One thing is for sure — there is no perfect city for Black women in America. But media site, CityLab, has analyzed the data to determine which metro areas have the highest livability index for Black women. That list is now out.
At the top is Washington, DC, which is helmed by Mayor Muriel Bowser. CityLab notes that in order to come to that conclusion, they worked with urban sociologist Junia Howell to consider income status, health conditions, and educational accomplishments of Black women in metro areas. The overall outcome was determined by the average value across all categories. Cities considered had a Black woman population of at least 100,000.
Rounding out the top five best and worst metros for Black women’s overall outcomes were Boston, Baltimore, Raleigh, and Dallas. Atlanta and Charlotte, which, like D.C., have a Black woman mayor, made it into the top 10. All factors considered, researchers found that livability was more favorable in southern metros and least favorable in the Midwest. Though D.C. took the top prize, thanks primarily to its offering of government jobs, North Carolina was also a standout. The state had favorable rankings with a number of cities including Raleigh, Greensboro-High Point, and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia. The report alludes to the fact that this may have something to do with its high number of HBCUS.
In the subsequent categories, Greensboro, North Carolina topped the list for health outcomes and for educational and economic outcomes, D.C., once again, led the pack. And though these numbers and placements were fairly considered and backed by a host of research, analyzers made sure to point out that the lists don’t negate the fact that many of these cities, even those at the top, and more specifically in the South, have a tendency to, in the words of Sherrell Dorsey, founder of BLKTECHCLT “prioritize white males” and “demonize Black women.”