Our population statistics cover age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, migration, ancestry, language use, veterans, as well as population estimates and projections.
The U.S. Census Bureau is the official source of statistical data tracking the national economy.
Business is a large part of America's diverse economy. This section provides key information about businesses in your community.
This section provides information on a range of educational topics, from educational attainment and school enrollment to school districts, costs and financing.
We measure the state of the nation's workforce, including employment and unemployment levels, weeks and hours worked, occupations, and commuting.
Our statistics highlight trends in household and family composition, describe characteristics of the residents of housing units, and show how they are related.
Health statistics on insurance coverage, disability, fertility and other health issues are increasingly important in measuring the nation's overall well-being.
We measure the housing and construction industry, track homeownership rates, and produce statistics on the physical and financial characteristics of our homes.
Income is the gauge many use to determine the well-being of the U.S. population. Survey and census questions cover poverty, income, and wealth.
The U.S. Census Bureau is the official source for U.S. export and import statistics and regulations governing the reporting of exports from the U.S.
The U.S. Census Bureau provides data for the Federal, state and local governments as well as voting, redistricting, apportionment and congressional affairs.
Geography is central to the work of the Bureau, providing the framework for survey design, sample selection, data collection, tabulation, and dissemination.
Find resources on how to use geographic data and products with statistical data, educational blog postings, and presentations.
The Geographic Support System Initiative will integrate improved address coverage, spatial feature updates, and enhanced quality assessment and measurement.
Work with interactive mapping tools from across the Census Bureau.
Find geographic data and products such as Shapefiles, KMLs, TIGERweb, boundary files, geographic relationship files, and reference and thematic maps.
Metropolitan and micropolitan areas are geographic entities used by Federal statistical agencies in collecting, tabulating, and publishing Federal statistics.
Find information about specific partnership programs and learn more about our partnerships with other organizations.
Definitions of geographic terms, why geographic areas are defined, and how the Census Bureau defines geographic areas.
We conduct research on geographic topics such as how to define geographic areas and how geography changes over time.
Official audio files from the Census Bureau, including "Profile America," a daily series of bite-sized statistics, placing current data in a historical context.
Read briefs and reports from Census Bureau experts.
Read research analyses from Census Bureau experts.
Find information using interactive applications to get statistics from multiple surveys.
Find a multitude of DVDs, CDs and publications in print by topic.
These external sites provide more data.
Download software to display, extract, map, process, and/or tabulate census and survey data.
Learn more about our data from this collection of e-tutorials, presentations, webinars and other training materials. Sign up for training sessions.
Learn more about our data from this collection of e-tutorials, presentations, webinars and other training materials. Sign up for training sessions.
Explore Census data with interactive visualizations covering a broad range of topics.
If you have received a survey, this site will help you verify that the survey came from us, understand and complete the form, and know how we protect your data.
This is the 2020 Census redirect
This is the 2020 Census redirect
National and state population totals from the 2010 Census were released on December 21, 2010
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a mandatory, ongoing statistical survey that samples a small percentage of the population every year.
The AHS is sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Economic Census is the U.S. government's official five-year measure of American business and the economy.
Collects data and measures change for many topics including: economic well-being, family dynamics, education, assets, health insurance, and childcare.
Most recent releases from the Newsroom.
Find media toolkits, advisories, and all the latest Census news.
The Census Bureau's Director writes on how we measure America's people, places and economy.
Find media toolkits, advisories, and all the latest Census news.
See what's coming up in releases and reports.
Find media toolkits, advisories, and all the latest Census news.
Access to embargoed releases for news and media outlets.
Information about the U.S. Census Bureau.
Information about what we do at the U.S. Census Bureau.
Our researchers explore innovative ways to conduct surveys, increase respondent participation, reduce costs, and improve accuracy.
The regional offices are responsible for all data collection, data dissemination, and geographic operations under a new service area boundary.
Learn about other opportunities to collaborate with us.
Explore the rich historical background of an organization with roots almost as old as the nation.
Explore prospective positions available at the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Census Bureau is hiring across the United States, search temporary positions
Learn about other opportunities to collaborate with us.
Newsroom Archive
Release Information
Contact: Public Information Office
301-763-3030 / 301-763-3762 (fax)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: THURSDAY, SEPT. 29, 2011
2010 Census Shows Black Population has Highest Concentration in the South
People Who Reported as Both Black and White More than Doubled
The U.S. Census Bureau released today a 2010 Census brief, The Black Population: 2010 [PDF], that shows 14 percent of all people in the United States identified as black, either alone or in combination with one or more other races. In 2010, 55 percent of the black population lived in the South, and 105 Southern counties had a black population of 50 percent or higher.
Of the total U.S. population of 308.7 million on April 1, 2010, 38.9 million people, or 13 percent, identified as black alone. In addition, 3.1 million people, or 1 percent, reported as black in combination with one or more other races. Together, these two groups comprise the black alone-or-in-combination population and totaled 42.0 million.
The black alone-or-in-combination population grew by 15 percent from 2000 to 2010, while the black alone population grew by 12 percent compared with a 9.7 percent growth rate for the total U.S. population.
Black and White Multiple-Race Population More Than Doubled
People who reported their race as both black and white more than doubled from about 785,000 in 2000 to 1.8 million in 2010. This group’s share of the multiple-race black population increased from 45 percent in 2000 to 59 percent in 2010.
Majority of the Black Population Lived in the South
Compared with 2000, the percentage of the black alone-or-in-combination population increased in the South, stayed about the same in the West, and decreased in the Northeast and the Midwest. Of all respondents who reported black in 2010, 55 percent lived in the South, 18 percent in the Midwest, 17 percent in the Northeast and 10 percent in the West.
The percentage of the black alone population also increased in the South, from 55 percent in 2000 to 57 percent in 2010, whereas it decreased in the Northeast and the Midwest. The black alone-or-in-combination population comprised 50 percent or more of the total population in 106 counties. All these counties were in the South except for the city of St. Louis, which is considered a county equivalent. In contrast, 62 percent of all counties had less than 5 percent of the population identified as black. These patterns were similar for the black alone population.
Concentrations of blacks outside of the South tended to be in counties within metropolitan areas. There were 317 counties where the black alone-or-in-combination population was 25.0 to 49.9 percent of the population, and only 17 of these counties were not in the South. Of these 17, 15 were in metropolitan areas.
Multiple-Race Black Population More Geographically Dispersed
A considerably higher percentage of the multiple-race black population lived in the West (23 percent), relative to the black alone population (9 percent). While a large percentage of the multiple-race black population lived in the South (36 percent), this was much lower than the black alone population (57 percent).
About 60 Percent of Blacks Lived in 10 States
The 10 states with the largest black alone-or-in-combination populations in 2010 were New York (3.3 million), Florida (3.2 million), Texas (3.2 million), Georgia (3.1 million), California (2.7 million), North Carolina (2.2 million), Illinois (2.0 million), Maryland (1.8 million), Virginia (1.7 million) and Ohio (1.5 million). Among these states, four experienced substantial growth between 2000 and 2010. The black alone-or-in-combination population in Florida grew by 29 percent, Georgia by 28 percent, Texas by 27 percent and North Carolina by 21 percent.
Of the 10 states above, nine also had the largest black alone populations. The state with the 10th largest black alone population was Louisiana (1.5 million), replacing Ohio (1.4 million). Similar to the black alone-or-in-combination population, the black alone population also experienced considerable growth in Florida, Georgia, Texas and North Carolina.
The District of Columbia, which is treated as a state equivalent in this report, had the highest percentage of blacks alone-or-in-combination among states, with 52 percent in 2010, even though this population decreased by 10 percent between 2000 and 2010. Similar findings were also observed for the black alone population.
Detroit had the Highest Percentage of Blacks Among Largest Places
Among places with populations of 100,000 or more, the highest percentage of blacks alone-or-in-combination was found in Detroit (84 percent), followed by Jackson, Miss. (80 percent), Miami Gardens, Fla. (78 percent) and Birmingham, Ala. (74 percent). These four places also had the highest percentage of the black alone population.
Race Definitions
People who reported only one race on their 2010 Census questionnaire are referred to as the race“alone” population. For example, respondents who marked only the “black or African American” category would be included in the black alone population. This population can be viewed as the minimum number of people reporting black.
Individuals who chose more than one of the six race category options on the 2010 Census form are referred to as the race “in combination” population. One way to define the black population is to combine those respondents who reported black alone with those who reported black in combination with one or more other races. Another way to think of the black alone-or-in-combination population is the total number of people who reported black, whether or not they reported any other races.
denotes a file in Adobe’s Portable Document Format. To view the file, you will need the Adobe® Reader® 
available free from Adobe.
This symbol indicates a link to a non-government web site. Our linking to these sites does not constitute an endorsement of any products, services or the information found on them. Once you link to another site you are subject to the policies of the new site.
Yes
NoComments or suggestions?