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FACT BRIEF

Are Black people in Wisconsin concentrated in the southeastern part of the state?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

Black residents of Wisconsin chiefly live in the southeastern part of the state, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Wisconsin's population is 86% white and 7.7% Black, according to the 2020 Census. The Black population is up from 7.1% in 2010. 

Almost 90% of the Black population resides in six counties in the southern part of the state — Milwaukee, Dane, Racine, Kenosha, Rock and Waukesha.

About 59% of all Black people in Wisconsin live in Milwaukee County, which has the largest proportion of Black residents as part of its total population, at 29%. Racine and Kenosha counties are next at 14% and 9%, respectively. 

The concentration of Black population in Wisconsin in the southeastern part of the state today traces back in part to the large-scale migration of Black people from the South to Milwaukee to pursue manufacturing jobs after World War II.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Wisconsin Department Of Health Services African Americans in Wisconsin: History
Wisconsin Department Of Health Services African Americans in Wisconsin: Overview
US 2020 Census Share of Wisconsin's Black population residing in Milwaukee County
US 2020 Census Proportion of Black people by Wisconsin county
Wisconsin Historical Society Black history in Wisconsin
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Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.