What are the most segregated states in America?

While rankings vary by study, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Maine consistently appear among the most segregated states, with reports highlighting issues in states like Connecticut and California, especially concerning housing and school disparities. Often cited for extreme racial separation, especially in cities like Milwaukee and Chicago, the Midwest has a strong presence in segregation rankings, though significant patterns also exist in the Northeast and West.

What are the most segregated states in the United States?

The Most Segregated States in America

• New Mexico.
• West Virginia.
• Hawaii.
• Kentucky.
• Texas.

What is the most segregated city in America?

While it changes with studies, Milwaukee is frequently cited as the most racially segregated large city or metro area in the U.S., followed closely by Detroit, New York, and Chicago, due to stark Black-White divides, persistent poverty gaps, and historical housing policies. However, some newer analyses also highlight Chicago as a top contender, particularly for Black-White segregation, with studies showing significant, deeply ingrained patterns. 

What is the most segregated county in the United States?

Nassau County, NY, is the most segregated county in the USA.

Is the North or South more segregated?

In addition to recommending increased enforcement, the report assessed the state of school desegregation throughout the country. Among the most striking findings contained in the report was evidence that southern schools were actually less racially segregated than northern schools.

The Most and Least Segregated States in America

What's the least racist state in the United States?

There's no single definitive ranking for the "least racist" state, as it's subjective, but studies often point to Maine, Alaska, Delaware, Washington, and Maryland as having higher racial integration or progress, while states with lower diversity like Vermont, New Hampshire, and Idaho might appear less diverse but aren't necessarily less racist in practice, with some studies showing stark differences in integration metrics. Different metrics, like diversity, segregation, or progress in racial equity, yield varied results, with some reports highlighting states with strong Democratic leanings (like Maine) or those showing significant recent gains (like Georgia, Mississippi) as indicators. 

What state is 90% white?

Several U.S. states have populations that are over 90% white, with Vermont, Maine, and Wyoming being prominent examples, according to recent demographic data, reflecting high concentrations of non-Hispanic white residents in New England and parts of the Mountain West, though the percentage varies slightly by year and source.
 

What is the blackest state in America?

The "blackest" state in the U.S. depends on whether you mean the largest total Black population or the highest percentage (proportion) of Black residents, with Texas having the largest total number, while Mississippi (or the District of Columbia, if considered) has the highest proportion, often followed closely by Georgia and Louisiana.
 

What is the least segregated city?

Each of these metros has a Black-white dissimilarity index exceeding 70. The cities with the lowest levels of segregation are Tucson, Salt Lake, Portland, San Jose. Each of these metros has a dissimilarity index of 45 or less.

What are the worst states for racial equality?

With a score of 100 representing racial equality, the state education systems with the overall most racial equality were Wyoming (88.77), New Mexico (76.62), and West Virginia (73.51). The overall worst states for racial equality in education were Wisconsin (12.53), Connecticut (23.73), and Minnesota (23.85).

What is the blackest city in the US?

While Jackson, Mississippi, is often called the "Blackest city" for its high percentage (over 80%) of African American residents, South Fulton, Georgia, actually leads as the "Blackest" major city, with over 90% Black residents, according to more recent data. Other cities like Detroit, Birmingham, and Miami Gardens also have very significant Black populations, but Jackson and South Fulton stand out for their concentration. 

Is America becoming more segregated?

Black-white segregation reached a high of 79 in 1960 and 1970, and has been on the decline since then. The average D dropped 6 points in the 1980s, 3 points in the 1990s, and 5 points since 2000. By another measure, the average black exposure to whites, there has been no change in the last three decades.

Is Chicago still a segregated city?

Despite the city's first settler, Jean-Baptiste Point DuSable, being of Haitian descent, Chicago's infamous segregation is still intact, and it joins a list of large cities with similar rates of racial polarization, such as Cleveland, Newark, Philadelphia, and Houston.

What is America's most segregated city?

While it changes with studies, Milwaukee is frequently cited as the most racially segregated large city or metro area in the U.S., followed closely by Detroit, New York, and Chicago, due to stark Black-White divides, persistent poverty gaps, and historical housing policies. However, some newer analyses also highlight Chicago as a top contender, particularly for Black-White segregation, with studies showing significant, deeply ingrained patterns. 

What is the blackest county in the USA?

The "blackest" county in the U.S. by percentage is often cited as Claiborne County, Mississippi, with nearly 89% of its population being Black, followed closely by other counties in the Mississippi Delta and Alabama Black Belt like Jefferson County, MS, and Greene County, AL, which have very high Black majority percentages. While large counties like Prince George's (MD) and DeKalb (GA) have large Black populations, these Mississippi/Alabama counties have the highest proportion of Black residents.
 

What is the least racially diverse state?

West Virginia is consistently ranked as the least racially diverse state in the U.S., followed closely by Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Montana, with these states showing more homogeneous populations and less racial/ethnic variety compared to others, according to analyses from sources like WalletHub and USAFacts.
 

Which state is the least racist?

There's no single "least racist" state, as it depends on metrics like diversity, integration, and racial progress, but studies often point to states like Hawaii, California, Maine, and Washington for high diversity/integration, while others like Georgia and Mississippi rank high in racial progress, highlighting that different measures yield different results, with some data suggesting states with high diversity indices (like Hawaii, California) may have lower segregation, but other metrics show diverse Southern states making significant progress. 

What is the most interracial city in America?

The top 10 most diverse cities in America in 2025 are:

• No. 1 – Gaithersburg, Maryland.
• No. 2 – Silver Spring, Maryland.
• No. 3 – Germantown, Maryland.
• No. 4 – Arlington, Texas.
• No. 5 – Houston, Texas.
• No. 6 – New York, New York.
• No. 7 – Charlotte, North Carolina.
• No. 8 – Jersey City, New Jersey.

What is the least whitest state?

Hawaii has the lowest percentage of white people, around 24.7%, making it the least "white" state by proportion, followed by other highly diverse states like California, New Mexico, and Texas where minorities form the majority, while states like West Virginia have the highest white populations.
 

Where is the wealthiest black community in America?

The richest Black neighborhoods in America are concentrated in areas like Prince George's County, Maryland (including Bowie, Fort Washington, Mitchellville) and Los Angeles's "Black Beverly Hills" (Baldwin Hills, View Park-Windsor Hills, Ladera Heights), known for high incomes, homeownership, and strong Black professional communities, with Bowie, MD often cited for its high average income and educated population, and LA areas for luxury homes and cultural hubs. 

What state has the most all black towns?

Oklahoma has the most historically significant all-Black towns, with over 50 founded after the Civil War, far surpassing any other state, though many have since dissolved, leaving about 13 still existing today, like Boley, Rentiesville, and Taft. While other states have Black-majority cities (like Detroit, Jackson, MS), Oklahoma uniquely fostered numerous independent Black towns.
 

What state has the fastest growing Black population?

Utah experienced the fastest growth in its Black population between 2010 and 2023, with an increase of 89%.

Which states are becoming more diverse?

How has diversity in the US changed since 2020?

• Every state became more diverse between 2020 and 2023. ...
• The states with the biggest increases in their Diversity Index (DI) scores were Washington (up 2.4 percentage points), Massachusetts and Oregon (up 2.0), and Iowa, Minnesota, Rhode Island (up 1.9).

Was America ever 90% white?

Yes — the U.S. population was about 90% white (by census definitions) from roughly the late 1800s through the 1940s.