February 10, 2026 Story by: Editor
The number of Black people living in the United States reached 49.2 million in 2024, marking the largest tally on record and a 36 % increase since 2000, according to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center. That growth reflects not only natural population increase but also changing racial identification and immigration patterns.
Pew’s analysis classifies the Black population by combining those who identify as single-race non-Hispanic Black, those who identify as multiracial Black non-Hispanic, and those who are Black Hispanic—a broader definition that underscores the growing diversity of the group.
Diversity and Demographic Shifts
One of the most striking trends is the rapid rise in multiracial identification. Since 2000, the number of Black Americans reporting multiracial, non-Hispanic identity has climbed 295 %, while the number of those identifying as Black Hispanic has increased by 232 %—changes driven in part by evolving Census questions and broader shifts in racial identity.
Geographically, growth has been widespread but uneven. States that historically had smaller Black populations have seen some of the fastest percentage increases: Utah’s Black population more than doubled (up 104 %) between 2010 and 2024, while Arizona grew by 68 %, Minnesota by 67 % and Nevada by 62 % over the same period.
At the same time, states with the largest absolute increases were those with long-established Black communities: Texas added about 1.3 million Black residents, followed by Florida (+910,000) and Georgia (+680,000). By contrast, the Black population declined slightly in states like Illinois, Mississippi and the District of Columbia.
Major metropolitan areas remain central to Black population distribution. The New York City metro area had the largest Black population in 2024, with approximately 3.9 million residents, followed by Atlanta (2.4 million), Washington, D.C. (1.8 million) and Chicago (1.7 million). Notably, the Atlanta metro area also had one of the highest shares of Black residents—about 37 % of its total population.
Youthful Profile and Education Gains
Demographically, Black Americans are comparatively young. The median age in 2024 was 33.7 years, younger than the median age for Americans who do not identify as Black (40.2 years). Roughly 27 % of Black residents were under the age of 18, compared with about 21 % of non-Black Americans.
Educational attainment among Black adults has also climbed significantly over the past two decades. In 2024, 27.7 % of Black adults ages 25 and older—about 8.6 million people—held at least a bachelor’s degree, up from 14.5 % in 2000. Gains have been observed for both Black women and men, though women have made larger strides: 30.7 % of Black women had a bachelor’s degree or more in 2024, compared with 24.3 % of Black men.
Marriage and Households
Household dynamics also show distinct patterns. Black Americans were less likely than other groups to be married: as of 2024, 48 % of Black adults had never married, compared with 29 % of non-Black adults. The breakdown by gender reveals further nuance: 36 % of Black men were married, compared with 29 % of Black women, and Black women were more likely to be divorced, separated or widowed.
Income Variability
Median household income among Black households in 2024 was $57,200, though income varied notably across subgroups. Black Hispanic households had a median income of about $63,300, while multiracial Black households reported a median of roughly $67,000, both above the figure for single-race non-Hispanic Black households.
Source: Pew Research Center
