U S C E N S U S B U R E A U 

American Community Survey Reports

U.S. Department of Commerce 

Economics and Statistics Administration 

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU 

ACS-04

Issued February 2007

Helping You Make Informed Decisions 

The American Community— 

Blacks: 2004
This report was drafted for the U.S. Census Bureau’s Racial Statistics

Branch by staff of the Pew Hispanic Center, Washington, DC

(Roberto Suro, Rakesh Kocchar, Jeffrey Passel, Gabriel

Escobar, Sonya Tafoya, Richard Fry, Dulce Benevides, and

Michelle Wunsch). Edward Spar and Frederick J. Cavanaugh of

Sabre Systems, Inc. provided initial review of the report.

Direction for the report was provided by Jorge H. del Pinal, former

Assistant Division Chief, Special Population Statistics, Population

Division. Overall direction was provided by Howard Hogan,

Associate Director for Demographic Programs, and Enrique J.

Lamas, Chief, Population Division.

The report was finalized by Nicholas A. Jones, Population

Division. Within the Population Division, Frank B. Hobbs and

Claudette E. Bennett provided subject matter review and guidance, Letha L. Clinton and Maryam Asi provided principal statistical assistance, and Anika Juhn and Pedro Martinez prepared the

maps. Principle editorial review and guidance was provided by

Marjorie F. Hanson, Data Integration Division. In addition, Lisa M.

Blumerman, Kenneth R. Bryson, and Deborah H. Griffin of the

American Community Survey Office provided helpful comments on

this report.

Dale Garrett, under the guidance of Alfredo Navarro and

Anthony G. Tersine, Jr. of the Decennial Statistical Studies

Division, conducted sampling review.

Jan Sweeney, Theodora Forgione, and Jamie Peters of the

Administrative and Customer Services Division, Walter C. Odom,

Chief, provided publications and printing management, graphics

design and composition, and editorial review for print and electronic

media. General direction and production management were provided

by Wanda Cevis, Chief, Publications Services Branch.

Acknowledgments
U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 1

INTRODUCTION

This report presents a portrait of the

Black or African-American population in the United States.1 It is part

of the American Community Survey

(ACS) report series. Information on

demographic, social, economic, and

housing characteristics in the tables

and figures are based on data from

the 2004 ACS Selected Population

Profiles and Detailed Tables.2 The

data for the Black population are

based on responses to the 2004

ACS question on race, which asked

all respondents to report one or

more races.3

The American Community—

Blacks: 2004

Table 1.

Population by Race and Hispanic Origin: 2004

(Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population

living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Race and Hispanic origin

Population

Percent of

U.S.

population

Margin of

error1 (±)

Total . . . ........................ 285,691,501 100.0 (X)

White alone, not Hispanic . . . . . . . . . ........ 192,362,875 67.3 0.01

Black alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,772,381 12.2 0.03

Not Hispanic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,142,554 12.0 0.03

Hispanic . . . ........................... 629,827 0.2 0.02

Black alone or in combination . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36,597,015 12.8 0.02

Not Hispanic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,630,167 12.5 0.02

Hispanic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 966,848 0.3 0.01

Black in combination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,824,634 0.6 0.01

Not Hispanic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,487,613 0.5 0.01

Hispanic . . . ........................... 337,021 0.1 0.01

Black and White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,141,232 0.4 0.02

(X) Not applicable.

1 This number, when added to and subtracted from the estimate, produces the 90-percent

confidence interval around the estimate.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles,

S0201.

1 In the federal government, the category

“Black or African American” refers to people

having origins in any of the Black racial

groups of Africa. It includes people who indicated their race or races as “Black, African

Am., or Negro,” or wrote in entries such as

African American, Afro American, Nigerian, or

Haitian. The terms “Black” and “African

American” are used by the U.S. Census

Bureau; hereinafter in this report, the term

“Black” is used to refer to all individuals who

reported they were Black or African American. 2 The 2004 ACS datasets, including

Selected Population Profiles and Detailed

Tables, are available online in the American

FactFinder at <http://factfinder.census.gov>. 3 For further information on the content

and format of the questionnaire, see

<www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads

/SQuest03.pdf>.
The 2004 ACS estimated the number of Blacks to be 36.6 million, or

12.8 percent of the U.S. household

population (Table 1).4 The number

of individuals who reported Black

as their only race was 34.8 million,

or 12.2 percent of the population.

About another 1.8 million reported

their race as Black and one or more

other races, including 1.1 million

people who reported their race as

Black and White.5 The Black-aloneor-in-combination population

included 967,000 Hispanics, and

the Black-alone population

included 630,000 Hispanics.6

Data are reported for both the

Black-alone and the Black-alone-orin-combination populations. In this

report, respondents who reported

Black and no other race are

included in the single-race or Blackalone population. Respondents who

reported Black either alone or with

one or more other race categories

are included in the Black-alone-or-incombination population. The report

also includes data for the nonHispanic segments of these populations. Data on individuals who

reported that they were Black and

White, a part of the in-combination

population, are shown separately in

this report in the Black and

White category. 

The term “Black” is used to refer to

the Black-alone population and the

term “non-Hispanic White” is used

to refer to the White-alone, not

Hispanic population.

HIGHLIGHTS

While Blacks resided in every state

in 2004, about 1 of every 4 Blacks

lived in three states (New York,

Florida, and Georgia). Blacks represented about one-third or more of

the population in the District of

Columbia, Mississippi, and

Louisiana. Blacks represented less

than 5 percent of the population in

20 states.

Compared with the non-Hispanic

White population, the Black population had a larger proportion of

younger people and a smaller proportion of elderly people in 2004.

Blacks were also less likely to be

married than non-Hispanic Whites,

and a larger proportion of their

households were maintained by

women. Compared with nonHispanic White women, Black

women were more likely to have

given birth in the past 12 months.

Black grandparents who lived with

their grandchildren were more likely

to be responsible for their care.7

Most Blacks were high school graduates and more than 1 of every 6

had a bachelor’s degree or more

education. Compared with nonHispanic White workers, Black

workers were less likely to be

employed in management, professional, and related occupations.

Black workers and non-Hispanic

White workers were employed in

sales and office occupations at a

similar rate. About 1 of every 4

Blacks lived below the poverty

level, compared with about 1 of

every 10 non-Hispanic Whites.

Blacks had a lower median income

and were more likely to rent 

their homes. 

The foreign-born Black population

was about 2.6 million, or 8 percent

of the total Black population, in

2004. About 66 percent of foreignborn Blacks were born in Latin

America and about 30 percent

were born in Africa. About one-half

of foreign-born Blacks entered the

United States in 1990 or later, and

almost 1 of every 2 foreign-born

Blacks was a naturalized citizen.

2 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

4 This report discusses data for the

United States, including the 50 states and

the District of Columbia; it does not include

data for Puerto Rico. 5 The race-in-combination categories use

the conjunction and in bold and italicized

print to link the race groups that compose

the combination. 6 The estimates in this report are based

on responses from a sample of households.

Estimates may vary from the actual values

because of sampling error and other factors.

All comparative statements have undergone

statistical testing and are significant at the

90-percent confidence level unless 

otherwise noted.

7 The summary statistics mentioned in

these highlights often refer to different segments of the Black-alone population. For

example, birth rates are estimated for

women 15 to 50 years old and educational

attainment refers to the population aged 25

and older. The figures in the report contain

information on the universe for 

each statistic.
U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 3

The American Community Survey (ACS) is a new

nationwide survey designed to provide reliable,

timely information for local communities on how

they are changing. This survey is a critical element

in the Census Bureau’s 2010 Decennial Census

Program. The ACS collects detailed information on

the characteristics of the population and housing

on an ongoing sample basis. These data previously

were collected in census years in conjunction with

the decennial census. Since the ACS is conducted

every year, rather than once every 10 years, it will

provide more current data throughout the decade.

Fully implemented in 2005, the ACS is the largest

household survey in the United States, with an

annual sample size of about 3 million housing unit

addresses throughout the country. Release of

annual estimates from the ACS began in 2006 for

all geographic areas with a population of 65,000 or

more; 3-year period estimates will begin in 2008

for areas and populations as small as 20,000; and

5-year period estimates will start in 2010 for census tracts, block groups, and small populations. All

estimates, including the 3-year and 5-year period

estimates, are planned to be updated every year.

During the testing program (2000 to 2004), the

ACS sampled approximately 800,000 addresses per

year and produced estimates for the United States,

states, and essentially all places, counties, and metropolitan areas with at least 250,000 people.

The data contained in this report are based on the

ACS sample interviewed in 2004. The population

represented (the population universe) is limited to

the household population and excludes the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and

other group quarters. For information on the ACS

sample design and other ACS topics, visit

<http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes

/exp_acs2004.html>. 

The Census Bureau’s population estimates program

releases official population estimates of the U.S. resident population by sex, age, race, and Hispanic origin. For information on the Census Bureau’s population estimates program, visit <www.census.gov

/popest/estimates.php>. The ACS estimates in this

report pertain to the household population only (i.e.,

the total population, excluding the group quarters

population). Therefore, the ACS estimate of the Black

population shown in this report should not be

viewed as the official measure of this population.

What Is the American Community Survey?
4 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

The 2004 American Community Survey (ACS) followed the federal standards for collecting and presenting data on race and Hispanic origin established by the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) in 1997. In accordance with these standards,

which mandate that race and Hispanic origin are

two separate and distinct concepts, the ACS asked

both a Hispanic-origin question and a race question.* The first question asked respondents if they

were Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino. The next question asked respondents to indicate the race or races

they considered themselves to be.** 

The questions about race and Hispanic origin on

the 2004 ACS are comparable with those on Census

2000. In both, the Hispanic-origin question preceded the race question and respondents were

asked to select one or more race categories. The

2004 ACS question on race included 15 separate

response categories and two areas where respondents could write in a more specific race group. In

addition to White, Black or African American,

American Indian or Alaska Native, and Some Other

Race, 7 of the 15 response categories are Asian and

4 are Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. OMB

recognizes five standard race categories: White,

Black or African American, American Indian or

Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other

Pacific Islander. The response categories and 

write-in answers can be combined to create the five

OMB race categories plus Some Other Race, as well

as all combinations of two or more races. The

“Some Other Race” category was included in 

Census 2000 and also in the 2004 ACS for respondents who were unable to identify with 1 of the 5

OMB race categories. 

Because the 2004 ACS allowed respondents to

report more than one race, two basic ways of defining a race group are possible. A group such as

Black may be defined as those who reported Black

and no other race (the race-alone or single-race

concept) or as those who reported Black regardless

of whether they also reported another race (the

race-alone-or-in-combination concept).

Because race and Hispanic origin are treated as separate concepts in the federal statistical system,

people in each race group may be either Hispanic

or not Hispanic, and Hispanics may be any race.

The Census Bureau uses a variety of approaches for

showing data on race and ethnicity. The text of this

report compares the population and housing characteristics for the single-race Black population with

those of the White-alone, not Hispanic population.

However, this does not imply that this approach is

the Census Bureau’s preferred method for analyzing

data on race. In the graphics and tables of this

report, several approaches for measuring race are

shown. These approaches illustrate the overlapping

concepts for measuring race. The specific measures

shown are: 1) the single-race Black population; 

2) the single-race Black, not Hispanic population; 

3) the Black-alone-or-in-combination population; 

4) the Black-alone-or-in-combination, not Hispanic

population; and 5) the Black and White population

(the largest race combination involving Black).

Because Hispanics may be any race, data in this

report for Blacks overlap slightly with data for

Hispanics. Data from the ACS show that, in 2004,

Hispanic Blacks composed approximately 2 percent

of the single-race Black population.

Understanding Data on Race and Hispanic Origin From the 

2004 American Community Survey

* For further information, see <www.whitehouse.gov/omb

/fedreg/1997standards.html>.

** Race and Hispanic origin, as used by the Census Bureau,

reflect self-identification by individuals according to the group or

groups with which they most closely identify. The categories are

sociopolitical constructs that include racial, ethnic, and nationalorigin groups. For more details, see <www.census.gov/acs/www

/Downloads/2004/usedata/Subject_Definitions.pdf>.
• In 2004, nearly 60 percent of all

Blacks in the United States lived

in ten states (New York, Florida,

Georgia, Texas, California,

Illinois, North Carolina,

Maryland, Louisiana, and

Virginia). 

• Combined, the states of New

York, Florida, and Georgia represented about one-fourth of the

total Black population.

• Five of the ten most populous

states had Black populations

larger than 2 million (New York,

Florida, Georgia, Texas, and

California).

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 5

Figure 1.

Black Household Population by State: 2004

Note: Percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population 

Profiles, S0201.

(Percent distribution of Black-alone population. Data based on sample limited to 

the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, college 

dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html) 

All other states 41.1

New York 8.5

Florida 7.4

Georgia 7.1

Texas 6.9

California 6.2

Illinois 5.2

North Carolina 5.0

Maryland 4.4

Louisiana 4.1

Virginia 4.0

A majority of Blacks lived in ten states.
• Blacks represented about 

12 percent of the U.S. household population. The majority of

the household population in the

District of Columbia was Black

(58 percent). 

• In six southern states

(Mississippi, Louisiana, South

Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and

Alabama), more than 1 in 4

people were Black.

• States in the West tended to

have relatively low proportions

of Blacks in their populations.

Blacks represented less than 

5 percent of the population in

most Western states, including

less than 1 percent in Idaho,

Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.

• States in New England also

tended to have relatively low

proportions of Blacks in their

populations, including Vermont,

New Hampshire, and Maine,

where less than 1 percent of the

population was Black.

6 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

Blacks represented over one-fourth of the total household population in six states and 

a majority of the household population in the District of Columbia.

Figure 2.

Percent Black by State: 2004

(Black alone as a percent of state population. Data based on sample limited to the 

household population and exclude the population living in institutions, college 

dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

MT

0.3

WY

0.8

TX

11.0

CA

6.2

AK

3.4

AZ

3.0

NV

6.9

NM

2.3

CO

4.0

OR

1.7

UT

0.8

ID

0.3

KS

5.1

NE

3.6

SD

0.8

MN

4.1

ND

0.6

OK

7.1

WA

3.3

IA

2.2

WI

5.7

MO

11.2

GA

28.7

FL

15.1

KY

6.8

IL

14.7

AR

15.3

AL

26.0

IN

8.1

NC

21.2

NY

15.8

MS

37.2

LA

32.5

PA

10.0

ME

0.6

TN

16.3

MI

14.0

OH

11.7

VA

19.3

SC

28.9

WV

3.1

VT

0.5

NH

0.8

MD 28.5

MA 6.0

NJ 13.1

CT 9.3

HI

1.7

DE 19.8

RI 5.5

DC 57.8

25.0 or more

10.0 to 24.9

5.0 to 9.9

Less than 5.0

U.S. percent 12.2

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Detailed Tables, B02001.
• In 2004, Blacks had a median

age of 31.2 years, about 9 years

younger than the median age of

the non-Hispanic White population, 40.1 years.

• The Black population had a larger

proportion of young people and

a smaller proportion of older

people than the non-Hispanic

White population. About 31 percent of Blacks were children

(under 18 years old), compared

with 22 percent of non-Hispanic

Whites. About 8 percent of Blacks

were 65 and older, compared

with about 15 percent of nonHispanic Whites.

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 7

The median age of the Black population was about 9 years younger than that of the 

non-Hispanic White population.

Figure 3.

Selected Age Groups and Median Age: 2004 

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, 

college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and 

definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html) 

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Under 18 18 to 44 45 to 64 65 and older

Median age 

(years)

36.2

40.1

31.2

31.4

30.2

30.5

10.1

25.5

22.3

31.4

31.2

32.8

32.5

70.6

38.0

35.8

39.2

39.1

38.6

38.7

22.8

24.5

27.3

21.3

21.4

20.7

20.9

4.6

12.0

14.5

8.1

8.2

7.9

7.9

2.1
• In 2004, about 34 percent of

Blacks aged 15 and older were

married, while about 43 percent

were never married. NonHispanic Whites aged 15 and

older were more likely to be

married (about 57 percent) and

less likely never to have married

(about 24 percent).8

• About 1 in 6 Blacks was either

separated (5 percent) or

divorced (12 percent). In comparison, about 1 in 8 nonHispanic Whites was either separated (2 percent) or divorced 

(11 percent).

8 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

More than 40 percent of Blacks were never married.

Figure 4.

Marital Status: 2004

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent distribution of population 15 and older. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the 

population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html) 

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Never married Married Separated Widowed Divorced

27.8

23.8

42.6

42.5

42.9

42.8

58.8

53.8

57.3

34.2

34.3

34.1

34.1

27.2

2.1

1.5

5.0

5.0

4.9

4.9

4.1

6.1

6.7

6.5

6.5

6.4

6.4

2.8

10.2

10.7

11.7

11.7

11.7

11.7

7.1

8 Differences between the age distributions of Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites may

affect marital status patterns.
• Black women had a slightly

higher fertility rate than nonHispanic White women.9

• About 56 of every 1,000 Black

women aged 15 to 50 had given

birth in the 12 months prior to

being surveyed, compared with

about 50 of every 1,000 nonHispanic White women aged 15

to 50.

• About 60 percent of Black mothers who had given birth were

unmarried, compared with

about 20 percent of nonHispanic White mothers who

had given birth.

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 9

Black women were more likely to have given birth in the past 12 months than 

non-Hispanic White women.

Figure 5.

Fertility: 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population 

Profiles, S0201.

(Of every 1,000 women aged 15 to 50, the number who had given birth in the 

12 months preceding the survey, based on the race and Hispanic origin of the mother. 

Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population 

living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information 

on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and 

definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Births per 1,000 women in the past 12 months 

Percent of 

women with a 

birth in the 

past 12 months 

who were 

unmarried

28.6

20.5

62.4

62.2

62.2

62.0

54.3

55.4

50.3

56.1

56.0

56.3

56.1

68.7

9 Of every 1,000 women aged 15 to 50,

the number who had given birth in the 12

months preceding the date of the survey,

whether in 2003 or 2004.
• About 65 percent of Black

households and about 

66 percent of non-Hispanic

White households were family

households.10

• About 30 percent of Black

households were families maintained by a woman with no husband present, compared with

about 9 percent of non-Hispanic

White households.

• Black households (29 percent)

were less likely than nonHispanic White households 

(54 percent) to be marriedcouple households.

• Black households consisted of

2.7 people on average, compared with 2.5 people on average for non-Hispanic White

households.

10 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

About two-thirds of Black households and non-Hispanic White households

were family households.

Figure 6.

Household Type: 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201, and Detailed Tables, B11001.

(Percent distribution. Household type is shown by the race and Hispanic origin of the householder. Data based on sample limited to 

the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For

information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html) 

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Married couple

Female householder, 

no husband present 

Male householder, 

no wife present Nonfamily households

Average

household

size

2.60

2.45

2.66

2.66

2.66

2.65

2.72

Family households

50.2

53.5

28.8

28.8

28.8

28.7

30.5

12.6

8.9

30.4

30.4

30.4

30.4

27.6

4.4

3.5

5.7

5.6

5.6

5.6

6.2

32.8

34.1

35.1

35.2

35.2

35.3

35.7

10 A household is a person or a group of

people who occupy a housing unit as their

current residence. A family household consists

of a householder and one or more people living together in the same household who are

related to the householder by birth, marriage,

or adoption. It may also include people

unrelated to the householder. There are three

types of family households in the survey data:

married couple, female householders with no

husband present, and male householders with

no wife present. In addition, there are nonfamily households, such as a person living

alone or with unrelated individuals. 
• About 7 percent of Blacks aged

30 and older were grandparents

living in the same household

with their coresident grandchildren younger than 18. In comparison, about 2 percent of nonHispanic Whites aged 30 and

older were grandparents living

in the same household with

their coresident grandchildren

younger than 18.

• About 52 percent of Black

grandparents who lived with

their coresident grandchildren

were also responsible for their

care, compared with about 

45 percent of non-Hispanic White

grandparents who lived with

their coresident grandchildren.

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 11

Blacks were more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to live with and care 

for grandchildren.

Figure 7.

Responsibility for Grandchildren Under 18 Years: 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent of people 30 and older. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living 

in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Percent with grandchildren 

in the household

Percent of grandparents responsible for 

coresident grandchildren

3.4

2.3

6.6

6.6

6.6

6.6

3.9

41.8

44.5

51.5

51.7

51.5

51.7

30.0
• Approximately 92 percent of

Blacks were native, compared

with 96 percent of non-Hispanic

Whites.

• In addition, about 4 percent of

Blacks were U.S. citizens

through naturalization, compared with about 2 percent of

non-Hispanic Whites.

12 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 8.

Nativity and Citizenship Status: 2004

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, 

college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and 

definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Native 

Foreign born, 

naturalized citizen

Foreign born, 

not a citizen

88.0

96.2

92.4

92.8

92.5

92.9

94.7

5.0

2.1

3.6

3.4

3.5

3.3

2.2

7.0

1.7

4.0

3.8

4.0

3.7

3.1

About 9 of every 10 Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites were native.11

11 Nativity is determined by U.S. citizenship status and place of birth. Natives are

those born in the United States, Puerto Rico,

or a U.S. island area (the U.S. Virgin Islands,

Guam, American Samoa, and the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands) or born abroad of a U.S. citizen

parent. All other individuals are considered

foreign born.
• In the United States, six states

(California, Florida, Illinois, New

Jersey, New York, and Texas)

had total foreign-born populations of 1 million or more. Of

these states, three had relatively

higher percentages of foreignborn Blacks (New Jersey, New

York, and Florida, with percentages of about 14 percent to

about 28 percent), while the

other three had lower percentages (about 6 percent or less).

• Among states with at least

100,000 Blacks, about onefourth or more of the Black population was foreign born in New

York, Massachusetts, and

Minnesota. Four of the seven

states with about 14 percent or

more foreign-born Blacks were

in the Northeast (New York,

Massachusetts, Connecticut, and

New Jersey).

• States with Black populations of

100,000 or more and relatively

low percentages of foreign-born

Blacks in their population (about

2 percent or less) were in the

South and the Midwest.

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 13

About 1 in 4 Blacks in New York, Massachusetts, and Minnesota was foreign born.

TX

4.4

CA

5.6

AZ

9.1

NV

7.1

CO

9.8 KS

4.2

MN

25.5

OK

2.3

WA

17.2

WI

3.1

MO

1.9

GA

3.8

FL

19.3

KY

1.9

IL

2.9

AR

0.4

AL

0.5

IN

1.6

NC

2.2

NY

28.4

MS

0.1

LA

0.7

PA

4.3

TN

1.1

MI

1.2

OH

2.7

VA

4.6

SC

0.6

MD 8.0

MA 28.4

NJ 14.4

CT 17.2

DE 7.2

14.0 or more

6.0 to 13.9

2.0 to 5.9

Less than 2.0

Fewer than

100,000 Blacks

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Detailed Tables, B06004B.

Figure 9.

Black Foreign-Born Household Population by State: 2004

(Percent of the state's Black-alone population that is foreign born. Data based on sample 

limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, 

college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

DC 4.9
• About 33 percent of foreignborn Blacks entered the United

States during the 1990s and

about 18 percent arrived in

2000 or later.

• The majority of foreign-born

non-Hispanic Whites entered the

United States prior to 1990.

14 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

About half of foreign-born Blacks arrived in the United States since 1990.

Figure 10.

Foreign Born by Year of Entry: 2004

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, 

college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and 

definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html) 

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Before 1990 1990 to 1999 2000 or later 

20.2

48.8

57.5

49.0

48.8

49.0

48.7

47.2

32.9

27.8

33.0

33.4

33.0

33.4

32.7

18.3

14.6

18.0

17.8

18.0

17.9
• In 2004, nearly all foreign-born

Blacks were from 1 of 2 world

regions—Africa or Latin America.

About 66 percent of foreign-born

Blacks living in the United States

were born in Latin America;

another 30 percent of foreignborn Blacks were born in Africa.

• Most foreign-born non-Hispanic

Whites were born in Europe 

(64 percent), Asia (16 percent),

and Northern America (10 percent). Less than 5 percent of

foreign-born Blacks were born in

these regions.12

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 15

Nearly all foreign-born Blacks were born in Africa or Latin America.

Figure 11.

World Region of Birth of Foreign-Born Household Population: 2004 

– Rounds to zero.

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, 

college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, 

and definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html) 

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Europe Asia Africa Oceania

Latin 

America

Northern 

America

14.3

63.6

1.8

1.8

2.1

2.2

16.3

27.0

16.4

0.9

0.9

1.1

1.2

0.6

3.3

3.5

30.4

32.5

29.4

32.0

4.7

0.6

1.3

–

–

–

–

–

52.4

5.3

66.3

64.1

66.7

63.8

76.2

2.4

9.9

0.6

0.6

0.7

0.7

2.3

12 The world regions referenced above

generally reflect those defined by the United

Nations. For a list of detailed countries, see

<http://factfinder.census.gov/metadoc

/birthplace.pdf>.
• About 80 percent of Blacks aged

25 and older were high school

graduates and about 17 percent

had a bachelor’s degree or more

education. Among non-Hispanic

Whites aged 25 and older, about

89 percent were high school

graduates and about 30 percent

had a bachelor’s degree or more

education.

• About 17 percent each of Black

men and Black women had a

bachelor’s degree or more

education, compared with about 

32 percent of non-Hispanic

White men and about 28 percent

of non-Hispanic White women.

16 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

About four-fifths of Blacks were high school graduates.

Figure 12.

Educational Attainment by Sex: 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent of population 25 and older. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living in 

institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling 

error, and definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in combination

Black alone, not Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not Hispanic

Total

Less than 

Both sexes high school

Black and White

Black alone or in combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in combination

Black alone, not Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not Hispanic

Total

Male

Black and White

Black alone or in combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in combination

Black alone, not Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not Hispanic

Total

Female

High school graduate or more

Bachelor's degree 

or more

16.1

11.4

20.7

20.6

20.6

20.5

17.7

16.4

11.7

21.0

20.9

20.9

20.8

22.0

15.7

11.2

20.5

20.3

20.4

20.2

14.1

83.9

88.6

79.3

79.4

79.4

79.5

82.3

83.6

88.3

79.0

79.1

79.1

79.2

78.0

84.3

88.8

79.5

79.7

79.6

79.8

85.9

27.0

29.7

17.3

17.3

17.4

17.4

21.9

28.6

31.7

17.0

16.9

17.1

17.1

19.5

25.6

27.8

17.5

17.5

17.7

17.7

23.8
• Similar proportions of civilian

employed Blacks aged 16 and

older and civilian employed nonHispanic Whites aged 16 and

older worked in sales and office

occupations (about 27 percent).

About 27 percent of Blacks and

about 38 percent of nonHispanic Whites worked in

managerial, professional, and

related occupations.

• About 24 percent of Black workers were in service occupations

and about 17 percent were

employed in production, transportation, and material moving

occupations.

• In comparison, the proportion of

non-Hispanic White workers

aged 16 and older in these

occupations was about 14 percent in service occupations and

about 12 percent in production,

transportation, and material

moving occupations.

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 17

Similar proportions of Blacks were employed in managerial, professional, and related

occupations and sales and office occupations.

Figure 13.

Occupation: 2004

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent distribution of civilian employed population 16 and older. Data based on sample limited to the household population and 

exclude the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Management, 

professional, and 

related occupations 

Service 

occupations 

Sales and office 

occupations 

Farming, 

fishing, and 

forestry 

occupations 

Construction, 

extraction, and 

maintenance 

Production, 

transportation, 

and material 

moving

34.1

37.6

26.7

26.7

26.8

26.9

25.7

16.2

13.7

23.5

23.5

23.5

23.4

24.8

26.2

26.9

26.8

26.8

26.9

26.9

30.0

0.7

0.5

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.1

9.8

9.6

6.1

6.1

6.1

6.1

6.9

13.1

11.7

16.5

16.6

16.4

16.4

12.6
• The median income of Black

households in the 12 months

prior to being surveyed was

about $30,200. This was less

than two-thirds of the median

income of non-Hispanic White

households, which was about

$48,800.

18 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

The median income of Black households was less than that of non-Hispanic 

White households.

13

Figure 14.

Median Household Income: 2004 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population 

Profiles, S0201.

(Household income in the past 12 months in 2004 inflation-adjusted dollars. Housing 

units are classified by the race and Hispanic origin of the householder. Data based 

on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living in 

institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total $44,684

$48,784

$30,173

$30,196

$30,216

$30,227

$31,374

13 Data reflect the median income of

households in the 12 months prior to being

surveyed. Income is expressed in 2004 inflation-adjusted dollars. It is based on the distribution of the total number of households

and includes those with no income.

Households are classified by the race and

Hispanic origin of the householder.
• About 26 percent of Blacks were

living below the poverty level in

the 12 months prior to being

surveyed, compared with about

9 percent of non-Hispanic

Whites.

• The poverty rate was generally

higher for children (under age

18). About 36 percent of Black

children and about 11 percent

of non-Hispanic White children

lived in poverty.

• Among those aged 65 and older,

Blacks had a poverty rate of

about 22 percent, compared

with about 7 percent for nonHispanic Whites.

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 19

Figure 15.

Poverty Rate by Age Group: 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent of specific group in poverty in the past 12 months. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude 

the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection,

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

All ages Under 18 65 and older

13.1

8.8

25.6

25.6

25.5

25.4

21.8

18.4

11.0

35.9

35.9

34.8

35.0

23.2

9.4

7.2

21.5

21.4

21.3

21.3

9.7

The poverty rate was higher for Blacks than for non-Hispanic Whites.

14

14 In accordance with the U.S. Office of

Management and Budget’s (OMB) Statistical

Policy Directive 14, the Census Bureau uses a

set of money income thresholds that vary by

family size and composition to determine

who is in poverty. If a family’s total income is

less than the threshold for the family, then

that family and every individual in it are considered to be in poverty. For example, the

poverty threshold for a family of three with

one child under 18 for the 1-year period

preceding the ACS interview was $14,974.

Poverty status was determined for all individuals except for unrelated individuals under

15 years old. The official poverty definition

uses money income before taxes and does

not include capital gains or noncash benefits.

For more information on poverty in the ACS,

see <www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs

/acs-01.pdf> and <www.census.gov/acs

/www/UseData/Def/Poverty.htm>.
• A majority of Black households,

about 54 percent, lived in

renter-occupied homes and

about 46 percent lived in owneroccupied homes.

• In comparison, about 74 percent

of non-Hispanic White households lived in owner-occupied

homes.

20 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

Nearly one-half of Black households lived in owner-occupied homes.

Figure 16.

Housing Tenure: 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Percent of occupied housing units. Housing tenure is shown by the race and Hispanic origin of the householder. Data based on 

sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group 

quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Owners Renters

67.1

73.9

46.1

46.4

45.9

46.2

35.7

32.9

26.1

53.9

53.6

54.1

53.8

64.3
• The median value of Black

owner-occupied homes was

about $104,000. This was about

$50,000 less than the median

value of non-Hispanic White

owner-occupied homes (about

$154,000).15

• The median monthly rent payment of Black households in

renter-occupied homes was

about $647. This was about $50

less than the median monthly

rental payment made by nonHispanic White households

(about $693).16

U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 21

The median value of owner-occupied homes for Black households was $104,000.

Figure 17.

Selected Housing Characteristics: 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201.

(Housing units are classified by the race and Hispanic origin of the householder. Data based on sample limited to the household

population and exclude the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html) 

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Median value of owner-occupied housing units 

Median gross rent of 

renter-occupied housing units 

$151,366 $694

$153,693 $693

$104,185 $647

$105,532 $646

$105,190 $649

$104,316 $647

$144,565 $726

15 Differences between the geographic distribution of Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites

may affect home values and rental costs.

16 The monthly rental payment represents

gross rent (i.e., the amount of the contract

rent plus the estimated average monthly

cost of utilities and fuels).
• In 2004, about 72 percent of

Black workers aged 16 and

older drove alone and about 

11 percent carpooled to work.

Among non-Hispanic White

workers aged 16 and older,

about 81 percent drove alone 

and about 8 percent carpooled

to work.17

• Public transportation was used

to commute by a higher proportion of Black workers (about 

12 percent) than non-Hispanic

White workers (about 3 percent).

• Non-Hispanic White workers

(about 4 percent) were more

likely than Black workers (about

2 percent) to work at home.

• The mean travel time to work

for Black workers was 27 minutes, compared with a mean

travel time of 24 minutes for

non-Hispanic White workers.

22 The American Community—Blacks: 2004 U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 18.

Commuting to Work: 2004

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey, Selected Population Profiles, S0201. 

(Percent of workers 16 and older. Data based on sample limited to the household population and exclude the population living in

institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling 

error, and definitions, see http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/exp_acs2004.html)

Black and White

Black alone or in

combination,

not Hispanic

Black alone or in

combination

Black alone, not

Hispanic

Black alone

White alone, not

Hispanic

Total

Drove alone: 

car, truck, or van

Carpooled: 

car, truck, 

or van

Public 

transportation, 

except taxicab Walked

Other 

means 

Worked

at home

Mean 

travel 

time 

(mins.)

24.7

23.9

27.1

27.0

27.0

27.0

23.5

77.7

81.1

72.2

72.3

72.0

72.2

67.8

10.1

8.3

10.5

10.5

10.6

10.6

12.9

4.6

2.6

11.5

11.3

11.5

11.3

9.7

2.4

2.2

2.3

2.3

2.4

2.4

5.1

1.4

1.3

1.5

1.5

1.5

1.5

2.7

3.8

4.4

2.0

2.0

2.1

2.0

1.8

Black workers were more likely than non-Hispanic White workers to use public

transportation or to carpool to work.

17 Differences between the geographic

distribution of Blacks and non-Hispanic

Whites may affect commuting patterns.
U.S. Census Bureau The American Community—Blacks: 2004 23

SOURCE OF THE DATA 

AND ACCURACY OF 

THE ESTIMATES

The findings presented in this

report are based on the ACS sample interviewed in 2004. The data

in this report are based on the

population living in households

that were included in the ACS sample. The 2004 ACS did not collect

information from people living in

group quarters, which include correctional facilities, hospitals, college dormitories, group homes,

and overnight shelters.

The 2004 ACS used a two-stage

stratified sample of approximately

838,000 housing units and the

occupants of these units. ACS figures are estimates based on this

sample and approximate the actual

figures that would have been

obtained by interviewing the entire

household population using the

same methodology. The estimates

from the 2004 ACS sample may differ from other samples of housing

units and people within those housing units. The process of sampling

ensures the integrity and the representativeness of sample survey

results but also results in sampling

error. Sampling error is the deviation of a sample estimate from the

average of all possible samples. 

In addition to sampling error, other

types of errors, specifically,

nonsampling errors, may be introduced during any of the operations

used to collect and process survey

data. For example, operations such

as editing, reviewing, or keying

data from questionnaires may

introduce error into the estimates.

Nonsampling errors may affect the

data in two ways. Errors that are

introduced randomly increase the

variability of the data. Systematic

errors that are consistent in one

direction introduce bias into the

results of a sample survey. The

Census Bureau protects against the

effect of systematic errors on survey estimates by conducting

extensive research and evaluation

programs on sampling techniques,

questionnaire design, and data collection and processing procedures.

The primary sources of error and

the processes instituted to control

error in the 2004 ACS are

described in further detail in the

Accuracy of the Data (2004) explanation located at <www.census.gov

/acs/www/Downloads/ACS

/accuracy2004.pdf>.

Sampling errors and some types of

nonsampling errors are estimated

by the measure of standard error.

The sample estimate and its estimated standard error permit the

construction of interval estimates

with a prescribed confidence that

the interval includes the average

result of all possible samples. All

comparative statements in this ACS

2004 report have undergone statistical testing and comparisons are

significant at the 90-percent confidence level unless otherwise noted.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Further information from the 2004

ACS is available from the American

FactFinder on the Census Bureau’s

Web site. More than 1,000 tables

are available, including population

profiles for race, Hispanic-origin,

and ancestry groups.

The Internet address is

<http://factfinder.census.gov>. For

information on confidentiality protection, also see <www.census.gov

/acs/www/Downloads/ACS

/accuracy2004.pdf>.

For more information on the Black

population, visit <www.census.gov

/population/www/socdemo/race

/black.html>.

CONTACT

For additional information, contact

the Racial Statistics Branch at 

301-763-2402 or via e-mail

<pop@census.gov>.