Where Inequality Persists — The Worst States for Black Americans

Racial inequality is when resources are distributed unevenly based on race. For example, some areas in America offer fewer resources for Black Americans including education, job opportunities, housing, and health. Racial disparity and inequalities occur from many years of policies and racist laws that have prevented Black Americans from growing wealth. Some regions in the country have more disparity than others. (Also see our list of the wealthiest Black Americans in the country.)

24/7 Wall St. created an index that assesses race-based gaps in eight measures: median household income, poverty rate, adult high school and bachelor’s degree attainment rates, homeownership rate, unemployment rate, incarceration rate by race, and age-adjusted mortality rate by race. These are based on five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the Center for Disease Control. This index also ranks Black Americans’ conditions and the noticeable gap compared to White American residents. For each measure, we constructed an index from the gaps between Black and White Americans. The index was standardized using min-max normalization. Data on population by race came from the ACS.

Why This Matters

50. Hawaii

Pearl Harbor Naval Base - Honolulu - Hawaii (BY 2.0) by MasonArchitects

• Median household income: $80,207 (Black); $93,896 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 28.2% (Black); 57.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 12.2% (Black); 5.6% (white)
• Black population: 26,664 (1.8% of total)

49. New Mexico

Church Rock in Gallup New Mexico - Shallow Depth of Field - Route 66 (Shutterstock.com) by Neil Lockhart

• Median household income: $48,987 (Black); $63,910 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 37.8% (Black); 70.3% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 9.0% (Black); 6.0% (white)
• Black population: 37,996 (1.8% of total)

48. Texas

• Median household income: $55,459 (Black); $80,134 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 41.3% (Black); 67.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.4% (Black); 4.6% (white)
• Black population: 3,449,557 (11.8% of total)

47. Alaska

• Median household income: $71,857 (Black); $94,315 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 40.9% (Black); 70.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 4.6% (Black); 5.1% (white)
• Black population: 22,400 (3.0% of total)

46. Arizona

Saguaros and Superstition Mountains, Lost Dutchman State Park, Apache Junction, Arizona, USA (Shutterstock.com) by Fotogro

• Median household income: $58,184 (Black); $75,939 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 38.4% (Black); 70.3% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.3% (Black); 5.0% (white)
• Black population: 307,726 (4.3% of total)

45. West Virginia

The West Virginia State Capitol Building in Charleston, WV (BY 2.0) by o palsson

• Median household income: $38,004 (Black); $55,826 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 44.5% (Black); 75.8% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 9.8% (Black); 6.2% (white)
• Black population: 60,237 (3.4% of total)

44. Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky (BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

• Median household income: $44,196 (Black); $62,242 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 37.9% (Black); 72.1% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.6% (Black); 4.9% (white)
• Black population: 355,368 (7.9% of total)

43. Georgia

• Median household income: $55,010 (Black); $81,445 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 49.0% (Black); 74.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.2% (Black); 4.1% (white)
• Black population: 3,334,095 (31.1% of total)

42. Idaho

Spirit Lake, Idaho, as viewed from Mt. Spokane, WA (CC0 1.0 DEED) by LibertyLakeAnne

• Median household income: $54,727 (Black); $71,661 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 36.9% (Black); 73.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 6.7% (Black); 3.9% (white)
• Black population: 11,919 (0.6% of total)

41. Oregon

Siuslaw River Bridge, Oregon (PDM 1.0) by Bonnie Moreland (free images)

• Median household income: $56,124 (Black); $77,627 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 33.9% (Black); 65.8% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 6.7% (Black); 5.5% (white)
• Black population: 75,790 (1.8% of total)

40. Maryland

• Median household income: $79,161 (Black); $109,387 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 52.5% (Black); 76.9% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 7.8% (Black); 4.0% (white)
• Black population: 1,815,877 (29.5% of total)

39. Delaware

Wilmington Delaware skyline (BY-SA 2.5) by Tim Kiser (User:Malepheasant)

• Median household income: $58,385 (Black); $86,094 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 51.5% (Black); 80.1% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.0% (Black); 4.9% (white)
• Black population: 213,516 (21.5% of total)

38. Wyoming

A man fly fishing in the Wyoming wilderness (Shutterstock.com) by Amanda Allard-Korell

• Median household income: $56,046 (Black); $73,542 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 38.2% (Black); 73.0% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 11.0% (Black); 3.8% (white)
• Black population: 4,488 (0.8% of total)

37. Tennessee

Beale Street Memphis Morning (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Mobilus In Mobili

• Median household income: $46,708 (Black); $68,515 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 43.6% (Black); 73.1% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 9.4% (Black); 4.4% (white)
• Black population: 1,116,871 (16.1% of total)

36. Florida

• Median household income: $51,249 (Black); $72,212 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 47.6% (Black); 72.9% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.1% (Black); 4.6% (white)
• Black population: 3,232,871 (14.9% of total)

35. New Hampshire

Concord - New Hampshire (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Josh Hallett

• Median household income: $72,946 (Black); $91,394 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 36.2% (Black); 74.0% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 7.6% (Black); 3.7% (white)
• Black population: 18,477 (1.3% of total)

34. Washington

• Median household income: $65,817 (Black); $91,601 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 34.0% (Black); 67.6% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.1% (Black); 4.8% (white)
• Black population: 290,907 (3.8% of total)

33. Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island (CC BY 2.0) by JJBers

• Median household income: $61,614 (Black); $86,467 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 35.1% (Black); 68.3% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.2% (Black); 5.3% (white)
• Black population: 58,304 (5.3% of total)

32. Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Memorial (CC BY 2.0) by Raymond Bucko, SJ

• Median household income: $42,145 (Black); $65,469 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 39.8% (Black); 70.1% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.9% (Black); 4.4% (white)
• Black population: 277,702 (7.0% of total)

31. North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina (CC BY-SA 2.0) by James Willamor

• Median household income: $47,088 (Black); $73,675 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 46.3% (Black); 73.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.3% (Black); 4.3% (white)
• Black population: 2,161,841 (20.6% of total)

30. Virginia

Richmond, Virginia (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Doug Kerr

• Median household income: $60,201 (Black); $93,691 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 48.6% (Black); 73.1% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 7.2% (Black); 3.8% (white)
• Black population: 1,601,668 (18.6% of total)

29. South Dakota

Panorama of Rapid City, South Dakota, USA (Shutterstock.com) by Sopotnicki

• Median household income: $56,399 (Black); $72,498 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 25.6% (Black); 72.2% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 3.4% (Black); 2.3% (white)
• Black population: 19,172 (2.2% of total)

28. Alabama

Morning in Birmingham - April ... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by formulanone

• Median household income: $40,661 (Black); $69,042 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 51.3% (Black); 77.4% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.9% (Black); 4.1% (white)
• Black population: 1,318,388 (26.2% of total)

27. California

Ventura, California (13) (BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

• Median household income: $64,513 (Black); $97,859 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 35.6% (Black); 60.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 10.5% (Black); 6.0% (white)
• Black population: 2,102,510 (5.3% of total)

26. Arkansas

Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, as Seen from Hot Springs Mountain Tower, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. (BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

• Median household income: $37,395 (Black); $60,756 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 44.2% (Black); 71.9% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 9.4% (Black); 4.5% (white)
• Black population: 454,728 (15.1% of total)

25. Nevada

MGM Grand Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada (BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

• Median household income: $48,022 (Black); $77,786 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 31.6% (Black); 64.4% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 12.5% (Black); 6.2% (white)
• Black population: 278,689 (9.0% of total)

24. Vermont

Fall Foliage Along Norton Pond Northeast Kingdom Vermont 2021 Season (BY 2.0) by Anthony Quintano

• Median household income: $52,736 (Black); $74,499 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 27.7% (Black); 74.0% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 6.4% (Black); 3.8% (white)
• Black population: 7,548 (1.2% of total)

23. Maine

Portland, Maine (BY 2.0) by Me in ME

• Median household income: $53,407 (Black); $68,783 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 25.9% (Black); 74.4% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 5.6% (Black); 4.2% (white)
• Black population: 21,093 (1.5% of total)

22. Colorado

Colorado State Capitol, Denver, Colorado (BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

• Median household income: $61,343 (Black); $91,475 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 41.8% (Black); 69.1% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 7.8% (Black); 4.2% (white)
• Black population: 221,211 (3.8% of total)

21. Missouri

Old St. Louis County Courthous... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Warren LeMay

• Median household income: $44,293 (Black); $69,547 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 39.3% (Black); 72.4% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.2% (Black); 3.9% (white)
• Black population: 688,219 (11.2% of total)

20. Mississippi

Mississippi State Capitol, Jackson, Mississippi (BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

• Median household income: $36,263 (Black); $65,518 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 54.4% (Black); 78.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 10.0% (Black); 4.9% (white)
• Black population: 1,098,675 (37.1% of total)

19. South Carolina

• Median household income: $42,672 (Black); $73,204 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 53.5% (Black); 78.4% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 7.9% (Black); 4.3% (white)
• Black population: 1,316,074 (25.6% of total)

18. Massachusetts

• Median household income: $67,044 (Black); $102,701 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 36.4% (Black); 68.5% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.4% (Black); 4.7% (white)
• Black population: 459,848 (6.6% of total)

17. Indiana

• Median household income: $42,067 (Black); $70,740 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 38.0% (Black); 74.9% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 9.9% (Black); 4.1% (white)
• Black population: 631,919 (9.3% of total)

16. Montana

Beautiful Landscape photography of Glacier National Park in Montana USA (Shutterstock.com) by Vaclav Sebek

• Median household income: $50,676 (Black); $68,005 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 27.4% (Black); 70.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 11.7% (Black); 3.3% (white)
• Black population: 5,248 (0.5% of total)

15. New York

New York City (BY-SA 2.0) by Padmanaba01

• Median household income: $58,805 (Black); $90,866 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 32.7% (Black); 64.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 9.2% (Black); 5.0% (white)
• Black population: 2,767,223 (13.8% of total)

14. Louisiana

• Median household income: $37,015 (Black); $70,270 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 48.9% (Black); 76.9% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 10.4% (Black); 4.9% (white)
• Black population: 1,456,107 (31.4% of total)

13. North Dakota

Sunrise over Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota (Shutterstock.com) by ZakZeinert

• Median household income: $49,369 (Black); $77,950 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 11.7% (Black); 67.3% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 7.9% (Black); 2.6% (white)
• Black population: 24,882 (3.2% of total)

12. Utah

• Median household income: $57,433 (Black); $89,462 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 27.4% (Black); 73.2% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 5.8% (Black); 3.2% (white)
• Black population: 34,485 (1.1% of total)

11. Kansas

Kansas summer wheat field and storm (BY 2.0) by US Department of State

• Median household income: $46,145 (Black); $72,357 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 36.5% (Black); 70.2% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 9.1% (Black); 3.6% (white)
• Black population: 157,768 (5.4% of total)

10. Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut (CC BY 2.0) by JJBers

• Median household income: $59,728 (Black); $98,855 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 40.7% (Black); 73.5% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.8% (Black); 5.2% (white)
• Black population: 355,970 (9.9% of total)

9. New Jersey

File:Newark, New Jersey at night.jpg (BY-SA 3.0) by Jamaalcobbs at English Wikipedia

• Median household income: $65,351 (Black); $105,392 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 39.7% (Black); 73.3% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 9.2% (Black); 5.3% (white)
• Black population: 1,147,770 (12.4% of total)

8. Ohio

• Median household income: $40,499 (Black); $71,843 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 36.1% (Black); 72.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 10.6% (Black); 4.3% (white)
• Black population: 1,431,238 (12.2% of total)

7. Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania State Capitol Building (BY 2.0) by kev72

• Median household income: $45,944 (Black); $77,962 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 43.4% (Black); 74.3% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 11.1% (Black); 4.6% (white)
• Black population: 1,347,784 (10.4% of total)

6. Michigan

• Median household income: $42,171 (Black); $73,039 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 43.3% (Black); 78.4% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 13.1% (Black); 5.0% (white)
• Black population: 1,346,918 (13.4% of total)

5. Nebraska

Omaha, Nebraska (BY 2.0) by kla4067

• Median household income: $45,287 (Black); $74,157 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 29.8% (Black); 70.0% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.3% (Black); 2.8% (white)
• Black population: 91,357 (4.7% of total)

4. Illinois

Chicago, Illinois, USA (BY-SA 2.0) by pom'.

• Median household income: $46,717 (Black); $85,060 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 40.2% (Black); 73.7% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 13.7% (Black); 4.8% (white)
• Black population: 1,744,151 (13.7% of total)

3. Minnesota

Terrence Floyd, George Floyd's brother visits the location where his brother was killed, now a memorial, at Chicago Ave and E 38th St in Minneapolis, Minnesota (BY 2.0) by Lorie Shaull

• Median household income: $49,738 (Black); $87,692 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 28.4% (Black); 76.8% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.6% (Black); 3.4% (white)
• Black population: 377,173 (6.6% of total)

2. Iowa

• Median household income: $40,592 (Black); $72,363 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 27.2% (Black); 74.3% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 11.0% (Black); 3.4% (white)
• Black population: 117,940 (3.7% of total)

1. Wisconsin

• Median household income: $38,732 (Black); $75,803 (white)
• Homeownership rate: 26.5% (Black); 71.9% (white)
• Unemployment rate: 8.3% (Black); 3.0% (white)
• Black population: 356,150 (6.1% of total)