TAP’s Top 5 Innovative Cities for African-Americans

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1.  Prince George’s County, Maryland

This region of Maryland ranks highly for a number of reasons. First, unemployment rates for black men and women in Prince George’s County are extremely low, compared to the other cities on this list…we’re talking as low as 2.3% for black females in Bowie, and 1.9% for black females in Laurel, Maryland. Other areas in the County, such as Greenbelt, average just over 5% in unemployment rate: still a far cry from the rest of the nation. In its African-American employment rates alone, the county is innovative.

What’s more, areas in the County, like Bowie and Greenbelt, have high median household incomes in black households. In Bowie, for example, the median household income for black householders is $99,920, and $91,680 for white householders, according to City-Data.com. In Greenbelt, the median household income is $58,363 for blacks, and $55,985 for whites. The entire Prince George’s County has 10 cities, which thrive similarly.

In terms of entrepreneurship, the famed PG County, as it’s called, ranks fourth among U.S. cities with black-owned firms, according to the most recent U.S. Economic Census. And, although New York typically has the highest number of black-owned firms, the County’s neighboring city, D.C. had the highest percentage, just over a decade ago.

In short, PG County is the wealthiest county in the nation with an African-American majority. Of course, it’s near the glamorous and powerful DC scene. These attractive features raise the County’s social and political capital (no pun intended), and thus warrant its status as #1 on our Top 5 List of Innovative Cities for African-Americans!

Overall Score: 4.0

Entrepreneurship——4.5

Social brand————-4.0

Political Leadership—3.0

Employment————-4.5

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