Most African American cities in Tennessee research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Tennessee’s most recent Census data to determine the blackest cities in Tennessee based on the percentage of Black residents. Here are the results of our analysis:
The city with the largest African American population in Tennessee is Brownsville based on the most recent Census data.
Brownsville is 67.0% Black.
The least African American city in Tennessee is Mount Carmel.
Mount Carmel is 0.0% Black.
Tennessee is 15.4% Black.
Tennessee is the 10th 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 Tennessee is 1,090,494 – at 15.4% of the total population of Tennessee.
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 Tennessee? Which cities and towns in Tennessee have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in Tennessee with the largest African American population in 2026:
Most African American Places In Tennessee
What’s the blackest city in Tennessee? The city with the largest Black population in Tennessee for 2026 is Brownsville. See if Brownsville 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 Tennessee or the most diverse places in Tennessee.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Tennessee For 2026
1. Brownsville
/10
Population: 9,622
% African American: 67.0%
# Of African American Residents: 6,447
Percent Change Since 2010: -6.82%
More on Brownsville: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Bolivar
/10
Population: 5,144
% African American: 63.61%
# Of African American Residents: 3,272
Percent Change Since 2010: -2.88%
More on Bolivar: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Memphis
/10
Population: 618,980
% African American: 62.68%
# Of African American Residents: 387,985
Percent Change Since 2010: -5.02%
More on Memphis: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Covington
/10
Population: 8,587
% African American: 55.16%
# Of African American Residents: 4,737
Percent Change Since 2010: -8.38%
More on Covington: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Ripley
/10
Population: 7,658
% African American: 50.85%
# Of African American Residents: 3,894
Percent Change Since 2010: -10.73%
More on Ripley: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Jackson
/10
Population: 68,435
% African American: 43.96%
# Of African American Residents: 30,086
Percent Change Since 2010: 2.97%
More on Jackson: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Humboldt
/10
Population: 7,787
% African American: 42.26%
# Of African American Residents: 3,291
Percent Change Since 2010: -21.17%
More on Humboldt: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Millington
/10
Population: 11,289
% African American: 33.43%
# Of African American Residents: 3,774
Percent Change Since 2010: 37.84%
More on Millington: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Dyersburg
/10
Population: 15,979
% African American: 27.85%
# Of African American Residents: 4,450
Percent Change Since 2010: -7.31%
More on Dyersburg: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Chattanooga
/10
Population: 185,783
% African American: 27.56%
# Of African American Residents: 51,198
Percent Change Since 2010: -9.59%
More on Chattanooga: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Tennessee 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 Tennessee.
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 5,000 people in Tennessee. That left us with 92 cities.
We then calculated the percentage of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 67.0% to 0.0%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percentage of the Black population, with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Brownsville took the distinction of being the most Black, while Mount Carmel was the least African American city.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the cities in Tennessee with the largest African American population.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Tennessee 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 Tennessee
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Tennessee according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The blackest cities in Tennessee are Brownsville, Bolivar, Memphis, Covington, Ripley, Jackson, Humboldt, Millington, Dyersburg, and Chattanooga.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in Tennessee:
- Mount Carmel
- Church Hill
- Erwin
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
African American Population By City In Tennessee
| Rank | City | Population | African American Population | % African American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brownsville | 9,622 | 6,447 | 67.0% |
| 2 | Bolivar | 5,144 | 3,272 | 63.61% |
| 3 | Memphis | 618,980 | 387,985 | 62.68% |
| 4 | Covington | 8,587 | 4,737 | 55.16% |
| 5 | Ripley | 7,658 | 3,894 | 50.85% |
| 6 | Jackson | 68,435 | 30,086 | 43.96% |
| 7 | Humboldt | 7,787 | 3,291 | 42.26% |
| 8 | Millington | 11,289 | 3,774 | 33.43% |
| 9 | Dyersburg | 15,979 | 4,450 | 27.85% |
| 10 | Chattanooga | 185,783 | 51,198 | 27.56% |
| 11 | Oakland | 9,979 | 2,594 | 25.99% |
| 12 | Goodlettsville | 17,597 | 4,493 | 25.53% |
| 13 | La Vergne | 40,243 | 9,706 | 24.12% |
| 14 | Milan | 8,244 | 1,820 | 22.08% |
| 15 | Clarksville | 176,456 | 38,547 | 21.85% |
| 16 | Pulaski | 8,285 | 1,788 | 21.58% |
| 17 | Springfield | 19,255 | 4,041 | 20.99% |
| 18 | Union City | 10,982 | 2,253 | 20.52% |
| 19 | Bartlett | 56,876 | 11,216 | 19.72% |
| 20 | Smyrna | 56,692 | 10,704 | 18.88% |
| 21 | Fayetteville | 7,057 | 1,295 | 18.35% |
| 22 | Martin | 10,915 | 1,990 | 18.23% |
| 23 | Henderson | 6,411 | 1,156 | 18.03% |
| 24 | Mckenzie | 5,631 | 1,001 | 17.78% |
| 25 | Columbia | 45,441 | 7,518 | 16.54% |
| 26 | Murfreesboro | 161,445 | 26,210 | 16.23% |
| 27 | Paris | 10,338 | 1,677 | 16.22% |
| 28 | Knoxville | 195,185 | 30,545 | 15.65% |
| 29 | Gallatin | 48,532 | 7,056 | 14.54% |
| 30 | Arlington | 15,205 | 1,992 | 13.1% |
| 31 | Lakeland | 14,192 | 1,802 | 12.7% |
| 32 | Lexington | 7,962 | 995 | 12.5% |
| 33 | Lebanon | 44,788 | 5,370 | 11.99% |
| 34 | Alcoa | 12,222 | 1,457 | 11.92% |
| 35 | Atoka | 10,385 | 1,226 | 11.81% |
| 36 | Harriman | 6,090 | 691 | 11.35% |
| 37 | East Ridge | 22,070 | 2,444 | 11.07% |
| 38 | Hartsville/trousdale County | 11,957 | 1,319 | 11.03% |
| 39 | Collierville | 51,515 | 5,529 | 10.73% |
| 40 | Winchester | 9,799 | 1,040 | 10.61% |
| 41 | Shelbyville | 24,661 | 2,369 | 9.61% |
| 42 | Collegedale | 11,330 | 1,039 | 9.17% |
| 43 | Hendersonville | 63,091 | 5,757 | 9.12% |
| 44 | Lewisburg | 12,861 | 1,116 | 8.68% |
| 45 | Savannah | 7,412 | 641 | 8.65% |
| 46 | Millersville | 5,836 | 436 | 7.47% |
| 47 | Mount Juliet | 42,073 | 3,076 | 7.31% |
| 48 | Cleveland | 48,829 | 3,399 | 6.96% |
| 49 | Tullahoma | 21,103 | 1,361 | 6.45% |
| 50 | Athens | 14,471 | 925 | 6.39% |
| 51 | Newport | 6,881 | 435 | 6.32% |
| 52 | Red Bank | 12,010 | 734 | 6.11% |
| 53 | Dickson | 16,424 | 999 | 6.08% |
| 54 | Manchester | 12,944 | 767 | 5.93% |
| 55 | Oak Ridge | 32,693 | 1,894 | 5.79% |
| 56 | Johnson City | 72,222 | 4,173 | 5.78% |
| 57 | Franklin | 87,133 | 4,575 | 5.25% |
| 58 | Sweetwater | 6,532 | 335 | 5.13% |
| 59 | Lawrenceburg | 11,844 | 571 | 4.82% |
| 60 | Morristown | 31,527 | 1,485 | 4.71% |
| 61 | Brentwood | 45,556 | 2,095 | 4.6% |
| 62 | Germantown | 40,673 | 1,806 | 4.44% |
| 63 | Mcminnville | 13,844 | 588 | 4.25% |
| 64 | Elizabethton | 14,374 | 578 | 4.02% |
| 65 | Spring Hill | 55,765 | 2,141 | 3.84% |
| 66 | Kingston | 6,224 | 232 | 3.73% |
| 67 | Cookeville | 36,088 | 1,226 | 3.4% |
| 68 | Bristol | 27,636 | 857 | 3.1% |
| 69 | Dayton | 7,625 | 233 | 3.06% |
| 70 | Maryville | 32,392 | 943 | 2.91% |
| 71 | Jefferson City | 8,579 | 242 | 2.82% |
| 72 | Nolensville | 15,074 | 415 | 2.75% |
| 73 | Kingsport | 56,262 | 1,512 | 2.69% |
| 74 | Munford | 6,588 | 175 | 2.66% |
| 75 | Crossville | 12,428 | 314 | 2.53% |
| 76 | Greeneville | 15,646 | 383 | 2.45% |
| 77 | Greenbrier | 6,971 | 169 | 2.42% |
| 78 | Portland | 13,449 | 319 | 2.37% |
| 79 | Sevierville | 18,397 | 386 | 2.1% |
| 80 | White House | 14,631 | 282 | 1.93% |
| 81 | Clinton | 10,239 | 195 | 1.9% |
| 82 | Pigeon Forge | 6,375 | 83 | 1.3% |
| 83 | Lenoir City | 11,110 | 131 | 1.18% |
| 84 | Rockwood | 5,566 | 58 | 1.04% |
| 85 | Farragut | 24,634 | 250 | 1.01% |
| 86 | Soddy-Daisy | 13,231 | 124 | 0.94% |
| 87 | La Follette | 7,273 | 60 | 0.82% |
| 88 | Signal Mountain | 8,860 | 57 | 0.64% |
| 89 | Fairview | 10,009 | 60 | 0.6% |
| 90 | Erwin | 5,988 | 28 | 0.47% |
| 91 | Church Hill | 7,139 | 16 | 0.22% |
| 92 | Mount Carmel | 5,472 | 0 | 0.0% |