Why does Nevada have such a higher Black population (percentage-wise) than neighboring states?

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

In terms of percentage (not raw numbers), Nevada's Black population is about 10.8%, which is much higher than any of its neighboring states (AZ, CA, ID, OR, and UT).

Arizona's Black population: ~5.5%
California's Black population: ~6.5%
Idaho's Black population: 1%
Oregon's Black population: ~2.3%
Utah's Black population: ~1.6%

I know that some of those states were historically White supremacist "havens" (Idaho and Oregon in particular). Also, Mormonism has a dark history of racism (so I guess that explains Utah). But racism against Black people in this country is unfortunately not unique. Nevada was historically very racially segregated.

So why does NV have a higher percentage of Black people?

[ProgressiveModerate]

Part of it could be Vegas tends to be a very transient place, especially in the past few decades.

Another factor is that Nevada's rural areas are super rural - generally western rurals bring down the black % of a state, but Nevada's rurals are just so unpopulated they have less of an impact. Basically 70% of Nevada is greater Vegas.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Las Vegas is a much more recently developed city even by western standards. Until the 1960 census, Reno was the largest city in Nevada. During WWII, LV was a small railroad depot out in the desert with a population of under 10k. The post-war era is when the growth kicked off, mostly due to the air force base and then the explosion of casinos and that industry.

So when Las Vegas developed in the latter half of the 20th century, it attracted people from all over the country, and thus had migration demographics comparable to the country at large. The other cities in those states weren't very developed when the Great Migration started and only started growing in the latter part of it, so they didn't have established black communities like Northeastern and Midwestern industrial cities did, and thus didn't attract many new black migrants. But Las Vegas didn't start developing until the Great Migration was mostly over entirely and thus was a completely different type of growth.

California is the exception of course because the LA area does have some heavily black areas and a lot of Great Migration growth to there, but it got kind of drowned out by continued growth after that ended that was mostly white people from other parts of the country and Hispanics from both other areas and immigrants. But LV's continued high growth until the housing bubble burst meant that its growth was all sorts of ethnic groups from all over the country.

[mileslunn]

Probably due to lots of service industry jobs as well as Nevada has a very high transient population as I believe percentage born out of state one of if not the highest in US.  In other Western states, you have more born out of state than in Eastern ones, but still in most more than half born in state.  California was historically higher due to Great migration but has fallen due to more growth amongst Asians and Hispanics, but also high cost of living has lead to some to leave the state.  By contrast Nevada is a very affordable state so that probably also plays a role too.

Also level of urbanization could be other as Nevada is extremely urbanized.  Most in West, fairly urbanized but not to degree Nevada is.  Its basically Las Vegas and Reno with much of the rest of the state being desert and having relatively few people.  Montana, Wyoming and Idaho a lot more rural thus why less.  Arizona has more overall but with Phoenix metro area quite spread out, seems more spread out, not concentrated in one area.  Denver is almost as large per capita as Las Vegas, but much smaller share of state's population.  Oregon just never really developed one while Washington is more white collar although south sound which is the more blue collar part of Seattle metro area is where Black population is largest in state.  East side and northern suburbs are more white collar thus Asian is largest minority group there.

[Sol]

Also level of urbanization could be other as Nevada is extremely urbanized.  Most in West, fairly urbanized but not to degree Nevada is.  Its basically Las Vegas and Reno with much of the rest of the state being desert and having relatively few people.  Montana, Wyoming and Idaho a lot more rural thus why less.  Arizona has more overall but with Phoenix metro area quite spread out, seems more spread out, not concentrated in one area.  Denver is almost as large per capita as Las Vegas, but much smaller share of state's population.  Oregon just never really developed one while Washington is more white collar although south sound which is the more blue collar part of Seattle metro area is where Black population is largest in state.  East side and northern suburbs are more white collar thus Asian is largest minority group there.

I don't think this works as an explanation, because the Las Vegas metro is significantly more Black (percentage-wise) than almost any other city in the western U.S.

In addition to the factors BRTD mentioned, it's also gotten a ton of in-migration from folks in the LA area who are being pushed out by the rising cost of living and gentrification, and that is going to include a large Black community.

[ottermax]

Clark County migration matches Inland Empire patterns in a lot of ways. For whatever reason there has been a huge migration of Black Angelenos to the Inland Empire, Antelope Valley, and Las Vegas (to a lesser extent Phoenix).

Lots of jobs that do not require a college degree, much lower cost of living, and plenty of opportunity.

Additionally the things that appeal to Las Vegas transplants tend to be a very "American" flavor - opportunity to own a single family home, less trust in institutions, self-reliance, independence. What makes Vegas unique for all of this is these distinctly American values are combined with racial diversity in a way that isn't really seen in many parts of America outside of Hawaii, parts of Southern California, South Florida, and probably in urban Texas. Essentially its a desire to have abundance (big house, big car, etc.) but also a disavowal of racism.

Finally, like any other minority group like attracts like so as more Black Americans move to Clark County, more follow, just as with Hawaiians, Filipinos, and Mexican-Americans.

[ملكة كرينجيتوك]

Some of my relatives have observed that there are now more Black people in Vegas than when they last visited over 10 years ago, which definitely tracks with COL-motivated domestic migration out of California. This definitely isn't something I would've paid attention to when I visited Vegas as a kid with my family. Los Angeles is probably the textbook example of Black flight.

Additionally the things that appeal to Las Vegas transplants tend to be a very "American" flavor - opportunity to own a single family home, less trust in institutions, self-reliance, independence. What makes Vegas unique for all of this is these distinctly American values are combined with racial diversity in a way that isn't really seen in many parts of America outside of Hawaii, parts of Southern California, South Florida, and probably in urban Texas. Essentially its a desire to have abundance (big house, big car, etc.) but also a disavowal of racism.

Clark County and urban Texas are more racially diverse than the other areas you listed- Hawaii doesn't really have a lot of Black people and Florida doesn't have very many Asian people.

[ottermax]

Some of my relatives have observed that there are now more Black people in Vegas than when they last visited over 10 years ago, which definitely tracks with COL-motivated domestic migration out of California. This definitely isn't something I would've paid attention to when I visited Vegas as a kid with my family. Los Angeles is probably the textbook example of Black flight.

Additionally the things that appeal to Las Vegas transplants tend to be a very "American" flavor - opportunity to own a single family home, less trust in institutions, self-reliance, independence. What makes Vegas unique for all of this is these distinctly American values are combined with racial diversity in a way that isn't really seen in many parts of America outside of Hawaii, parts of Southern California, South Florida, and probably in urban Texas. Essentially its a desire to have abundance (big house, big car, etc.) but also a disavowal of racism.

Clark County and urban Texas are more racially diverse than the other areas you listed- Hawaii doesn't really have a lot of Black people and Florida doesn't have very many Asian people.

True, but Florida has a large number of Puerto Ricans and 2nd or 3rd generations immigrants, and Hawaii has a similar multigenerational immigrant population that still sees itself as non-white but also very American.