In response to vast disparities in resources and opportunities, many Black residents—regardless of income level—have left Chicago in the last decade in search of more affordable housing, higher performing schools, and safer spaces, according to data analysis from the Chicago Urban League’s 2023 State of Black Chicago report.
Between 2010 and 2020, Chicago’s Black population decreased by 3% and Black residents now account for 29% of the city’s total population. By comparison, the 2019 State of Black Chicago reported Black residents as 31% of the population in 2017.
The Chicago Urban League periodically publishes the State of Black Chicago to examine the conditions of the city’s Black residents. For this year’s report, Loyola University’s Institute for Racial Justice joined the effort and examined key indicators in the areas of income and employment, housing, education, health and environment, and crime and justice.
