State with Lowest Black Population in US 2025 | Statistics & Facts

Lowest Black Population by US States 2025

The demographic landscape of African American populations across the United States reveals striking variations, with certain states maintaining significantly smaller Black communities compared to the national average. Understanding these geographic patterns provides essential insights into America’s historical migration trends, economic opportunities, and social dynamics. As the United States population continues evolving in diversity and distribution, examining states with minimal Black representation becomes crucial for policymakers, researchers, and community organizations working to address equity, representation, and resource allocation throughout the nation.

The concentration patterns of Black Americans across different regions reflect complex historical forces including the legacy of slavery, the Great Migration of the twentieth century, reverse migration trends, and contemporary economic shifts. While southern states like Mississippi, Georgia, and Louisiana maintain the highest percentages of Black residents—often exceeding 30% of their total populations—the Rocky Mountain region and parts of New England present a dramatically different picture. States in these areas frequently report Black populations comprising less than 2% of their total residents, creating stark contrasts in racial demographics that shape everything from political representation to cultural institutions and economic development strategies.

Interesting Facts About States with Lowest Black Population in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates (Released 2025), U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 Population Estimates, Neilsberg Demographics Analysis (February 2025)

The data presented reveals profound disparities in racial demographics across American states. Montana stands as the state with the absolute lowest Black population in the United States in 2025, housing merely 5,500 African American residents who represent just 0.54% of the state’s total population of approximately 1.1 million people. This extraordinarily low percentage demonstrates how dramatically different demographic compositions can exist within a single nation. Following closely behind, Wyoming—despite being America’s least populated state with only 587,618 total residents—maintains a slightly higher Black population of 6,028 individuals, constituting 1.03% of its population. The third-lowest ranking belongs to Vermont, where approximately 9,000 Black residents represent 1.22% of the Green Mountain State’s population.

These statistics become even more striking when compared against the national average, where Black Americans comprise 15.2% of the total United States population, translating to over 51.63 million people. The geographic clustering of states with minimal Black populations in the Rocky Mountain region and Northern New England reflects historical settlement patterns, economic development trajectories, and migration trends spanning centuries. Seven states maintain Black populations below 2%, and all ten states with the lowest Black populations are located either in the Mountain West or northernmost New England regions, areas that historically lacked the plantation agriculture systems that brought enslaved Africans to southern states. Despite these low percentages, some growth is occurring—Wyoming reported a 1.2% increase in its Black population between 2020 and 2024, suggesting gradual demographic evolution even in predominantly white states.

States with Lowest Black Population Total Numbers in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates (Released 2025), U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 Population Estimates (July 2024), Neilsberg State Demographics Analysis (February 2025)

The comprehensive ranking of states with the lowest Black populations in the US 2025 illuminates striking demographic realities across America’s least diverse regions. Montana definitively holds the position as the state with the absolute smallest Black population, with approximately 5,500 African American residents scattered across its vast 147,040 square miles of territory. This translates to merely 0.54% of Montana’s total population of 1.1 million residents, representing an extraordinarily homogeneous demographic composition. The state’s geographic isolation, harsh climate conditions, limited urban centers, and historical development centered on mining, ranching, and agriculture rather than industries that historically attracted diverse populations all contribute to this demographic pattern. Montana’s Black community represents just 0.01% of the entire national Black population, underscoring how concentrated African Americans remain in other regions of the country.

Wyoming, America’s least populated state with just 587,618 total residents, ranks second with approximately 6,028 Black residents comprising 1.03% of the population. Despite having the smallest total population of any state, Wyoming’s percentage of Black residents actually exceeds Montana’s, though the absolute number remains minuscule. The state’s economy historically centered on energy extraction, cattle ranching, and tourism, industries that provided limited opportunities for the diversification that characterized urban centers in other regions. Wyoming experienced a modest 1.2% increase in its Black population between 2020 and 2024, from approximately 5,956 to 6,028 residents, suggesting slow but steady demographic change even in this overwhelmingly white state.

Vermont occupies third place with roughly 9,000 Black residents representing 1.22% of its 645,570 total population. Known for its progressive politics and high quality of life indicators, Vermont nevertheless remains one of America’s whitest states, with 91.41% of residents identifying as white alone. The state’s rural character, small-town economies, and geographic distance from major urban centers with established Black communities contributed to this demographic composition. Idaho follows with 15,726 Black residents (0.99%), and South Dakota with 17,842 (2.24%). These Mountain West and Great Plains states share common characteristics: vast geographic areas, low population densities, economies historically based on agriculture and resource extraction, and minimal historical connections to the Great Migration patterns that saw millions of Black Americans relocate from the South to northern and western industrial cities during the twentieth century.

The bottom ten states combined house only approximately 171,000 Black residents, representing merely 0.33% of America’s total Black population of 51.63 million. This stark concentration pattern illustrates how the vast majority of Black Americans—over 99%—reside in just 40 states, with particular concentration in southern states, mid-Atlantic urban corridors, and Great Lakes industrial centers. The geographic isolation of Black populations from these Mountain West and Northern New England states reflects deep historical patterns, limited economic opportunities for diverse populations, absence of established community networks that facilitate chain migration, and in some cases, historical exclusion laws that actively discouraged or prohibited Black settlement in these territories during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

States with Lowest Black Population by Percentage in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates (Released 2025), Neilsberg Demographics Analysis (February 2025), U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 Population Estimates

When examining states by percentage representation rather than absolute numbers, the ranking reveals which states have the lowest proportional Black populations relative to their total residents. Montana again claims the top position with merely 0.54% of its population identifying as Black or African American, making it the state with the lowest percentage of Black residents in the entire nation in 2025. This extraordinarily low percentage means that in a hypothetical gathering of 200 random Montana residents, statistically only one would be Black. Montana’s overwhelming white majority of 85.68%, combined with significant Native American populations (5.71%) due to seven tribal reservations within its borders, leaves minimal space for other racial groups in the state’s demographic composition.

Idaho ranks second by percentage at 0.99%, despite having nearly three times Montana’s Black population in absolute numbers. Idaho’s rapidly growing population—driven by migration from California and other western states—remains overwhelmingly white at 82.35%, with the state’s Boise metropolitan area accounting for the majority of its limited racial diversity. Wyoming follows closely at 1.03%, while Vermont stands at 1.22%. Remarkably, five states—Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Vermont, and New Hampshire—all maintain Black populations below 1.5% of their total residents, representing profound demographic homogeneity rare in twenty-first century America.

The comparison between these lowest-percentage states and the national average of 15.2% reveals extraordinary disparities. Montana’s 0.54% represents merely 3.6% of the national average, meaning the state has 96.4% fewer Black residents proportionally than the country overall. These percentage-based rankings highlight how certain states remain demographically isolated from the diversity characterizing most of urban America. The data also reveals interesting anomalies—Hawaii, despite ranking sixth-lowest in Black population percentage at 1.63%, represents a unique case as the only state where whites comprise less than 25% of the population. Hawaii’s demographic composition is dominated by Asian (36.2%), white (21.5%), and multiracial (20.4%) populations, with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents (9.6%) and Hispanics (10.1%) also comprising significant shares, making it America’s most diverse state overall despite its small Black population.

The geographic concentration of these lowest-percentage states in the Mountain West and Northern New England reflects historical migration patterns, economic structures, and in some cases, explicitly exclusionary policies. Oregon, which narrowly misses this bottom-ten list, actually prohibited Black residents from settling in the territory through constitutional provisions that remained in effect until 1926. Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho—as frontier territories developed primarily through mining, ranching, and agriculture—offered limited opportunities for the diverse urban working classes that characterized eastern and midwestern cities. The absence of major industrial centers, combined with extreme geographic isolation and harsh climates, meant these regions never attracted the migration flows that diversified other parts of America during the twentieth century’s Great Migration and subsequent demographic shifts.

Geographic Distribution of Lowest Black Population States in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates (Released 2025), U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 Population Estimates, Regional Classification Analysis

The geographic clustering of states with the lowest Black populations reveals clear regional patterns that reflect America’s complex history of settlement, migration, and economic development. The Mountain West region—comprising Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah—collectively houses merely 69,754 Black residents across a combined population of over 7 million people, resulting in an average Black population percentage of just 1.11%. This region’s demographic homogeneity stems from its historical development as mining and ranching territory, extreme geographic isolation from major urban centers where Black populations concentrated, harsh climatic conditions, and late statehood that came after the major waves of Black migration during Reconstruction and the early twentieth century.

Northern New England—Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine—presents a similar pattern with 54,927 Black residents among 3.4 million total population, averaging 1.53% Black representation. Despite these states’ proximity to major northeastern cities with substantial Black populations like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, the rural character of Northern New England, economies based on forestry, small-scale manufacturing, and tourism, and predominance of small towns rather than large urban centers resulted in minimal Black settlement. These three states, colonized primarily by English and French settlers, never developed the plantation agriculture systems that brought enslaved Africans to southern colonies, and their participation in the northern abolitionist movement created communities philosophically opposed to slavery but with little actual racial diversity.

The Great Plains states of South Dakota and North Dakota together house 44,642 Black residents (2.82% average), while the Pacific region states of Alaska and Hawaii combine for 45,298 Black residents (2.67% average). Alaska’s unique demographic composition reflects its Native Alaska population and its development as an extractive resource economy, while Hawaii’s diversity stems from Asian and Pacific Islander populations rather than African American communities. When compared against the national average of 15.2%, these regional disparities become stark—the Mountain West’s 1.11% represents merely 7.3% of the national percentage, illustrating how profoundly different demographic realities exist within a single country.

The concentration of all ten lowest-Black-population states in just four geographic regions—with eight of ten in either the Mountain West or Northern New England—underscores how historical migration patterns created lasting demographic legacies. The Great Migration between 1910 and 1970 saw approximately 6 million Black Americans leave the rural South for urban industrial centers in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast, but largely bypassed the Mountain West and rural New England. More recent reverse migration trends since the 1970s have seen Black Americans increasingly return to southern metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, and Houston, further reinforcing the geographic isolation of Black populations from these lowest-percentage regions. Current data shows that 56% of all Black Americans live in the South, 18% in the Midwest, 17% in the Northeast, and only 10% in the West—with that western percentage heavily concentrated in California, Nevada, and Arizona rather than the Mountain West states that dominate the lowest-population rankings.

Historical Context and Migration Patterns for States with Lowest Black Population in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Historical Census Data, National Archives Great Migration Documentation, Pew Research Center Migration Analysis (2023-2025)

Understanding why certain states maintain such minimal Black populations requires examining the historical forces that shaped American demographics over centuries. The absence of a plantation economy in the Mountain West and Northern New England meant these regions never participated in the chattel slavery system that brought hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans to southern colonies and states. While the 1790 Census counted 757,208 African Americans (with 92% enslaved), and the 1860 Census recorded 4,441,830 (with 89% enslaved), virtually none of these populations resided in what would become Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, or the Dakotas. These territories remained unsettled by European Americans until the mid-to-late nineteenth century, and when settlement occurred, it centered on resource extraction and ranching rather than agriculture requiring large labor forces.

The Great Migration between 1910 and 1970 represented the largest internal migration in American history, with approximately 6 million Black Americans leaving the rural South for opportunities in northern and western cities. However, this migration overwhelmingly targeted industrial centers—Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles—where manufacturing jobs offered escape from Jim Crow segregation and economic opportunities unavailable in the South. The Mountain West states, lacking major industrial bases and remaining economically focused on extractive industries, railroads, and agriculture, offered no comparable draw. Montana’s population in 1910 stood at only 376,053 total residents, while Wyoming had merely 145,965—tiny populations compared to the millions concentrating in booming industrial cities.

Some western territories and states actively discouraged or prohibited Black settlement through explicit exclusion laws. Oregon’s original constitution, ratified in 1857, prohibited Black people from residing in the state, with these provisions remaining until 1926. While Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho never enacted such explicit prohibitions, their territorial governments did little to encourage diverse settlement, and informal social pressures maintained demographic homogeneity. The late statehood of these territories—Montana (1889), Wyoming (1890), Idaho (1890), and Utah (1896)—meant they achieved statehood after Reconstruction had ended and during a period of increasing segregation and racial restrictions nationwide, missing the brief post-Civil War period when Black Americans enjoyed greater mobility and opportunities.

Geographic isolation continues shaping demographic patterns. These states remain 1,000 to 2,000 miles from major metropolitan areas with substantial Black populations. Chain migration—the process whereby established communities attract new migrants through family connections, cultural institutions, and support networks—requires existing Black populations to function effectively. With virtually no historical Black communities in these states, the mechanisms that might attract new Black residents remain underdeveloped. The reverse migration trend since the 1970s, which has seen Black Americans increasingly return to the South attracted by economic opportunities, cultural connections, and lower costs of living, has actually reinforced the demographic isolation of these lowest-population states by drawing Black Americans toward southern metropolitan areas rather than dispersing them more evenly nationwide.

Economic and Social Factors Affecting States with Lowest Black Population in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023, Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Data 2024, Federal Reserve Housing Market Analysis 2025

Contemporary economic and social factors continue reinforcing the demographic patterns established by historical forces in states with the lowest Black populations in the US 2025. Industry composition plays a crucial role—Montana’s economy remains heavily dependent on agriculture, mining, and tourism, sectors that historically offered limited opportunities for diverse professional workforces. While national employment in manufacturing stands at 10.1%, Montana’s manufacturing sector employs only 8.4% of workers, with mining and agriculture combining for over 23% of employment compared to under 3% nationally. These extractive and primary production industries, while economically vital to these states, haven’t generated the diverse job markets that attract varied populations. By contrast, technology hubs, financial centers, and diversified service economies in states like California, New York, and Texas offer broader opportunities that draw diverse talent from across the country and internationally.

The predominantly rural character of these states creates inherent challenges for population diversity. Montana’s urban population of 55.9% falls far below the national average of 80.7%, and Wyoming’s urbanization rate of approximately 64% remains well below national norms. Urban centers historically serve as nodes of diversity, offering anonymity, established communities, and economies of scale that support diverse populations. The absence of major metropolitan areas—Montana’s largest city, Billings, has only 119,000 residents, while Wyoming’s largest, Cheyenne, contains just 65,000—means these states lack the urban environments where most Black Americans have historically concentrated. Nationwide, 91% of Black Americans live in metropolitan areas, compared to 85% of whites, making the rural character of these states particularly significant.

Housing affordability challenges further complicate demographic diversification efforts. Idaho’s median home price reached $462,000 in 2024, exceeding the national median of $417,000 despite the state’s lower average incomes. This reflects rapid population growth driven by migration from expensive coastal states, creating affordability pressures that particularly affect potential Black migrants, who nationally experience lower homeownership rates (45%) compared to whites (74%). Vermont and New Hampshire similarly face housing affordability challenges due to limited housing stock, restrictive zoning regulations, and high construction costs. The combination of limited economic opportunities in sectors attracting diverse workforces, high housing costs relative to local wages, and absence of established Black communities creates multiple barriers to demographic diversification.

Climate considerations, while often overlooked in demographic analyses, influence migration patterns significantly. Montana’s average winter temperature of 20°F, Wyoming’s brutal winds and subzero temperatures, and Vermont’s heavy snowfall create living conditions dramatically different from the Sunbelt states currently experiencing the highest Black population growth. States like Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina—all experiencing rapid Black population increases—offer milder climates, lower heating costs, and outdoor lifestyles year-round. The population density disparities also matter—Wyoming’s 6 people per square mile compared to the national average of 94 creates isolation and limits the community infrastructure that supports diverse populations. These economic and social factors, layered upon historical patterns, create self-reinforcing systems that maintain demographic homogeneity across these lowest-population states even as America overall becomes increasingly diverse.

Political and Policy Implications for States with Lowest Black Population in the US 2025

Data Source: National Conference of State Legislatures (2025), NAACP Chapter Database, Pew Research Center Voting Analysis (2024), State Policy Analysis 2025

The minimal Black populations in these states create significant political representation challenges. Montana, Wyoming, and Vermont combined elect zero Black state legislators to their state houses, reflecting both the tiny Black populations and the difficulty any minority group faces achieving political representation when comprising less than 2% of voters. Nationwide, approximately 600 Black Americans serve in state legislatures, but virtually none represent these lowest-population states. This absence of Black political representation means policy priorities affecting Black communities receive minimal attention in state legislatures. Issues like criminal justice reform, racial disparities in education and healthcare, police accountability measures, and economic equity initiatives—which dominate legislative agendas in states with substantial Black populations—rarely reach the top of policy priorities in these states.

Electoral influence remains negligible for Black voters in these states. In Montana, where Black residents comprise 0.54% of the population, even assuming turnout rates matching the broader population, Black voters influence less than 1% of electoral outcomes. This contrasts sharply with states like Georgia (31.3% Black), where Black voters represent over 30% of the electorate and exercise determinative influence in close elections, or even national averages where Black voters comprise approximately 12% of all voters. The absence of electoral leverage means political candidates have minimal incentive to address issues specifically affecting Black communities, and policies that might attract Black residents receive little political attention. Some research suggests this creates self-reinforcing cycles: minimal Black populations lead to minimal political attention to diversity issues, which in turn makes these states less attractive to potential Black migrants, maintaining demographic homogeneity.

The civil rights infrastructure remains underdeveloped in these states compared to regions with substantial Black populations. Montana maintains only 2 NAACP branches compared to 64 in Georgia, limiting organizational capacity to advocate for civil rights, address discrimination, or provide support for Black residents. Corporate diversity initiatives—increasingly important for attracting diverse professional talent—remain rare. Montana, Wyoming, Vermont, New Hampshire, and South Dakota combined host only 3 Fortune 500 company headquarters, compared to 53 in California and 51 in New York. Major corporations increasingly implement diversity recruiting programs, mentorship initiatives, and inclusive policies specifically designed to attract and retain Black employees, but the absence of major corporate employers in these states limits these opportunities. Educational institutions, particularly universities, serve as crucial engines of diversity in many states, but the limited number and size of universities in these lowest-population states restricts their potential as diversity drivers.

Policy frameworks addressing racial equity remain underdeveloped. While states like California, New York, and Illinois have implemented comprehensive racial equity audits, mandatory bias training for law enforcement, minority business development programs, and explicit diversity goals in state contracting, the lowest-Black-population states generally lack comparable policy infrastructure. This doesn’t necessarily reflect hostility to such policies—indeed, Vermont and Maine rank among America’s most progressive states on many social issues—but rather the limited political pressure and organizational capacity to implement comprehensive racial equity frameworks when Black residents comprise such tiny percentages of populations. The challenge becomes cyclical: minimal Black populations mean limited political pressure for diversity-focused policies, which contributes to environments less welcoming to potential Black migrants, maintaining demographic homogeneity that perpetuates the political dynamics. Breaking these cycles requires intentional policy interventions focused on actively recruiting diverse populations, implementing welcoming policies regardless of current demographics, and building infrastructure that makes these states attractive to Black Americans and other underrepresented groups.

Population Density and Black Population Distribution in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 Population Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau Land Area Measurements 2020, Population Density Analysis (2025)

The distribution of Black populations across states with the lowest concentrations becomes even more striking when examined through the lens of population density per square mile. Montana, despite housing 5,500 Black residents, spreads this population across 147,040 square miles of territory, resulting in merely 0.04 Black residents per square mile. This represents an astounding 99.7% reduction from the national average of 14.62 Black residents per square mile, illustrating the extreme geographic dispersal of Montana’s already minuscule Black community. In practical terms, a person would need to traverse an average of 25 square miles of Montana territory to encounter a single Black resident, compared to finding over 14 Black residents within a single square mile nationally.

Wyoming presents an even more extreme case when considering absolute density. With 6,028 Black residents scattered across 97,914 square miles, the state maintains only 0.06 Black residents per square mile—a figure 99.6% below the national average. Wyoming’s overall population density of just 6 people per square mile already ranks as America’s second-lowest, and its Black population density falls even further below state averages. The vast majority of Wyoming’s Black residents concentrate in Cheyenne (Laramie County, density 37.9 people per square mile total) and Casper (Natrona County, density 15.1 people per square mile), leaving enormous swaths of rural Wyoming—particularly counties like Carbon County with overall density of 1.8 people per square mile—virtually devoid of Black residents.

Vermont, despite its smaller geographic size of 9,616 square miles and relatively high overall population density of 68 people per square mile, maintains only 0.94 Black residents per square mile. This remains 93.5% below the national average, demonstrating that even in more densely settled New England states, Black populations remain extraordinarily sparse. Vermont’s Black residents concentrate heavily in Chittenden County surrounding Burlington, where overall density reaches 316 people per square mile, while rural counties like Essex County (overall density 9 people per square mile) contain virtually no Black residents. Alaska, America’s largest state at 665,384 square miles, maintains the absolute lowest Black population density at 0.03 residents per square mile—meaning a person would theoretically need to cover over 30 square miles to encounter a single Black Alaskan resident, representing 99.8% below the national average.

These density figures illuminate why building sustainable Black communities in these states faces such profound challenges. Social scientists recognize that viable ethnic communities require certain population thresholds to support cultural institutions—churches, businesses, social organizations, and informal networks—that sustain community identity and provide support systems for residents. Research suggests viable urban ethnic enclaves typically require densities of at least 50-100 members per square mile within neighborhoods to maintain institutions and critical mass. The state with lowest black population statistics show densities hundreds of times below these thresholds, making it extraordinarily difficult for Black residents in these areas to access community connections, cultural institutions, and support networks that more concentrated populations enjoy. This geographic dispersion itself becomes a barrier to attracting new Black residents, as the isolation experienced by existing community members discourages others from relocating to these areas, perpetuating the demographic patterns established over generations.

Urban vs Rural Black Population Distribution in States with Lowest Concentrations in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023, Metropolitan Statistical Area Data 2024, City Population Estimates 2024

The distribution of Black populations between urban and rural areas within states with the lowest Black populations reveals patterns even more concentrated than national trends. Nationally, approximately 91% of Black Americans reside in metropolitan areas compared to 85% of whites, but in these lowest-population states, urban concentration reaches even higher levels. Wyoming demonstrates this pattern starkly, with 80% of its 6,028 Black residents—approximately 4,823 people—living in urban areas, primarily Cheyenne and Casper. Cheyenne alone houses 2,184 Black residents, representing 36% of Wyoming’s entire Black population despite the city containing only 11% of the state’s total residents. This means Cheyenne’s Black population percentage of 3.29% exceeds the statewide average of 1.03% by more than three times, while vast rural counties contain virtually no Black residents.

Vermont shows similar urban concentration, with 75% of its 9,000 Black residents—approximately 6,750 people—living in urban areas. Burlington, Vermont’s largest city with approximately 43,600 residents, houses 3,420 Black residents, representing 38% of the state’s entire Black population. Burlington’s 7.84% Black population vastly exceeds Vermont’s statewide 1.22%, making it the state’s primary Black community center. The city supports the state’s only historically Black churches, African American cultural organizations, and ethnic grocery stores serving Black residents, infrastructure absent from rural Vermont where Black residents number in single digits per town. This concentration pattern creates challenging dynamics—Burlington offers community and infrastructure absent elsewhere in Vermont, but its relatively small absolute Black population of 3,420 residents still provides limited critical mass compared to major urban Black communities in other states.

Montana presents perhaps the most extreme urban concentration pattern. Approximately 75% of the state’s 5,500 Black residents—roughly 4,125 people—live in urban areas, with Billings housing 1,238 (22.5% of the state total), Missoula approximately 892 (16.2%), and Great Falls around 687 (12.5%). This means three cities contain over half of Montana’s entire Black population. Billings, Montana’s largest city with 119,000 residents, maintains a Black population of only 1.04%—still well below national averages but nearly double the statewide percentage. Rural Montana counties, particularly in the eastern plains, frequently report Black populations in single digits or even zero, creating vast areas spanning tens of thousands of square miles with no Black residents whatsoever. The concentration creates difficult trade-offs for Montana’s Black residents—living in Billings, Missoula, or Great Falls provides access to the limited Black community infrastructure available in the state, but these communities remain so small that they lack the cultural institutions, professional networks, and social supports available in larger Black communities elsewhere.

The urban-rural divide in these states matters profoundly for quality of life, economic opportunity, and social support available to Black residents. Urban areas, despite their small absolute Black populations, at least offer anonymity, diverse employment opportunities, universities and colleges that may have diversity initiatives, and sufficient population density to support a handful of Black-focused institutions. Alaska demonstrates this pattern—84.6% of its 21,898 Black residents (18,516 people) live in urban areas, with Anchorage alone housing 15,327 Black residents representing 70% of the state’s entire Black population. Anchorage’s Black community of over 15,000 residents approaches sufficient critical mass to support churches, businesses, social organizations, and informal networks, while rural Alaska villages may go entire generations without seeing a Black resident. The extreme urban concentration in states with minimal Black populations reinforces self-perpetuating patterns: the few Black residents cluster where minimal infrastructure exists, which attracts the limited number of new Black arrivals, while rural areas remain demographically frozen in patterns established over a century ago. Breaking these patterns would require intentional efforts to create welcoming rural communities, but the isolation and absence of existing Black populations makes such efforts extraordinarily challenging.

Age Distribution of Black Population in States with Lowest Concentrations in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023 Age Distribution Tables, Pew Research Center Demographic Analysis (August 2025)

The age distribution of Black populations in states with the lowest Black concentrations reveals demographic patterns significantly different from national Black population trends. Montana’s Black population skews notably younger, with 25.0% under age 18 (matching the national Black average) and a striking 44.0% in the 18-44 age range compared to 43.1% nationally. This creates a median age of 32.8 years for Montana’s Black residents, considerably younger than the state’s overall median age of 40.2 years. The youthful profile suggests Montana’s limited Black population growth comes primarily from young professionals and military personnel rather than established multigenerational families. However, the extremely small number of Black seniors—only 385 residents over age 65, representing just 7.0% of the Black population—indicates virtually no established Black retirement community exists in Montana, a stark contrast to states like Georgia or Florida where Black retirees represent 12-14% of Black populations.

Wyoming demonstrates similar age skewing, with 46.0% of Black residents in the 18-44 age bracket—the highest percentage among all states examined. This 2,772 young adult Black residents likely concentrate around the University of Wyoming in Laramie, military installations like F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, and energy industry positions in Campbell and Sweetwater counties. The median age of 33.2 years for Wyoming’s Black population compares to 39.8 years for the state overall, again suggesting a population dominated by young workers and students rather than established families spanning multiple generations. Only 423 Black Wyoming residents have reached age 65 or older, representing 7.0% of the Black population, indicating almost no Black individuals have lived entire lifetimes in Wyoming—most Black seniors either never lived in the state or relocated elsewhere for retirement.

Vermont and New Hampshire present contrasting age profiles despite their geographic proximity. Vermont’s Black population shows 22.0% under age 18—below the national 25.0% average—and 8.0% over age 65, suggesting a population transitioning toward middle age with limited family formation. The median age of 34.6 years indicates Vermont’s Black community lacks the youthful energy characteristic of growing populations but hasn’t yet developed significant numbers of longtime residents aging into retirement. New Hampshire’s Black population displays the oldest median age among these states at 36.4 years, with only 18.0% under 18 and 10.0% over 65, suggesting a more established middle-class Black population concentrated in the Manchester-Nashua metropolitan corridor, potentially including some multigenerational families—though still far fewer than states with substantial historical Black populations.

The youth concentration in most of these states’ Black populations—with 44-49% in the prime working ages of 18-44—suggests these populations remain transient rather than rooted. Young professionals, college students, and military personnel who relocate for specific opportunities dominate these demographics, with minimal evidence of established Black communities spanning multiple generations. The extremely low percentages of Black seniors—ranging from 5-11% across these states compared to 10.4% nationally—indicates Black residents overwhelmingly leave these states before retirement age, likely relocating to areas with established Black communities, better healthcare infrastructure, and cultural amenities serving African American seniors. This age distribution pattern itself contributes to the demographic stagnation of these states—without multigenerational families establishing roots, building community institutions, and creating the social capital that attracts new residents, the state with lowest black population statistics show populations that perpetually renew through young arrivals rather than growing through natural increase and family formation. The absence of Black grandparents, longtime community elders, and multi-generational families fundamentally shapes the character of Black life in these states, limiting the institutional memory, community cohesion, and cultural continuity that characterize Black communities in states with longer-established populations.

Educational Attainment Among Black Population in States with Lowest Concentrations in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023 Educational Attainment Tables, National Center for Education Statistics (2024)

The educational attainment levels among Black populations in states with the lowest Black concentrations significantly exceed national Black averages, revealing these small populations as highly selected groups. Vermont’s Black population age 25 and older demonstrates exceptional educational achievement, with 95.0% holding high school diplomas or higher compared to 89.3% nationally, and a remarkable 42.0% holding bachelor’s degrees or higher versus 27.5% nationally—a 14.5 percentage point advantage. This means Vermont’s Black residents earn bachelor’s degrees at rates 53% higher than Black Americans nationally, approaching or exceeding white educational attainment rates in many states. The 2,950 Black Vermonters with bachelor’s degrees represent a highly educated professional class concentrated in Burlington, Montpelier, and university towns, likely employed in education, healthcare, technology, and government sectors.

New Hampshire displays even more striking educational achievements, with 95.0% of Black residents holding high school diplomas and 42.9% possessing bachelor’s degrees—15.4 percentage points above the national Black average. This educational premium reflects New Hampshire’s economy centered on technology, healthcare, education, and professional services requiring advanced credentials. The state’s 7,089 Black residents with bachelor’s degrees likely include substantial numbers working for technology firms in the Nashua-Manchester corridor, universities like Dartmouth and the University of New Hampshire, healthcare systems, and professional services. Graduate degree attainment at 16.0% doubles the national Black rate of 12.0%, indicating New Hampshire’s Black population includes significant numbers of highly credentialed professionals—likely doctors, lawyers, professors, engineers, and advanced degree holders in specialized fields.

Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Alaska show more moderate but still substantial educational advantages over national Black averages. All four states report 92.0% high school completion rates among Black residents age 25+ compared to 89.3% nationally, and bachelor’s degree attainment ranging from 34-36% versus 27.5% nationally. These patterns suggest educational selection effects operate powerfully—Black individuals relocating to these states for employment opportunities typically require college credentials to compete in labor markets dominated by natural resources, government employment, universities, healthcare, and professional services rather than the broader occupational diversity available in major metropolitan areas with substantial Black populations. The 1,485 Black Montana residents with bachelor’s degrees likely concentrate in Billings medical facilities, University of Montana and Montana State University, state government in Helena, and professional services, representing a small but highly credentialed Black professional class.

The educational advantages documented in these statistics illuminate both opportunities and challenges for Black residents in these states. Higher educational attainment typically correlates with higher incomes, better employment opportunities, and improved quality of life indicators, suggesting Black residents in these states may experience certain economic advantages compared to national Black averages. However, the requirement for advanced credentials to access opportunities in these states creates high barriers to entry, effectively limiting Black populations to those with educational and professional qualifications unavailable to many Americans. The pattern reveals these states function as selective destinations attracting small numbers of highly educated Black professionals while remaining largely inaccessible to working-class and middle-skilled Black Americans who might find opportunities in states with more diverse economies. The state with lowest black population statistics thus reflect not just numerical scarcity but qualitative selection—these states’ tiny Black populations constitute professional elites rather than demographically representative cross-sections of Black America, with all the limitations that implies for building diverse, inclusive communities spanning economic classes and providing opportunities for residents with varied educational backgrounds and skill levels.

Economic Indicators for Black Population in States with Lowest Concentrations in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023 Income and Poverty Tables, Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Situation 2024, Federal Reserve Housing Data 2025

The economic indicators for Black populations in states with the lowest Black concentrations reveal complex patterns of relative advantage compared to national Black averages but persistent disadvantages compared to state populations overall. Vermont’s Black median household income of $67,800 exceeds the national Black median of $54,000 by $13,800 or 25.6%, representing substantial relative prosperity. This income advantage reflects the highly educated professional character of Vermont’s Black population documented earlier—with 42% holding bachelor’s degrees, Vermont’s Black residents disproportionately work in well-compensated professional, educational, healthcare, and technical positions. However, Vermont’s Black households still earn $6,214 less annually than the state median of $74,014, demonstrating that racial income gaps persist even in states with minimal Black populations and highly educated Black communities.

New Hampshire presents the most economically advantaged Black population among these states, with median household income of $72,400—a remarkable $18,400 or 34.1% above the national Black median. New Hampshire’s Black residents earn 25% less than the state median of $90,845, but this gap of $18,445 represents proportionally better parity than the national gap of $20,580 between Black and overall median incomes. The state’s Black poverty rate of 8.9% falls well below the national Black rate of 17.9% and approaches the statewide rate of 7.2%, suggesting New Hampshire’s small Black professional class achieves near-economic parity with the broader population. Black homeownership in New Hampshire reaches 58.9%, substantially above the national Black rate of 45.3% though still trailing the state’s 72.8% overall homeownership rate.

Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho show more moderate Black economic advantages. Montana’s Black median income of $58,400 exceeds the national Black median by $4,400 (8.1%) but trails the state median by $4,849. Wyoming’s figures show Black households earning $61,200—above national Black levels but $11,295 below the state median. Idaho presents the largest income gap, with Black households earning $56,900 compared to the state median of $70,214, a disparity of $13,314 reflecting limited economic opportunities for Black residents outside of Boise’s growing technology sector. Alaska demonstrates the most concerning pattern, with Black households earning $64,700—well above the national Black median—but $21,670 below Alaska’s elevated state median of $86,370, suggesting Black Alaskans, despite strong absolute incomes, face substantial economic disadvantages relative to Alaska’s high-wage energy and government sectors.

The poverty and unemployment statistics reinforce these patterns. Black poverty rates in all these states fall below the national Black rate of 17.9%, ranging from Vermont’s 11.4% to Idaho’s 15.6%, but exceed state averages in every case, demonstrating persistent Black economic disadvantage even in states with tiny, highly educated Black populations. Unemployment rates show Black workers experiencing elevated joblessness compared to state averages, though rates generally remain below the national Black unemployment rate. Homeownership data reveals particularly concerning gaps—despite educational and income advantages over national Black averages, Black homeownership rates in these states range from 47-59%, substantially below state averages of 64-73%. The state with lowest black population thus shows Black residents achieving certain economic advantages over national Black averages through educational selection effects, but experiencing persistent racial economic gaps within their states despite small populations, high educational attainment, and professional employment, suggesting that structural disadvantages affect Black Americans regardless of education levels or geographic location, though the magnitude of disadvantage varies considerably.

The demographic trajectory of states with the lowest Black populations in the US 2025 suggests these areas will remain among America’s least diverse for the foreseeable future. While remote work opportunities and climate migration patterns create potential for modest growth, the reverse migration trend continues drawing Black Americans toward southern metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Dallas, which experienced combined Black population growth exceeding 850,000 between 2010 and 2023. Housing affordability challenges intensify as coastal migrants drive up prices in Mountain West states, potentially limiting diversity gains. The self-reinforcing nature of minimal existing Black populations creating limited cultural infrastructure discourages new Black residents, maintaining demographic homogeneity.

Realistic projections suggest these ten states will continue ranking as America’s least diverse through 2030 and beyond, with Black populations potentially growing to 1.5-2.5% in the lowest states but remaining far below the national average of 15.2%. Meaningful demographic transformation would require sustained, intentional efforts—comprehensive diversity recruitment programs, substantial investments in cultural institutions serving diverse communities, explicit anti-discrimination protections, and economic development strategies targeting diverse entrepreneurs. Without such comprehensive approaches, the state with lowest black population statistics will likely show only incremental changes, maintaining the profound geographic disparities that characterize American demographics in 2025.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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