Recognizing Black History Month 2024, a recent report put together by Black employees at online rental marketplace Apartment List has identified Houston as the No. 4 top U.S. city for Black professionals.
Apartment List analyzed 76 cities in four main categories to establish the rankings: community and representation, economic opportunity, housing opportunity, and business environment. Houston received a score of 63.01 out of 100 points, ranking as the second-highest city in Texas for Black professionals, after San Antonio (No. 3).
The city achieved top-10 rankings in three out of the four main categories:
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- Number 3 – Business environment
- Number 4 – Community and representation
- Number 10 – Economic opportunity
- Number 21 – Housing opportunity
Houston has a thriving Black business community and economy, with opportunities for growth in the housing sector. Just like Apartment List’s 2022 report, Houston was ranked No. 4. Almost half (44 percent) of Black households in Houston are now spending over 30 percent of their income on housing, a two percent increase since 2019. Houston’s Black population is higher than San Antonio’s, at 19 percent, but it is lower compared to other cities in the top 10.
The report highlighted the significant representation of the Black community in key professions, with 20 percent of teachers and 21 percent of doctors being Black. “Houston is home to Texas Southern University, an HBCU that contributes to the job market where the median Black income is higher than average.” Houston boasts the highest percentage of Black-owned businesses in the entire state, standing at 18 percent.
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The report highlighted the variety of businesses in Houston, from the Mitochondria Gallery to Ten Skyncare and Wisdom’s Vegan Bakery.
Here’s how Houston compared in other measurements:
- Percentage of Black individuals who own homes: 42%
- Percentage of black lawyers: 14%
- Percentage of black managers: 14%
Another location in Texas
Most of the top 10 cities were from Texas. San Antonio was ranked slightly higher than Houston, while Dallas (No. 6) and Austin (No. 7) were close behind.
San Antonio barely edged out Houston by less than 2.5 points, finishing with a total score of 65.44 points. The report highlighted San Antonio’s strong performance in economic opportunity (No. 2), housing opportunity (No. 7), and community and representation (No. 10). The city was ranked 20th for its Black business environment. Similar to Houston, San Antonio also experienced a decline in its Black homeownership rates, as indicated by the study.
“The Black homeownership rate is 44 percent, which is higher than average. However, the homeownership gap (Black homeownership rate – non-Black homeownership rate) is -19 percent,” stated the report’s author. Maybe this could be clarified by looking at San Antonio’s overall homeownership rate, which is also below the state’s average. Furthermore, the reduced homeownership gap may account for the cost burden rate also being below the average at 41 percent.
Here are the top 10 cities for Black professionals:
- Washington, D.C.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- San Antonio, Texas
- Houston, Texas.
- Palm Bay, Florida
- Dallas, Texas
- Austin, Texas
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Lakeland, Florida
- Charlotte, North Carolina
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