Chicago Listed as One the Worst Cities for Black Americans • EBONY

The unemployment rate among Black Americans is below 6 percent for the first time in the country’s history, but racial income inequality remains a pressing issue.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, African-American unemployment has always been several percentage points higher than the national average. The median annual income of Black households in the U.S is around $36,651, which is approximately $24,000 less than White households, USA Today reports.

In certain cities, such as Chicago, Black Americans fare worse in certain “socioeconomic measures,” writes USA Today, which worked with 24/7 Wall St. on an index that examined which U.S. metropolitan areas were the worst for Black people.

“Looking historically, these are cities where there is a tremendous amount of residential segregation,” Camille M. Busette, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told 24/7 Wall St. “People are not walking around, working together, going to school together, taking the same metro together, et cetera. So there isn’t a lot of familiarity,” she continued.

Below are the top five cities outlined by 25/7 Wall St. and USA Today that are the worst for Black Americans.

5. Peoria, Illinois

• Black population: 34,462 (9.1 percent)
• Black median income: $27,085 (45.6 percent of white income)
• Unemployment: 17.9 percent black; 5.6 percent white
• Homeownership rate: 31.4 percent black; 76.1 percent white

4. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Bloomington, Minnesota

• Black population: 270,924 (7.8 percent)
• Black median income: $31,653 (41.5 percent of white income)
• Unemployment: 12.3 percent black; 3.9 percent white
• Homeownership rate: 24.6 percent black; 75.8 percent white

3. Racine, Wisconsin

• Black population: 21,450 (11.0 percent)
• Black median income: $26,888 (42.3 percent of white income)
• Unemployment: 16.6 percent black; 6.1 percent white
• Homeownership rate: 31.4 percent black; 77.1 percent white

2. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wisconsin

• Black population: 260,776 (16.6 percent)
• Black median income: $27,834 (42.5 percent of white income)
• Unemployment: 16.1 percent black; 4.2 percent white
• Homeownership rate: 28.2 percent black; 69.5 percent white

1. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa

• Black population: 12,085 (7.1 percent)
• Black median income: $25,897 (46.8 percent of white income)
• Unemployment: 23.9 percent black; 4.4 percent white
• Homeownership rate: 32.8 percent black; 73.2 percent white

Visit USA Today to see which cities rounded out the list.