What part of Texas is Black?

Hispanic Texans may now be the state’s largest demographic group, new census data shows

For years, the state’s Hispanic population has grown significantly faster than the white population. The new census data is the first to reflect Texas passing a milestone in its cultural and political evolution.

by Alexa Ura Sept. 15, 2022 12 AM Central

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A closely watched estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau released Thursday indicates that Texas may have passed a long-awaited milestone: the point where Hispanic residents make up more of the state’s population than white residents.

The new population figures, derived from the bureau’s American Community Survey, showed Hispanic Texans made up 40.2% of the state’s population in 2021 while non-Hispanic white Texans made up 39.4%. The estimates — based on comprehensive data collected over the 2021 calendar year — are not considered official.

The bureau’s official population estimates as of July 2021 showed the Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations virtually even in size. But in designating Hispanics as the state’s largest population group, the new estimates are the first to reflect the foreseeable culmination of decades of demographic shifts steadily transforming the state.

The incremental trend demographers have been tracking for years reflects the state’s profound cultural and demographic evolution. The state lost its white majority in 2004. However, the Hispanic population’s relative growth, through both migration and births, has not been reflected in many facets of the state’s economic and political landscape.

The 2020 census captured how close the state’s Hispanic and white populations had come, with just half a percentage point separating them at the time. By then, Texas had gained nearly 11 Hispanic residents for every additional white resident over the previous decade. And Hispanics had powered nearly half of the state’s overall growth of roughly 4 million residents since 2010.

Hispanic Texans are expected to make up a flat-out majority of the state’s population in the decades to come, but they are already on the precipice of a majority among children. The latest census estimates showed that 49.3% of Texans under the age of 18 are Hispanic.

Without corresponding political and economic gains, Hispanic residents’ economic and political reality is captured in the persistent disparities also reflected in the latest census data. Hispanic people living in Texas are disproportionately poor. They are also less likely to have reached the higher levels of education that often serve as pathways to social mobility and greater economic prosperity.

The new census estimates showed Hispanic residents are more than twice as likely as white residents to live below the poverty level. Although 14.2% of Texans overall are considered poor, 19.4% of Hispanic residents live below the poverty level, compared with just 8.4% of white residents.

Texas households are also divided by significant income inequality. The median income for a white household in 2021 was $81,384, but it was just $54,857 for a Hispanic household, according to the estimates.

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Up against longstanding educational disparities, Hispanic children have been less likely to graduate college-ready compared with white students and left unprepared to succeed in a flourishing Texas economy that increasingly requires some form of education after high school. The new estimates show that 95% of white adults have at least a high school diploma, compared with only 70% of Hispanic adults. Only 18% of Hispanic adults graduated from college with bachelor’s degrees or higher, compared with 42% of white adults.

And while their growing numbers have allowed them to secure local political power in many communities, Texas remains a state governed by primarily white Republican men. Texas lawmakers have a lengthy history of discriminating against Hispanics and other voters of color in pursuit of political control, devising political maps that weaken the impact of their votes.

In the face of the growing Hispanic population share that works against their political dominance, the Republican-controlled Legislature redrew the state’s legislative and congressional districts last year to shore up their hold on state offices. But in the process, they gave white voters greater control of political districts throughout the state, elaborately manipulating district lines in some areas where Hispanics and other voters of color were gaining political ground.

The state now faces nearly a dozen consolidated legal challenges — brought by individual voters of color, organizations that serve communities of color and the U.S. Department of Justice — to its four political maps that include allegations of intentional discrimination, vote dilution and racial gerrymandering.

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Third Ward

Originally created as one of the city’s numbered political subdivisions shortly after Houston’s founding in 1836, Third Ward has undergone significant boundary changes and population transformations in its 180-year-plus history. For most Houstonians, Third Ward is best known as a predominantly African American community with a rich history and cultural legacy along with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment.

Through the early part of the 20th century, the area’s population was evenly divided between black and white residents. But by the 1930s, Third Ward became increasingly African American and, as one sociologist observed, “the city’s most diverse black neighborhood and a microcosm of the larger black Houston community.”

Ethnicity
71.7% African American
12.1% Hispanic
9.8% White
5.1% Asian

Initially, Third Ward was rooted downtown at the corner of Main and Congress streets and extended southeast. At one point, its northern boundary was Harrisburg and much of what is called the East End today was considered part of Third Ward. Today, US-45 (Gulf Freeway) stands as the unofficial northern border. The western boundary is Almeda Road, though much of the area between Almeda and Main was formerly Third Ward. The southern border is Old Spanish Trail (OST) and Griggs with the eastern boundary formed by the railroad tracks.

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The communal, if not geographical, center of Third Ward is Emancipation Park, a 10-acre site that was purchased by former slaves in 1872 to serve as a place to annually celebrate the end of slavery in Texas. In 2017, a $33 million renovation and upgrade of the park and community center was completed and the street in front of it renamed Emancipation Boulevard. In addition to Emancipation Park, the area is anchored by the University of Houston, with a 675-acre campus located in the northeast corner of Third Ward, and Texas Southern University, a 150-acre historically black college two blocks away.

Third Ward has been called the cradle of the city’s civil rights movement because black college students sat down at a segregated Third Ward lunch counter to first protest discriminatory policies in 1960. Most of the social activism from the African American community grew out of Third Ward. The Urban League and the NAACP had offices there; the latter still does. Most of the African American newspapers started in Third Ward including the Defender and The Forward Times. The first radio station stations targeting black audiences began there as well, KCOH (92.9 FM HD2) and KYOK. Many African American judges, elected and appointed public officials have traditionally resided in Third Ward. The oldest black church in Houston is in Third Ward along with several other churches that are more than 100 years old. The state’s only black owned bank, UNITY, is there as well as the city’s only black-owned hospital, Riverside, that closed in 2015 after nearly nine decades in operation.

Third Ward has a rich cultural legacy as well. It gave birth to the critically acclaimed black Ensemble Theatre, the Houston Museum of Art and Culture, and Project Row Houses. It has been the home of international muralist John Biggers (deceased), music icon Beyoncé, jazz musician Jason Moran, and actress Phylicia Allen Rashad. The El Dorado Ballroom (2310 Elgin) was a historical hotspot that hosted music legends from Count Basie to B. B. King and Sam Lightnin’ Hopkins.

In the past decade or so, Third Ward has attracted an increasing number of investors due to its attractive proximity to downtown and the universities. Townhomes have been proliferating on the west side, generating fears among some that its community character may be compromised and residents displaced. This has stimulated the formation of organizations with goals of halting gentrification, promoting affordable housing, and preserving the culture.

Governmental and civic partnerships – including a number of UH-specific initiatives – have begun to revitalize and enhance Third Ward’s assets while addressing the educational, health and economic disparities that continue to exist throughout this historic area.

Unlocking the Best City in Texas for Black Families to Thrive

Did you know that the black community is the fastest-growing community in America this decade? That’s right, folks, we’re on the rise!

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And if you’re looking for a place to call home in the Lone Star State, Texas is where it’s at.

It’s diverse, it’s vibrant, and it’s got a huge black population. So, pack your bags and get ready for a Texas-sized adventure!

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Where’s the best city to live in Texas for black families?” Well, my friend, the answer is in the numbers.

Manvel is the best city to live in Texas for black families.

According to the American Community Survey, there are 3,367,449 black people living in Texas, which is 11.8% of the total population. That’s a lot of black excellence, if you ask me!

And get this, the percentage growth of Blacks in America is the third largest percentage change for any race according to the Census race and ethnicity definition.

So, not only are we taking over Texas, but we’re taking over the country, baby! It’s time to show everyone what we’re made of.

And for all you history buffs out there, most scholars and historians agree that diversity in America is a good thing.

So, let’s celebrate our differences and continue to build a brighter, more colorful future for generations to come!

Now let’s count down the top 10 cities in Texas for black families starting from #1:

Table of Contents

Manvel

Welcome to Manvel, the charming town located in the south of Houston that offers everything you could ever want in a place to live.

Not only does it boast of top-notch amenities, but it also has a corn maze that will make you feel like a wandering giant.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a stroll through one of its many parks or visit the local petting zoo for a fluffy, fuzzy, and feathered treat.

Also Read: What is the Whitest County in Texas?

For the land lovers, Manvel offers horseback riding, so saddle up and take a ride through the scenic landscapes of this beautiful town.

And if water is your thing, kayaking and rafting are just a splash away. So, what are you waiting for?

Roma

Roma is located along the southern tip of Texas on the Rio Grande.

It is directly Positioned across from Mexico, you can view pretty sweet scenery of the border region in Roma, with bluffs that overlook the river, and you can do some serious birdwatching (if that’s your kind of thing).

Brown jays, red-billed pigeons, cave swallows, ringed kingfishers, Couch’s kingbird, and Altamira orioles frequent the valley.

Fate

Fate is located in the east of Dallas, Texas, Fate is one of the safest cities to live in a tight-knit friendship is built in fate and it is easy to raise a family in the community. Friendships built in a fate community.

The city also has hundreds of acres of land ready for development right off its main interstate.

When you reside in the community, you feel like a part of something that’s growing.

Murphy

It has a long history as a farming community, Murphy is located in the northeast of Dallas, and it still offers a rural vibe.

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The city provides plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy—including parks, farmer’s markets, play museums, arcades, and shopping centers.

Colleyville

Hitting the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex right between the eyes is Colleyville, Crime rate in Colleyville is low. It is one of the cities in Texas to boast of these feats.

There are a bunch of charming playgrounds, parks, and nature trails.

There is a nearby aquatic center complete with a lazy river. And there’s a vineyard where you can celebrate your fancy events.

Trophy Club

This Dallas-Fort Worth suburb is somewhat of a bougie area.

Built around a beautiful golf course, its unique name of trophy Club is traced to Ben Hogan—who played golf and became one of its great professionals.

Fulshear

Another safe place to live in Texas is Fulshear. It is located on the western edge of Houston.

To this day, Fulshear is known for its homegrown rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, poultry, horses, and the iconic Texas Longhorn cattle.

Hutto

The safest city in Texas is Hutto. It is in the north of Austin, It’s also the Hippo Capital of Texas! But wait, hippos aren’t native to the Americas, are they?

No. But there are thousands of concrete hippo statues scattered throughout Hutto! Thanks to Hutto’s hippo affinity, this charming city is bustling with local spirit—making it a great home to raise a family.

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According to the new Census data, Pflugerville has the highest African-American population in the Austin metro.

Explosive growth has been witnessed in the City of Austin over the last several years, but despite that growth, the African-American population has continued to decrease.

The decline has gone down to 7.6 percent, down from about 15 percent a few decades ago.

Many of those people are moving to the surrounding areas, such as Pflugerville, which now boasts a 17 percent black population. Affordability is one of the many reasons people migrate to Pflugerville says.

Austin has witnessed a significant decline in its population, but the population in Travis County and the region has been increasing yearly.

What you’re seeing is something that’s exactly what Pflugerville a perfect example is of. People are going to live where they can find a good quality of life.

When there is affordability, alongside the police department he is fond of, the diversity, and parks, the Census numbers should not be a surprise.

When people are looking at a great quality of life, its places like this, 1849 Park a park that we made a regional park.

It is becoming not only a regional destination but a state destination. Pflugerville has experienced a shift in its demographics and the minds of people. So it’s where they want to live.

As a sign of growth, the residents should expect the city to build more on top of the available land, according to metayer.

FAQs

What part of Texas is mostly Black?

San Antonio, Dallas, and Greater Houston metropolitan area are where the majority of the Black and African American population of Texas residents

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What city in Texas has the largest black population?

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Houston has the largest black population in Texas with over 930,000 black residents as of 2020. Dallas and San Antonio follow with around 440,000 and 120,000 black residents, respectively.

However, it’s important to note that Texas is a large and diverse state with many cities and neighborhoods that have significant black populations and offer a variety of cultural experiences and opportunities.

What is the best city to live in Texas for black families?

Manvel ranks as the best U.S. city for Black Americans at least by a few measures.

What are some organizations in Texas that support black families?

There are many organizations in Texas that support black families, including:

The Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education (TABPHE)
The Texas Black Women’s Initiative
The Texas Black Expo
The African American Health Coalition
The Black Women’s Leadership Alliance
The National Black Child Development Institute – Texas Chapter
The Texas African American Museum
The Texas Coalition of Black Democrats

What are some schools in Texas that are known for supporting black students?

Some schools in Texas that are known for supporting black students include:

Prairie View A&M University
Texas Southern University
Paul Quinn College
Huston-Tillotson University
Southwestern Christian College
Wiley College
Baylor University (McLennan County only)

What are some resources in Texas for black-owned businesses?

The Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce
The African American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston
The Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce
The San Antonio Black Chamber of Commerce
The National Black Business Directory
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center – Dallas/Fort Worth
The Texas Economic Development Corporation

What are some resources in Texas for black families looking for affordable housing?

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
The Housing Authority of the City of Dallas
The Housing Authority of the City of Austin
The Housing Authority of the City of San Antonio
The Housing Authority of the City of Houston
The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation
The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Texas Chapter
The Texas Tenants Union