ATLANTA — Atlanta’s African American majority went away in the last 10 years, according to new census data analyzed by the AJC.
The new census data does show that African Americans are still the largest ethnic group in Atlanta, but they dropped below 50% in the 2020 Census.
In 2019, the U.S. Census reported that 51% of Atlanta’s residents were Black. However, the new data shows that number dropped to 47% in 2020.
That shift has taken place as historically Black neighborhoods have drawn new money and new residents
The AJC analysis said Atlanta’s population grew by more than 71,000 since 2010:
- New white residents accounted for just over 50% of them
- 23% were Hispanic or Asian
- Only 9% of the city’s new residents were African American
City Councilman Michael Bond, an African American, said the shift away from a Black majority will do no harm.
"I think Atlanta has grown up internationally," Bond said. "This is a goal I think leadership in Atlanta has had for a long time – not to displace African Americans political power, but to increase the diversity of the city. I think it’s a good thing ultimately."
Bond thinks voters in the city have started to look beyond race in choosing candidates to run the city, something voters will do again this November.
