by: Akim DeShay Black Demographics

In my first article "The State of African American Baby Boomers" I discussed the African American baby boomer population as a whole including current: size, income, education, employment, and living arrangements. I concluded that although Black baby boomers have enjoyed the fruits of their studies and labor more-so than any other generation in African American history,  they also carry more responsibilities than boomers from other backgrounds due to significantly different living arrangements and other issues left over from the plight of our people. All of these factors are major contributors to the decisions Black baby boomers are making for their future including decisions about where they want to continue their lives.

Since the 2010 census numbers were released there have been a number of articles in the media reporting the large number of African Americans migrating back to the South. Well Black baby boomers are also moving back to the South, and in some cases in greater numbers than other generations of African Americans. Relocating is a very big decision for a baby boomer of any race considering most have built a life and raised a family in the same place for the last 20-30 years. Many cities in the Northeast, Midwest, and West coast have become less desirable to live in especially for the Black community.

The biggest losers in this migration were once beneficiaries in the “Great Migrations” of the early and mid 20th century such as New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Cleveland. The big winners are all located in the Sunbelt. While this pattern typifies the overall Black migration overall there are a few surprises in the boomer demographic. Atlanta was the number one destination for African Americans from 2000 to 2010 over all. However, Miami was surprisingly the top destination for those in the Black boomer age groups with an increase of more than 60 thousand compared to just over 48 thousand in Atlanta.   

Many are not aware that metro Miami has a Black population of over 1.1 million. Almost 20% of this population is foreign born as it is home to 271 thousand Haitians, 150 thousand Jamaicans, and many Black Hispanics from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and other Caribbean countries and territories. Black boomers of Caribbean descent who currently live in the Northeast may choose Miami rather than Atlanta so they can be surrounded by the culture they love and in a climate more similar with their homelands.

Another surprise is Baton Rouge, LA which has not had the economic growth of the other Sunbelt cities but came in 5th place with a 28% growth in the Black boomer age group. This is due to the unfortunate tragedy that took place in New Orleans after Katrina. Only 80 miles away, Baton Rouge was the closest metropolitan area and an obvious place to locate during and after the storm.

Both the Washington DC and Indianapolis areas can also be considered surprises in regards to Black boomer migration. The DC area has been a magnet of African American opportunity for some time. However when we look at those in the Boomer age range DC actually lost 12,000, not as large as the New York metropolitan loss of 117,000 Black boomers but significant in that it was against the grain of younger Black age groups. Indianapolis has been a shining star in the Midwest when it comes to population and economic growth. One of the top ten segregated cities in 1980, it is now one of the most diverse cities in the region with more than 250,000 African Americans many of which moved there from other Midwest cities. However when it comes to Black baby boomers the opposite is true. This just goes to show that boomers may consider additional factors when relocating such as a more complete combination of weather, economic opportunity, cost of living, and proximity to family roots.

Other big winners in this boomer migration are the large and medium sized metropolitan areas of the Sunbelt; the Southeast such as Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina; the large Texas cities of Houston and Dallas; and the southwest cities of Phoenix and Las Vegas which have received much of their migration from nearby California. Californians who chose Phoenix and Las Vegas find themselves in a more desirable environment however closer to family they left in nearby California rather than 3000 miles away on the other side of the country.

Although slowed by the continuing issues with the economy we can expect these migration trends to continue into the foreseeable future. African American baby boomers are on a never ending mission to improve their lives whether it means improving their current homes, moving to the ‘burbs’, or even uprooting to a new city.