Feb 4, 2025 Story by: Editor
WASHINGTON — Utah’s Black population has grown at one of the fastest rates in the country, according to new data from the Pew Research Center.
Despite this surge, the state continues to have one of the smallest Black populations among all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.
An analysis of U.S. Census Bureau figures by Pew, Washington, D.C.-based research organization, revealed that Utah had 72,756 Black residents in 2023, based on one-year American Community Survey estimates. This marks an 89% increase from the 2010 count of 38,539— the highest growth rate among states that had at least 25,000 Black residents in 2010.
Following Utah, the states with the next highest increases were Arizona, Nevada, and Minnesota, each recording a 60% growth since 2010, according to Pew.
“The Black population has grown fastest in states that historically have not had many Black residents,” Pew reported last Thursday. Although Utah recorded the highest percentage growth among states with larger Black populations, even greater increases were observed in North Dakota (204%), South Dakota (97%), and Maine (91%). However, since these states had fewer than 25,000 Black residents in 2010, they were excluded from Pew’s main ranking.
Even with its significant growth, Utah remains 40th among U.S. states and Washington, D.C., in the total number of Black residents, improving slightly from its 41st-place ranking in 2010. The Black population in Utah now accounts for 2.1% of the state’s total population, up from 1.4% in 2010. Yet, in terms of Black population concentration, Utah still ranks 48th, just ahead of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana.
Meanwhile, Latinos remain the largest racial or ethnic minority in Utah, comprising approximately 16% of the state’s population in 2023.
Nationwide, an estimated 48.3 million people identified as Black in 2023, representing 14.4% of the total U.S. population. This marks a 33% increase from the 36.2 million recorded in 2000, according to Pew.
“The Black American population is diverse. This group consists of people with varied racial and ethnic identities and experiences. It includes those who say their race is Black, either alone or in combination with other racial backgrounds. It also includes Hispanics who say their race is Black,” Pew noted. The research organization highlighted the increasing diversity within the Black population, attributing it in part to the rise in multiracial identities. Additionally, immigration from Africa and the Caribbean has been “an important contributor to Black population growth.”
As of 2023, the states with the largest Black populations were Texas (4.33 million), Florida (4 million), and Georgia (3.7 million). The highest concentrations of Black residents were found in Washington, D.C. (45.8%), Mississippi (37.6%), and Georgia (33.4%). Source: KSL
