: MediaTakeOut.com got a sneak peak at Black Enterprise's top 10 cities for African Americans. Here they are:
No. 1: Washington, D.C. - Residents who enjoy living in our nation's capital and surrounding region cited the robust job market and top-notch cultural activities as grounds for their overall satisfaction. "The perception of the city has changed. There's a lot more business development," says D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. At $404,900, D.C. has the highest median home value of all the cities on BE's list. Other positive factors: D.C. has the lowest foreclosure rate (0.3%), property taxes, and sales tax (5.75%) among the top 10. Survey respondents are very dissatisfied with the quality of education, however, stating that the public schools are in desperate need of repair. Ironically, the D.C. metro area has the best-educated black population of the cities, boasting the highest percentage of high school and college graduates.No. 2: Atlanta, GA - continues to impress. The city is home to 64,000 black-owned businesses and continues to offer extensive entrepreneurial opportunities.
No. 3: Raleigh-Durham, NC - boasted a 3.4% rise in job growth, the highest employment statistic among the cities ranked. Rounding out the 10 best cities for African Americans list is:
No. 4: Houston, TX; No. 5: Nashville, TN; No. 6: Dallas, TX; No. 7: Charlotte, NC; No. 8: Indianapolis, IN; No. 9: Columbus, OH; and No. 10: Jacksonville, FL.
For more, check out the May issue of Black Enterprise magazine.
Was down DC this past weekend (from New York). All of my friends in DC have great jobs and most of them are college educated. Nightlife for blacks is poppin'.
Miami could never make the top 10 for blacks. I was down there last month for the Winter Music Conference. Miami is the poorest big city in the United States. Blacks in the MIA are crazy poor and the Cubans own most of the businesses. The mayor is Cuban. He is not feelin' blacks and only looks out for his own people. Cubans and blacks are always at each other throats because Cubans wont share the jobs with blacks. Miami has a third world feel to it.
DUVAL COUNTY all day in the FLA. But if ya thinking bout coming down here, please have ya head right. cause them jack boyz and the JSO(Jacksonville Sheriff's Office) don't play down here. If you have a hustle mentality and you know how to go get it(money), you can make it down here. we don't have it all like the other big cities, but we know how to make it do what it do.lol
I aint tryin to move anywhere named Bodymore, Murdaland, I got people from there that tell me all types of stories but I did hear about the night life out there (DC) too! They forget to add CALI baby! Thats where I'm from WEST COAST ALL DAY! Even though I stay out in Raleigh NC makin money, and it's great place for college my ass do be bored ass hell out here. I cant party like I do in cali. But they say it's not where your from it's where your at.
housing in dc just recently skyrocketed in the last 2 1/2 years....dc night life has always been on point since i was a teenager we have our own style of music gogo plus the clubs are always tight. PG county is hot that is the best place for black folks to live and the richest county in Maryland. I love Atlanta my brother moved their and his house is insane but he not making as much money as he did up here. Charlotte is really coming up that is where my family is from. You have the Wachovia headquarters plus cost of living is cheap but the job market sucks!
strongblackwoman,
Miami may not be just for the hispanics (Cubans),but they sure act as if they own the city. They are powerful down there and blacks in the area are powerless. While I was down there in March, blacks were upset because the Cuban mayor had fired the black head of Miami-Dade Transit. They were upset because blacks hold so few positions of power in the city. Most of the stores on the main street in downtown Miami (Flagler Street) are owned by Cubans. Most of the signs are in spanish. Miami didnt feel like it is located in the United States. Let's not forget about the off the chain black unemployment there.
YAY!! Glad to see DC in the # 1 spot cuz we got this city on lock!! Although DC is very culturally diverse, blacks of all different backgrounds make this place rock, esp. at night! Whether you're Trini, Jamaican, African, or American, you can find a place to rep your culture & have a good time. I won't deny it though, you must be paid to live comfortable. And as far as the high crime & AIDS rates go, you're never 100% safe anywhere & NO ONE should be out there freakin' it raw!! And everyone knows that PG County is MD's SE!!! lol!
.....Not to diss on SE in my first comment cuz everywhere is not bad, but here's a lil history, the area known as Georgetown was once primarily black, and SE was primarily white, that is befor e the "white flight". Everyone in SE knows about the new developments in those areas where the whites are coming back slowly but surely & are trying to "buy" out black families! Don't sell black people!! They are trying to re-vamp our city & push us the hell out!
I gotta give it up for DC as a student at the real HU! However, that tax thing is a damn lie because it is 10% and the crime rate is pretty high in certain areas. Also for it to be called "Chocolate City" there is a lack of "chocolate" brothas, but maybe that's just Howard's campus. But all in all the night life is bangin and it's a great place for opportunities and I wouldn't trade it for the world. GO BISON!
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Hi. I am the co-author of the 2007, 2004, and 2001 Black Enterprise "Best Cities for African Americans" features. If you wish to know specifically why your city did, or did not, make the list, let me know.
David A. Padgett, Chief Consultant GEO-MENTAL geomentaltn@yahoo.com
Yeah thats right the CO got # 9 on the list for the best city for BLACKS!!!!!!!!!!!YEAH!!!!ITS straight poppin down here!!!![EXPLETIVE] galore....also a very nice place to raise a black family....yeah i had to represent for my city 1 time....if u dont know u better ask somebody!!!!!!!!!!! BUCKEYE CITY IN THIS BEE-YOTCH!!!
Mz_Deelyte Obviously you’re the dumb ass! First of all what the hell is "deelyte"? Did you mean Delight? Next time pick a name you can spell! Second if you’re so smart you would know that most African American HIV cases stem from (downlow) men to men relationships. So the next time you call someone dumbass read a damn book! If you have a problem with the comments posted stay the [EXPLETIVE] off MTO!
I am SO glad my city (Nashville, TN) is finally getting some recognition outside of country music!!! This city is a great place for the urban professional and we are slowly gaining everything Atlanta has so we don't have to keep running down there, so ATL watch out cuz Cashville creepin up on ya!!!!
damn, I feel left out, I haven't been to any of the cities listed (I'm frowning)... I guess I need to take a road trip because you guys are reppin for your places! and to Knowitall, my dad agrees, Miami is run by the cubans, I been in tallahassee so long I guess I haven't paid attention, but I LOVE MIAMI also! and wouldn't trade it for the world, but I do want to visit these other places....
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I am originally born and raised in Cleveland, and CLE is the nation's poorest metropolitian city 2006. I recently moved back home from Atlanta after 10yrs, it's hard to adjust to CLE because ATL has going on so tough, it's that you have so many people competing for jobs there. Everybody knows the nightlife is what's happen, it not really expensive in ATL but you can get caught up in mix quickly ! I still want to return to live because I miss it so much, but I here that Jacksonville is good to go as well !
I have to agree with kwallace577 because I am from Raleigh as well. Raleigh and Durham are two different cities. I think it got twisted with the whole Raleigh-Durham International Airport thing. But anyway, Durham is only "where it's at" if you are trying to get shot! No offense to anyone who lives in Durham! You all are brave!!!
I'm moving to Charlotte from the Pittsburgh area(Brownsville,Pa!!)...HUGE difference in attitude & opportunity afforded to us...LOVE being here & hope to start over again here...my sister has been here 3yrs & is doing WAAAYYY better here than I am or woulda been in Pa...I heard Durham goes hard...tryna avoid that, that's why I moved...Pa in my heart, but NC in my horizon...
Did somebody say Waldorf? Waldorf is soooo wack. Who wans to live with a whole bunch of rednecks and wannabe's? Waldorf and the rest of Charles county is some cut and has nothin on good ole PG. Chuck town racist sherriffs ridin around profilin. White kids swearin they black and swearin they tough. And the black kids forced to be around them rednecks smokin crack and doin meth. Go hang out at the mall bammas.
OK...now I'm from Columbus but I live in the D.C. area (Silver Spring). I moved here four years ago to get a better job and to be around more black folks doing more for themselves instead of thinking being a CO (correctional officer) and working at the airport for TSA as being "good jobs". I cannot for the life of me figure out how "Slowlumbus", OH got to be #9 or on the list to begin with. It just amazes me!! GOOD for the C-O, but come on now. Ohio is truly the "white man's land". Good for raising respectable children sure, but so is anywhere else if YOU show your children how to be respectable. D.C. is ok...for now. The cost of living is just too damn high! Great contracting jobs, but hard to find permanent jobs to even consider buying one of these highly overpriced, not big enough houses. Having said all that, I still don't see how Columbus got on the list.
Shout out to e'rybody left in the C-O!
TrenaWhiteFromColumb us-EASTSIDE!!
Ms.Katrena! you are entitled to your on opinion and I respect that! But come on....I have been in the CO all my life and I never once heard someone think that the only "good jobs" is a correctional officer or wrking for an airline.If you consider that a "good job" well good for you...and to be quite honest those are two ver good jobs..I mean why isnt it?I could understand if you was saying"mc donalds" or "taco bell" was a good place to work....well not really becuase you have opportunity to grow.....it depends on the INDIVIUAL and how ambitious you are AND HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT....i mean cause think about it you can be an "attrny" and that is considered a "good job" but if you don't have the clients then you aint makin [EXPLETIVE]....so I think that "good job" thing is a personal issue and what you experienced...We aint #9 on the map for nothin!!!!!!I think we will move up every year!!! Buckeye City in this mutha.......Yeah this is where I was born and raise got to rep my city!!!!!!
Been living in B-more six years whatugot, and trust, it ain't a new name...Just foreign to people who don't live there or spend too much time there. Why you think we go to D.C. to party?!? Those with some sense know you bound to get shot messin' around out here. These negroes out here are off the hook and proud of it!
just to address on the comment about baltimore. 01mommy. you go to dc to party cause there aint [EXPLETIVE] in baltimore. if you live in baltimore. these cats be shooting and acting dumb all day. how is it you can live there. but cant go to the clubs there? that doesnt make any sense to me. people talk about aids in dc. i rather see people with aids then herion addict standing up sleeping all day.
I live in Columbus, Ohio and trust me when I say, this is no place for African-Americans. Employment opportunities for African-Americans here are far and few between, especially if you are in that 8% of higher educated. I am looking to leave the city due to its fear of the educated African-American. DO NOT COME TO THIS CITY!!!!!!!!!
bd4life... I am on my grown woman, so IF I do go out, it's maybe to a show a few times a year and then to the afterparty at a nice spot in DC. MJB, NE, JOE...you know, grown folks music! I live in a COMMUNITY where people look out for each other...Don't get me wrong, I'm not far from North Avenue, but a community is what people make it. We all own our homes and have a strong community association that reaches out to people to let them know they're supported
I don't think Houston will stay on this list to much longer because the majority of the Katrina victims rescused were sent there. I have lived in New Orleans all my life and I am glad that Houston has some of the problems we have dealt with for years. Those same blacks that are now in Houston, don't like to work or do anything that is productive. I hope no one gets offended by this but if you do, I am sorry, but it is the truth. If you have lived in the N.O. all your life like I have and agree, please respond. I visited Dallas on several occassions and I didn't see one black person anywhere. All I saw were Mexicans. So I really don't see how Dallas made the list either.
smmyles I am from Dallas...so sorry you didn't go to the right places...and as far as Houston, it was the fourth biggest city (population) before the Hurricane, the money here is GREAT! Job opportunities are everywhere, it is the the biggest city(sq. miles) in the continental U.S. Black folks need to expand their horizons. And if you read the entire article, Dallas and Houston has been on the list 6 years and counting..
I guess New Orleans "Chocolate City" Louisiana is rounding out the bottom of the list with all the murders, crime, and lack of an educational system. Katrina really finished off New Orleans. I'm sorry to see my hometown in the shape its in now. I'm glad its still one of the Food Capitals. It will he hard to take that title away.
What up people... I'm out here in the LA/OC area of Southern California. The number one complaint here is that housing (bought or rented) costs too much. Granted that there are a lot of jobs here, not so much for the Brothas, but there is work. Most jobs don't pay enough to rent let alone buy. My wife and I both work, make good money, and could only afford a $300k one bedroom condo. In DC I have read that there are good jobs and Brothas can make a lot of cash, but how are you getting ahead and staying afloat if you have to spend most of it on rent or mortgage payments? Personally, with all of the negative I have heard about most of the cities on the list, I'm wondering how they made the list at all. I have never been to DC, or the ATL, but most of the news I have heard about DC is bs. I know people that have been stationed there, and just like out here, they can't wait to leave. I came across this list because I'm looking for my next duty station, or "hometown", that is cool for the Brothas, but does not have a lot of BS to go with it. If I were to pack up the wife and our little condo in the OC, I'm not sure it would be much different for us in DC...simply because of the cost of living. BTW...the person in Oakland, I'm sorry Bruh...I was stationed in Alameda, and Oakland is one expensive shythole. High crime, Brothas hatin' on other Brothas from SoCal, and the cops were turning in their badges because the gangs had more firepower than they did!!! And it seems most Raider fans are a bunch of thugs. Sorry man, Oaktown is not it!! If anyone has any suggestions on where I should be looking to move to I'm listening. Other than that, I think I'll try to stay here where I grew up. FIGHT ON TROJANS!! Had to rep USC!!
