Low living and housing costs, as well as safe and low crime rates, are among the qualities Black Americans cite as making a place desirable to reside.
New research shows those elements respectively ranked No. 1 and No. 2 with Blacks on ideal living conditions. Those pluses were followed by lots of things to do, good weather, high-quality education and good school districts.
Overall, 1,000 American adults were quizzed by Clever Real Estate to learn where people want to live this year and grasp what U.S. areas they prefer. Some 128 of the respondents (12%) included in the study were Black.
The report produced many fascinating discoveries. For instance, most Americans have accepted to live with the ups and downs. A robust 84% report they could be convinced to move to another city or state. Americans are more inclined to move there is an increase in crime (58%), the cost of living rises (52% ), or due to taxes (47%). Those three factors contribute to why people would want to depart those areas to find a better quality of life.
For Black Americans, high crime/unsafe (59%), high cost of living, expensive homes, and high rent prices (51%) were the top factors making a place undesirable. Interestingly, affordable housing ranked as the No. 1 consideration overall for moving to a new location.
When it comes to the most desirable cities to live for Blacks, Atlanta, Tampa, and Miami, both in Florida, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Los Angeles topped the list in that order. Conversely, St. Louis, Missouri, Washington, Tampa, Florida, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Seattle ranked sequentially by Blacks as the least desirable cities.
Jaime Dunaway-Seale, author of The Best (and Worst) Places to Live in 2024, According to Americans, told BLACK ENTERPRISE by email, “It makes sense that Atlanta would rank No. 1 among Black Americans because it’s been called a “Black Mecca” since the 1970s. Atlanta has a rich history and culture. It’s considered the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement and is known for its arts and music (especially hip-hop) culture.”
She added, “It’s been home to
the National Black Arts Festival since the late 1980s. The city also has the largest collection of HBCUs in the country, whose graduates have gone on to open many Black-owned businesses in the city.”When it comes to cities with the best food, Black Americans ranked Atlanta first. It was followed by New York, New Orleans, Chicago, and Austin, Texas.
On the state level, Black Americans ranked California, Florida, New York, Georgia, and Hawaii as the most desirable places to live. In contrast, Alabama, Alaska, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Texas got the least desirable ranking.
The report included some noteworthy findings on other categories, including the most underrated cities and states, those areas with the nicest and rudest residents, and the ugliest and prettiest cities.