What do you imagine when you think of Black communities? Society and entertainment still shape Black communities to solely mirror “ghettos.” It’s the 2020s. There is more to Black communities than what you see on TV and film. While shows and movies are showing poverty and crime, that’s not it. There are Black communities that are wealthy and flourishing, many of which happened to be in California, New York, and Maryland. Rich communities don’t only belong to the white population. If you are interested in knowing some of the richest Black communities around the United States, here are a few to add to that list...
California
Baldwin Hills
If you were watching BET between 2007 and 2009, then you probably know about Baldwin Hills. The BET series premiered in 2007 to demonstrate the lives of young Black teenagers and adults living in the “Black Beverly Hills.” Located in Los Angeles County, Baldwin Hills has a population of around 30,000. Listed as the second richest Black community in the United States, the community has an average family income of $157,000. According to Realtor, the median listing price for homes in Baldwin Hills are around $1.1 million. This makes sense especially when considering who lives (or has lived) there. Baldwin Hills has been the home to Ray Charles, Allyson Felix, John Singleton, Tina Turner, and Ice Cube.
Ladera Heights
With Baldwin Hills as its northern neighbor, Ladera Heights is another affluent Black community in Los Angeles County. Listed as the third richest Black community in the United States, it makes sense after you look at the statistics. The homes in Ladera Heights are valued at just under $1 million at around $958K. The median household income is also just over six figures at $118K. Over half of the community’s residents are educated with approximately 58.8% of them having a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Another popular area for notable people, you’ll find that Vanessa Williams and Lisa Leslie once called Ladera Heights home.
Windsor Hills
Formally referred to as View Park-Windsor Hills, this city is considered an unincorporated community. This means that it’s not governed by its own local municipal corporation and rather it is a part of a larger division or township. With just under 11,000 people living in the community, View Park-Windsor Hills is considered one of the largest, wealthiest, and best-educated Black communities in the Western region of the country. The demographics of the community are predominantly Black with White and Asian professionals making recent moves into the area. Regardless, as of the 2010 census, 84.8% of the population is Black.
Diving deeper into the community and their population, the median home value of this area is approximately $812K. The median household income is around $97,000 as well. Over half the population (52.20%) has a Bachelor’s degree or higher while 61.3% of their population is in the workforce. A deeper dive into their living situation will show that 70% of the homes in the area are owned. And in case you were wondering who has lived in View Park-Windsor Hills, you can put Ray Charles, Loretta Devine, and Regina King on the list.
Maryland
Fort Washington
This will be the first you’re hearing of Prince George’s County on this list, but it won’t be the last. Fort Washington is one of Maryland’s and the country’s richest Black communities. Named after the original defense fort that protected Washington, D.C. during the Civil War, the city now has a Black majority population of 70%. This is followed by White (13.4%) and Asian (9.2%) populations. The median home value in Fort Washington is approximately $343K while the average household income is $115,000.
Livability lists Fort Washington’s workforce percentage at 65.1% while 40.5% of their population have earned a Bachelor’s degree or higher. 87.5% of homes in Fort Washington are owned while 12.5% of the town’s residents are renters. Similarly to Baldwin Hills and Windsor Hills, you’ll find that many notable people have lived in or around the Fort Washington area. While Martin Lawrence attended high school in Fort Washington, athlete siblings Brian and Byron Westbrook also lived in the community.
Lake Arbor
We’re back in Prince George’s County in Lake Arbor, Maryland. With just under 10,000 people living in the community, Lake Arbor’s demographics are approximately 88.74% Black, 7.2% White, and 1.77% Asian. When analyzing their median home value, you’ll find that their average is $311K. They also have an average household income of $97K. Differing from some of the other communities on this list, Lake Arbor has more career opportunities for their residents than most. They have over 800 businesses housed within their community and almost 75% of their population are actively working.
Mitchellville
If you were wondering about Prince George’s County in Maryland, it’s clearly the place to be for wealthy, Black professionals and families. The next community on this list is Mitchellville, Maryland, which you can also find in the county. With a population of almost 11,000 people, the town’s population is 78.5% Black.
When it comes to the residents of the community, their age demographics are generally well spread out. While 27.5% of the population is under the age of 13, 28.5% is 25-44 and 30.1% is 45-64. The median home value is just over $350,000 with the average household income being $122K. Almost half their population (45.7%) has a Bachelor’s degree or higher with 76.8% of their population being in the workforce.
Mitchellville is another affluent Black community where most of its residents own their home with 91.5% of homes being owned and 8.5% being rented.
Rosaryville
Surprise! We have another town in Prince George’s County. As of 2010, Rosaryville has over 10,000 residents with a Black community of 60% with the White population coming in second at 34%. When comparing home value and household income, Rosaryville is definitely one of the most affluent communities in the country. The Maryland suburb has a home value average of $328K and a median household income of $128K. The community has over 100 businesses with 70% of their population still being members of the workforce. The town is another Maryland suburb where most of the residents are homeowners with 94% of homes being owned.
Woodmore
Now, when it comes to affluence, Woodmore is probably one of the most affluent on the list. Located in Prince George’s County, Woodmore is a Washington, D.C. suburb. When compared to the rest of the communities on this list, this Maryland town has one of the smallest populations with under 4,000 residents. The suburb also features the Country Club at Woodmore - a private gated community that houses hundreds of the town’s residents.
The Black community of Woodmore sits at 64.9% with the White population being the next largest group at 28.8%. The median home value of Woodmore is $444k while the household income sits at an average of $182,859. The unemployment rate in the community is low at under 5% and over ¾ of the community’s population is in the workforce. Lastly, most of the residents in Woodmore own their homes with only about 6% of the population renting.
If you are ever in the area, be sure to visit Six Flags America which seemingly adds to the wealth and growth of the community.
New York
Hillcrest
Located in Rockland County, the first New York community we have is Hillcrest. Considered a “bedroom suburb of New York City,” Hillcrest is a town where you will find that many of their residents commute to work in the City. With a population of just under 8000, their Black population is still prominent with over half (51.1%) of their residents being Black. The White community of Hillcrest sits at 25.58% while the Asian community represents 14.69% of the population.
The median home value in Hillcrest is $370K and the community has a larger-than-most median household income of $103K. In the bedroom suburb, you will find that over 75% of the homes are owned with around 23% of them being rented. They also have a wonderfully low unemployment rate at 3.4% which can be credited to the fact that the community offers a great amount of career opportunities for their residents with close to 150 businesses.
Uniondale
We are now headed to New York’s Long Island to Uniondale. When compared to the other communities on this list, Uniondale is not as affluent; however, it is still one of the richest communities in the country with a majority Black population. A suburb of Nassau County, Uniondale has a pretty big population with close to 25K residents. While the Black percentage isn’t as large as it is in other cities, Uniondale is still predominantly Black with 55.53%. This is followed by its White (26.97%) and Asian (2.1%) populations. The residents of Uniondale have a median household income of $84,000 and a median home value of $350K.
Uniondale is known as more than an affluent Black community. The Lufthansa United States airline carrier has its headquarters in Uniondale. Also before moving to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the hockey team, the New York Islanders, played at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the small city.
I don’t know about you, but this list has us eyeing California, New York, and Maryland, with an emphasis on Prince George’s County. While pop culture might have you thinking differently, there are Black communities where the people are successful and thriving. Check out the rest of the communities that made the list here:
