Most African American cities in Massachusetts research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Massachusetts’s most recent Census data to determine the blackest cities in Massachusetts based on the percentage of Black residents. Here are the results of our analysis:
The city with the largest African American population in Massachusetts is Brockton based on the most recent Census data.
Brockton is 33.53% Black.
The least African American city in Massachusetts is Newburyport.
Newburyport is 0.35% Black.
Massachusetts is 6.4% Black.
Massachusetts is the 27th blackest state in the United States.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Black community is one of the fastest-growing communities in America this decade.
Roughly 42 million people identifying as Black or African American live in the United States, making up 12% of the total population. According to the most recent American Community Survey, the Black population in Massachusetts is 450,251 – at 6.4% of the total population of Massachusetts.
The percentage growth of Blacks in America is the third largest percentage change for any race according to the Census’s race and ethnicity definition. Most scholars and historians agree that increasing diversity in America is a good thing.
We agree.
But how has the increase in the black population impacted Massachusetts? Which cities and towns in Massachusetts have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in Massachusetts with the largest African American population in 2026:
What’s the blackest city in Massachusetts? The city with the largest Black population in Massachusetts for 2026 is Brockton. See if Brockton ranked as one of the most african american places in America.
And if you already knew these places were Black, check out the best places to live in Massachusetts or the most diverse places in Massachusetts.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Massachusetts For 2026
1. Brockton
/10
Population: 105,386
% African American: 33.53%
# Of African American Residents: 35,340
Percent Change Since 2010: 11.52%
More on Brockton: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Boston
/10
Population: 666,442
% African American: 19.28%
# Of African American Residents: 128,487
Percent Change Since 2010: -8.05%
More on Boston: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Springfield
/10
Population: 154,749
% African American: 17.51%
# Of African American Residents: 27,100
Percent Change Since 2010: -12.18%
More on Springfield: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Malden
/10
Population: 65,906
% African American: 13.17%
# Of African American Residents: 8,677
Percent Change Since 2010: 2.48%
More on Malden: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Worcester
/10
Population: 207,055
% African American: 12.07%
# Of African American Residents: 24,994
Percent Change Since 2010: 49.11%
More on Worcester: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Cambridge
/10
Population: 118,796
% African American: 10.29%
# Of African American Residents: 12,226
Percent Change Since 2010: 7.39%
More on Cambridge: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Lynn
/10
Population: 101,709
% African American: 9.98%
# Of African American Residents: 10,150
Percent Change Since 2010: 2.69%
More on Lynn: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Lowell
/10
Population: 118,368
% African American: 9.95%
# Of African American Residents: 11,776
Percent Change Since 2010: 82.49%
More on Lowell: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Everett
/10
Population: 50,045
% African American: 9.43%
# Of African American Residents: 4,718
Percent Change Since 2010: -3.66%
More on Everett: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Waltham
/10
Population: 64,902
% African American: 8.33%
# Of African American Residents: 5,406
Percent Change Since 2010: 91.84%
More on Waltham: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Massachusetts With The Largest Black Population For 2026
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Massachusetts.
That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2020-2024 American Community Survey data from the US Census.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: Hispanic OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- Hispanic or Latino
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
Our particular column of interest was the number of people who identified as Black or African American.
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 12,000 people in Massachusetts. That left us with 48 cities.
We then calculated the percentage of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 33.5% to 0.4%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percentage of the Black population, with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Brockton took the distinction of being the most Black, while Newburyport was the least African American city.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the cities in Massachusetts with the largest African American population.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Massachusetts ranked by population of African American residents or, for a more general take on diversity in America, head over to our ranking of the most diverse cities in America.
Summary: Black Populations Across Massachusetts
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Massachusetts according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The blackest cities in Massachusetts are Brockton, Boston, Springfield, Malden, Worcester, Cambridge, Lynn, Lowell, Everett, and Waltham.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in Massachusetts:
- Newburyport
- Westfield
- Gloucester
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Massachusetts
- Safest Places In Massachusetts
African American Population By City In Massachusetts
| Rank | City | Population | African American Population | % African American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brockton | 105,386 | 35,340 | 33.53% |
| 2 | Boston | 666,442 | 128,487 | 19.28% |
| 3 | Springfield | 154,749 | 27,100 | 17.51% |
| 4 | Malden | 65,906 | 8,677 | 13.17% |
| 5 | Worcester | 207,055 | 24,994 | 12.07% |
| 6 | Cambridge | 118,796 | 12,226 | 10.29% |
| 7 | Lynn | 101,709 | 10,150 | 9.98% |
| 8 | Lowell | 118,368 | 11,776 | 9.95% |
| 9 | Everett | 50,045 | 4,718 | 9.43% |
| 10 | Waltham | 64,902 | 5,406 | 8.33% |
| 11 | Taunton | 60,433 | 4,679 | 7.74% |
| 12 | Chelsea | 39,908 | 2,828 | 7.09% |
| 13 | Medford | 59,354 | 3,745 | 6.31% |
| 14 | Quincy | 102,114 | 6,141 | 6.01% |
| 15 | Fitchburg | 41,798 | 2,491 | 5.96% |
| 16 | Barnstable Town | 49,568 | 2,821 | 5.69% |
| 17 | Fall River | 94,082 | 5,304 | 5.64% |
| 18 | Attleboro | 46,762 | 2,583 | 5.52% |
| 19 | Pittsfield | 43,457 | 2,253 | 5.18% |
| 20 | Leominster | 43,909 | 2,135 | 4.86% |
| 21 | Salem | 44,795 | 2,050 | 4.58% |
| 22 | Chicopee | 55,295 | 2,449 | 4.43% |
| 23 | Woburn | 41,939 | 1,857 | 4.43% |
| 24 | Somerville | 81,036 | 3,587 | 4.43% |
| 25 | New Bedford | 100,998 | 4,463 | 4.42% |
| 26 | Revere | 60,012 | 2,629 | 4.38% |
| 27 | Peabody | 54,695 | 2,352 | 4.3% |
| 28 | Weymouth Town | 58,505 | 2,366 | 4.04% |
| 29 | Gardner | 21,148 | 851 | 4.02% |
| 30 | West Springfield Town | 28,772 | 1,096 | 3.81% |
| 31 | Palmer Town | 12,381 | 460 | 3.72% |
| 32 | Marlborough | 41,647 | 1,529 | 3.67% |
| 33 | Braintree Town | 38,899 | 1,308 | 3.36% |
| 34 | Winthrop Town | 18,759 | 598 | 3.19% |
| 35 | Southbridge Town | 17,928 | 525 | 2.93% |
| 36 | Beverly | 42,665 | 1,209 | 2.83% |
| 37 | Agawam Town | 28,539 | 806 | 2.82% |
| 38 | Haverhill | 67,698 | 1,812 | 2.68% |
| 39 | Northampton | 30,962 | 822 | 2.65% |
| 40 | Holyoke | 37,813 | 923 | 2.44% |
| 41 | Newton | 89,044 | 2,108 | 2.37% |
| 42 | Franklin Town | 33,154 | 684 | 2.06% |
| 43 | Lawrence | 88,736 | 1,775 | 2.0% |
| 44 | Melrose | 29,650 | 467 | 1.58% |
| 45 | North Adams | 12,606 | 190 | 1.51% |
| 46 | Gloucester | 30,075 | 405 | 1.35% |
| 47 | Westfield | 40,378 | 287 | 0.71% |
| 48 | Newburyport | 18,652 | 66 | 0.35% |