These are the 5 worst cities for Black Americans - Note for a discussion, "E Pluribus Unum? What Keeps the United States United."

Evan Comen and Michael B. Sauter, 24/7 Wall Street, USA Today

Erie, PA. image from article

Nationwide, the typical black household earns just 61 cents for every dollar the typical white household earns. Despite the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement more than five decades ago, there exist substantial inequalities along racial lines in America.

Lower incomes, educational attainment, and homeownership among black Americans, as well as higher poverty, unemployment, incarceration, and mortality all contribute to racial inequality in the United States. In some of America’s largest metro areas, discriminatory policy, racial bias, and a history of oppression have deepened such inequalities and widened the gap [JB emphasis] between black and white residents in a variety of socioeconomic measures.

To determine the worst cities for black Americans, 24/7 Wall St. created an index based on disparities in each city between black and white residents in various socioeconomic measures. Many of the cities with the worst racial inequalities are in the Midwest and Northeast.

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The worst cities for Black Americans

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No major metropolitan area has greater racial inequalities across major social and economic outcome measures than Erie, Pennsylvania. An astounding 47% of the black population lives at or below the national poverty line, twice the the already alarming national poverty rate for black Americans of 23.9%, and more than four times the white poverty rate in Erie of 11.9%. The stark differences along racial lines in the city are also well reflected by the deep gap in job prospects between white and black residents. Erie's overall unemployment rate of 5.8% is identical to the national rate. However, just 4.0% of the white labor force is unemployed, while 25% of the black labor force is.  U.S. Census Bureau

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The worst cities for Black Americans

Here are the worst 5 cities on the list:

5. Niles-Benton Harbor, Mich.

> Black population: 15.2%
> Black median income: 46.1% of white income
> White unemployment: 3.6%
> Black unemployment: 17.3%

4. Racine, Wisc.

> Black population: 11.1%
> Black median income: 34.6% of white income
> White unemployment: 4.8%
> Black unemployment: 10.7%

3. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wisc.

> Black population: 16.6%
> Black median income: 42.2% of white income
> White unemployment: 3.3%
> Black unemployment: 12.4%

2. Peoria, Ill.

> Black population: 9.3%
> Black median income: 42.7% of white income
> White unemployment: 5.4%
> Black unemployment: 19.3%

1. Erie, Penn.

> Black population: 7.2%
> Black median income: 43.2% of white income
> White unemployment: 4.0%
> Black unemployment: 24.6%

For the full list of cities and more details, click here. For more on how 24/7 Wall Street compiled its list of worst cities for Black Americans, click here.