Staking a Claim: The Best Cities for Black Women to Reside

Brooklyn. Atlanta. Miami. Philly. Hamburg. 

In the past 17 years, I’ve lived in five different cities; with each city seeming to coincide with my particular stage of life.  All of these places have had both positive and negative attributes; but Miami, with all its flaws and complications, is the place where I have chosen to live.

When national publications like US Today feature perennial articles entitled, “Best Cities to Live” and “Where you need to live”, I always wonder if the metrics that are used to construct these lists, can be generalized to include the lives of Black women. 

In the early part of 2020, Bloomberg’s City Lab in collaboration with a noted sociologist, developed a livability index that analyzed the best American cities for Black women. The index assessed  and ranked outcomes/inequities for Black women based on income status, health conditions, and educational accomplishments. 

Despite the thoroughness of the report, it did not address the personal issues that face Black women.  It did not shed light on the intimate experiences of Black women in various cities across the country.   Did the researchers ask if there were natural hair salons in the metropolitan area?  Did they query if there were eligible bachelors? Did they find out if Black women were able to establish a social network in that city?  

Being curious about the stories, that the study could not capture, I posed three specific questions to Black women in their early 30’s, about their respective cities: 

1) What do you consider a "good quality of life"?

•  I have a top three:

  -Proximity to different cultures and environments.  On the east coast, the cultural makeup of most cities are ethnically diverse and you can easily experience many cultures within the city limits.  Also geographically, other cities are nearby (i.e. Boston, NYC, Washington DC, Philadelphia)  making travel between them easy, which further amplifies access to different cultures. On the west coast, although the cities are further apart, diverse cultural offerings are still prioritized, and access to the untamed outdoors is a short hour drive from every major city.  In the Midwest, however, the distance between cities means people are more relegated to their location and this creates a lot of sameness.

  -Having access to other like-minded people, who prioritize similar values

  -Walkability, food, etc

  -Sheeba, Chicago

• Good quality of life to me means that everything feels balanced -- no one part of your life feels overwhelming. For example, work is important and you can take it seriously, but also it's not all consuming. You can advance in your career, but still make time for other aspects of life: like exercising, visiting friends, developing other skills and exploring new hobbies. 

  -Fatima, Los Angeles

• There are a few things that are indicative of a good quality of life: 

  -First, being able to purchase the things I want without considering their cost, whether it's a pair of shoes or a meal.  The ability to pay for things with the confidence that you won't overdraw or have to make huge sacrifices in order to make it to your next paycheck.

  -Second,  making enough money so that I'm able to save a portion of every paycheck is a marker of a good quality of life. 

  -Third, is being able to do the things that make me happy, like attending concerts and participating in the activities that I enjoy.

  -Victoria, New York City 

•  I think that a balance of mental/spiritual/physical/emotional wellness is a good quality of life. First and foremost, there must be a balance in your relationships that are healthy, and that help you to grow as an individual and that are supportive.  Then, there should be a balance in your career or whatever you devote your time to: something that fulfills you and something that you thrive in doing. I think life is full of challenges and adversity, but as long as you have balance, then you have a good quality of life.

  -Stacie, Washington DC

• It is having some financial independence; a great social support system (partner/family/friends) and optimal work/life balance.

   -Tameka, Miami

• I made a conscious choice to go to the city where my partner resided, to build a life together.  In turn, what I consider a good quality of life and what is important to me has changed. One of the unintended things that has come from moving to the South, has been actually learning what quality of life means as an adult. While yes, I grew up in the suburbs; as a child, I didn't have to think about adult things. So now being able to walk outside in a safe neighborhood; being able to see trees and greenery has been super impactful for me.  NYC was so gray and drab. In retrospect, what was I trading off, not to have trees?  It is not something that I will do again, moving forward.

  -Ashley, Atlanta

2) What makes your city great for Black women to live in?

• LA is still new to me, but so far it’s great for Black women. There are a lot more people that look like me (compared to the Bay Area).  There are several more resources at my disposal,  geared towards Black women.  Also, I am a huge fan of nature therapy, so being outside and enjoying the weather is great for my mental health. 

  -Fatima, Los Angeles

• You can be whoever you want to be in NYC. However you choose to express yourself, it’s more than likely that you can find a community with similar values, beliefs, and forms of expression. Additionally, I've always felt very safe in NYC. Contrary to its reputation, I've never felt threatened or in danger while walking alone, at night, or in an unfamiliar neighborhood.

  -Victoria, New York City 

• I think DC can be a great place for Black women to live. Black women have varied needs, passions and identities, but I think that most of those things can be served by living here. I have found that at any time in my adult life, what I needed to be whole and to thrive, I could find here. When I woke up today, whatever I needed to be well, I have access to in DC.

  -Stacie, Washington DC

• Blacks from all over the Diaspora live here, great weather, and an international hub to fly out of.

  -Tameka, Miami

• The things that make Atlanta great for me are very individualistic and I can't generalize them to other Black women.  Generally, there's a very clear work life balance, in comparison to northeastern cities.  Also, it's very empowering to see Black people thriving and doing well; not just in terms of money, but in terms of quality of life and representation. The mayor is a Black accomplished, stylish and beautiful woman. Then there’s everything that Stacey Abrams has done politically.  It truly resonates with me. We talk a lot about Black children needing to see themselves reflected in leadership. In the same way that seeing Keisha and Stacey is profound for children, it is also profound for 20-something and 30-something year old Black women. 

  -Ashley, Atlanta

• Oakland is great for Black women because you feel this instant force of community here. There’s a mashup of Oakland natives and Black women that work in tech; and you see these different communities colliding in beautiful ways. There are many businesses and services owned by Black women, and everyone supports and lifts up each other.  This provides positive energy that’s great for me, as a Black woman. 

  -Tashana, Oakland 

3) What makes your city not ideal for Black women to live in?

• I opened that email and thought ‘there are good cities for Black women?’ 

  -Shani, New Orleans

• The cost of living, goddamn! Everything is so much more expensive here, than anywhere else in the US.

  -Victoria, New York City 

• I mean it's LA...the superficial standard of beauty that plays heavily toward the "western" standard of beauty.

  - Fatima, Los Angeles

• In my experience as a Black woman who desires to have a romantic partnership, and build a family, I have found it very challenging to date in DC.  I don't know if that is endemic to DC or if it's all metropolitan areas. When I think about my friends who are in relationships or have gotten married, they were either living in smaller or more suburban areas, when they met their partner or their partner is someone that they've known from a past life. I can't think of anyone in a metro city who I know that met a stranger and it  blossomed and they found happily-ever-after. I think dating in DC is challenging and that makes the city less of an ideal for a Black woman who wants to be in a relationship. 

  -Stacie, Washington DC

• The segregation in Chicago makes it a challenging city.  It reinforces the idea that Black people have to always be two selves. This is traumatic and damaging and many who live here are so accustomed to this status quo [that] they don't view it as a problem.  The segregation also reinforces non-Black people’s prejudices of people who don't live in the same area as them.  It also makes it very easy for gentrifiers (obviously an issue in all cities) to feel good about disrupting the flow of old neighborhoods.  As the historically
  Black neighborhoods don't reflect the gentrifiers’ ideas of 'nice', they feel that they're being helpful and contributing to the area’s growth. It’s just all around a bad cycle. 

  -Sheeba, Chicago

• I will continue to tell Black women in secure relationships with children or seeking to have children, to move to Atlanta.  Otherwise, it is very difficult to be single in this city.

  -Ashley, Atlanta

• Dating! In Miami, exotic or Latin or basically any other woman who isn’t Black, is seen as more desirable. Also the year round humidity may be harder on those with natural hair who want a blowout or a silk press.

  -Tameka, Miami

• Oakland is not ideal for black women who are looking to settle down. Dating is tough overall for Black women, but it seems even more so in Oakland.  Many Black men come here to focus on work and start making great money for the first time in their lives. In turn, the men build up an ego and are not trying to date seriously. They’re playing the field and focusing on themselves, with no interest in monogamous relationships.

  -Tashana, Oakland

After reviewing these responses, it is clear that there is no one-size-fits-all place to reside for Black women.  Like everything else in life, each city has its advantages and disadvantages. To live a well rounded existence, Black women should take into account the city’s social and political climate; the weather and natural environment; and access to a social network that reflects their values.  

For better or worse, I have chosen to live in an American city.  Throughout the United States, Black women must daily navigate racism and the challenges that go with finding a romantic partner.  Yet, the important question must be asked, why are Black women putting limits on themselves by remaining in the continental U.S.? 

To be continued...