 30 percent of black residents had a bachelor’s degree, 43 percent were homeowners, and 73 percent were employed.
Virginia Beach, Virginia. The city is a center for the tourism industry in the region
7. Kramer, Arizona
Chandler is a suburb of Phoenix and has 275,987 inhabitants.
Computer component manufacturer Intel has a large presence in the city of Arizona, as do a number of large banks.
The data showed that black residents had a median income of $86,648, that 45 percent had a bachelor’s degree, 36 percent were homeowners, and 74 percent were part of the labor force.
Chandler, Arizona. The city is just outside of Phoenix
8. Great Plains, Texas
Located directly between Forth Worth and Dallas, Grand Prairie’s population finds employment in the two major cities. It has a population of 196,100.
The data found a median income among black residents of $62,923, 37 percent had a bachelor’s degree, 38 percent were homeowners, and 72 percent were employed.
9. Colorado Springs, Colorado
The city is almost right in the center of Colorado and has a population of 478,961.
Its economy is largely driven by a strong presence of US military bases and organizations. A number of defense companies, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, have a strong presence there.
The city’s black population had a median household income of $57,565.
Approximately 32 percent of black residents had a bachelor’s degree, 44 percent were homeowners, and 71 percent were part of the workforce.
Colorado Springs, Colorado. A number of defense companies, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, have a strong presence there
10. Elk Grove, California
Just south of Sacramento, Elk Grove has a population of 176,124.
The data showed a median household income among black residents of $89,054.
About 33 percent of the population had a bachelor’s degree, 49 percent were homeowners, and 64 percent were employed.
Homes are being built in Elk Grove, California. The city has 176,124 inhabitants
At the very bottom of the study, it says that in Cincinnati, only 14 percent of the black population had a bachelor’s degree, only 23 percent were homeowners, and almost half — 44 percent — of the population were not part of the labor force.
Syracuse, New York, fared slightly better, where the median household income was $30,648, only 15 percent had a bachelor’s degree, 23 percent were homeowners, and 56 percent were employed.
These cities were followed by Cleveland, Ohio, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Akron, Ohio, Mobile, Alabama, St. Louis, Missouri, Las Vegas, Nevada, and San Bernadino, California.
Virginia had two cities in the top ten, while Ohio had two cities in the bottom ten.
Cincinnati, Ohio has been ranked as the nation’s worst economically viable city for black residents
Syracuse, New York, where the median household income was $30,648
Cleveland, Ohio. The city and its state turned out to be one of the worst for black residents
Sacramento, California, ended up with a median income of $51,572, a bachelor’s degree held by 27 percent of the population, 35 percent owned a home, and 58 percent were in the labor force, at the midpoint of the survey of cities.
New York City landed slightly higher on the list, with a median black household income of $52,197, 27 percent have a bachelor’s degree, 27 percent own a home, and 59 percent are employed.
The South and Southwest were particularly favorable regions for black residents, containing 14 of the top 20 cities.
The study looked at 200 of America’s largest cities, but only 133 were able to provide adequate data.