Data / Rankings / Black or African American population share / Cities in North Carolina

Cities in North Carolina by black or African American population share

Kinston, NC had the highest black or African American population share of 93 cities in 2021, at 66.8%. Waynesville, NC had the lowest, at 1.5%. The median was 18% and the figure for North Carolina was 20.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest66.8Kinston, NC
Lowest1.5Waynesville, NC
Median1893 cities
North Carolina20.8History

Top 40 cities, 2021

Kinston, NC: 66.8 %Kinston, NC66.8Rocky Mount, NC: 63.3 %Rocky Mount, NC63.3Henderson, NC: 62.2 %Henderson, NC62.2Goldsboro, NC: 54.2 %Goldsboro, NC54.2Tarboro, NC: 51.3 %Tarboro, NC51.3Elizabeth City, NC: 50.9 %Elizabeth City, NC50.9Knightdale, NC: 49.4 %Knightdale, NC49.4Wilson, NC: 48 %Wilson, NC48Laurinburg, NC: 47.4 %Laurinburg, NC47.4Greensboro, NC: 42.7 %Greensboro, NC42.7Fayetteville, NC: 41.6 %Fayetteville, NC41.6Greenville, NC: 39.1 %Greenville, NC39.1Reidsville, NC: 38.4 %Reidsville, NC38.4Durham, NC: 36.7 %Durham, NC36.7Salisbury, NC: 36.5 %Salisbury, NC36.5Zebulon, NC: 35.9 %Zebulon, NC35.9Lumberton, NC: 35.3 %Lumberton, NC35.3Charlotte, NC: 34.7 %Charlotte, NC34.7Winterville, NC: 34.1 %Winterville, NC34.1Roanoke Rapids, NC: 34.1 %Roanoke Rapids, NC34.1Spring Lake, NC: 34.1 %Spring Lake, NC34.1High Point, NC: 34.1 %High Point, NC34.1Hope Mills, NC: 33.8 %Hope Mills, NC33.8New Bern, NC: 33.1 %New Bern, NC33.1Winston-Salem, NC: 32.8 %Winston-Salem, NC32.8Statesville, NC: 32.6 %Statesville, NC32.6Shelby, NC: 31.7 %Shelby, NC31.7Gastonia, NC: 29.4 %Gastonia, NC29.4Lexington, NC: 28.3 %Lexington, NC28.3Burlington, NC: 27.9 %Burlington, NC27.9Raleigh, NC: 27.9 %Raleigh, NC27.9Wendell, NC: 27.7 %Wendell, NC27.7Kings Mountain, NC: 27.3 %Kings Mountain, NC27.3Garner, NC: 27.2 %Garner, NC27.2Eden, NC: 26.8 %Eden, NC26.8Smithfield, NC: 26 %Smithfield, NC26Pineville, NC: 25.5 %Pineville, NC25.5Sanford, NC: 24.7 %Sanford, NC24.7Albemarle, NC: 24.3 %Albemarle, NC24.3Graham, NC: 23.2 %Graham, NC23.2Kinston, NC: 66.8 %Kinston, NC66.8Rocky Mount, NC: 63.3 %Rocky Mount, NC63.3Henderson, NC: 62.2 %Henderson, NC62.2Goldsboro, NC: 54.2 %Goldsboro, NC54.2Tarboro, NC: 51.3 %Tarboro, NC51.3Elizabeth City, NC: 50.9 %Elizabeth City, NC50.9Knightdale, NC: 49.4 %Knightdale, NC49.4Wilson, NC: 48 %Wilson, NC48Laurinburg, NC: 47.4 %Laurinburg, NC47.4Greensboro, NC: 42.7 %Greensboro, NC42.7Fayetteville, NC: 41.6 %Fayetteville, NC41.6Greenville, NC: 39.1 %Greenville, NC39.1Reidsville, NC: 38.4 %Reidsville, NC38.4Durham, NC: 36.7 %Durham, NC36.7Salisbury, NC: 36.5 %Salisbury, NC36.5Zebulon, NC: 35.9 %Zebulon, NC35.9Lumberton, NC: 35.3 %Lumberton, NC35.3Charlotte, NC: 34.7 %Charlotte, NC34.7Winterville, NC: 34.1 %Winterville, NC34.1Roanoke Rapids, NC: 34.1 %Roanoke Rapids, NC34.1Spring Lake, NC: 34.1 %Spring Lake, NC34.1High Point, NC: 34.1 %High Point, NC34.1Hope Mills, NC: 33.8 %Hope Mills, NC33.8New Bern, NC: 33.1 %New Bern, NC33.1Winston-Salem, NC: 32.8 %Winston-Salem, NC32.8Statesville, NC: 32.6 %Statesville, NC32.6Shelby, NC: 31.7 %Shelby, NC31.7Gastonia, NC: 29.4 %Gastonia, NC29.4Lexington, NC: 28.3 %Lexington, NC28.3Burlington, NC: 27.9 %Burlington, NC27.9Raleigh, NC: 27.9 %Raleigh, NC27.9Wendell, NC: 27.7 %Wendell, NC27.7Kings Mountain, NC: 27.3 %Kings Mountain, NC27.3Garner, NC: 27.2 %Garner, NC27.2Eden, NC: 26.8 %Eden, NC26.8Smithfield, NC: 26 %Smithfield, NC26Pineville, NC: 25.5 %Pineville, NC25.5Sanford, NC: 24.7 %Sanford, NC24.7Albemarle, NC: 24.3 %Albemarle, NC24.3Graham, NC: 23.2 %Graham, NC23.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Kinston, NC66.8
2Rocky Mount, NC63.3
3Henderson, NC62.2
4Goldsboro, NC54.2
5Tarboro, NC51.3
6Elizabeth City, NC50.9
7Knightdale, NC49.4
8Wilson, NC48
9Laurinburg, NC47.4
10Greensboro, NC42.7
11Fayetteville, NC41.6
12Greenville, NC39.1
13Reidsville, NC38.4
14Durham, NC36.7
15Salisbury, NC36.5
16Zebulon, NC35.9
17Lumberton, NC35.3
18Charlotte, NC34.7
19Winterville, NC34.1
20Roanoke Rapids, NC34.1
20Spring Lake, NC34.1
22High Point, NC34.1
23Hope Mills, NC33.8
24New Bern, NC33.1
25Winston-Salem, NC32.8
26Statesville, NC32.6
27Shelby, NC31.7
28Gastonia, NC29.4
29Lexington, NC28.3
30Burlington, NC27.9
31Raleigh, NC27.9
32Wendell, NC27.7
33Kings Mountain, NC27.3
34Garner, NC27.2
35Eden, NC26.8
36Smithfield, NC26
37Pineville, NC25.5
38Sanford, NC24.7
39Albemarle, NC24.3
40Graham, NC23.2
41Clayton, NC22.4
42Mebane, NC22.3
43Kannapolis, NC22
44Rolesville, NC22
45Monroe, NC22
46Concord, NC20.7
47Aberdeen, NC18
48Fuquay-Varina, NC17.8
49Jacksonville, NC17.6
50Wake Forest, NC17.5
51Southern Pines, NC17.3
52Lincolnton, NC17.2
53Havelock, NC17.1
54Wilmington, NC17
55Harrisburg, NC16.8
56Mint Hill, NC16.6
57Kernersville, NC16.4
58Thomasville, NC15.8
59Mount Holly, NC15.7
60Carrboro, NC15.1
61Lewisville, NC14.8
62Hickory, NC13.8
63Asheboro, NC12.5
64Lenoir, NC12.5
65Huntersville, NC12.3
66Morrisville, NC12.2
67Morganton, NC11.8
68Matthews, NC11.4
69Mount Airy, NC11.2
70Asheville, NC10.9
71Chapel Hill, NC10.4
72Stallings, NC10.3
73Belmont, NC10.2
74Newton, NC10.1
75Leland, NC10
76Mooresville, NC10
77Holly Springs, NC9.7
78Indian Trail, NC9.2
79Waxhaw, NC9.1
80Cary, NC7.7
81Davidson, NC7.6
82Apex, NC7.4
83Hendersonville, NC7.3
84Elon, NC7
85Cornelius, NC6.4
86Morehead City, NC5.9
87Archdale, NC5.7
88Weddington, NC5.6
89Clemmons, NC5.5
90Summerfield, NC4.3
91Boone, NC3.1
92Pinehurst, NC2.1
93Waynesville, NC1.5

Other periods

About this ranking

People who are not Hispanic or Latino and report Black or African American as their only race, as a percentage of the total population. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

US federal statistics ask about Hispanic origin and race separately, and Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race. The shares for White, Black and Asian count people who are not Hispanic and report that race alone, so the published shares do not add up to 100 (people of two or more races and other races are not shown). EU and Spanish statistics do not collect race.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in North Carolina by black or African American population share, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by black or African American population share, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/black-population-share/north-carolina-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in North Carolina by black or African American population share, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/black-population-share/north-carolina-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by black or African American population share, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/black-population-share/north-carolina-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_north_carolina_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by black or African American population share, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/black-population-share/north-carolina-cities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by black or African American population share, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/black-population-share/north-carolina-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/black-population-share/north-carolina-cities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b03002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Cities in North Carolina by black or African American population share using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"black_share","level":"municipality","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=black_share&level=municipality&within=North%20Carolina&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which city has the highest black or African American population share?

Kinston, NC, with 66.8% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest black or African American population share?

Waynesville, NC, with 1.5% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03002: Black or African American alone, not Hispanic or Latino, as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Black or African American population share: other rankings

Cities in North Carolina: more rankings