DENVER (KDVR) — Black people and African Americans have better economic outcomes in Colorado than much of the rest of the country.
An economic study from financial adviser SmartAsset tracks how Black or African Americans fare economically in 133 of the nation’s largest cities. The study analyzed poverty, labor force and homeownership rates, as well as education and income levels. Only four metrics were included in the study’s publicly available dashboard.
Colorado cities have some of the better economic outcomes from across the country. Colorado Springs ranks ninth overall, while Aurora ranks 11th and Denver 28th.
Colorado Springs and Aurora both score in the top of the nation in several metrics.
Colorado Springs has the eighth-lowest poverty rate for Black residents, 11.6% overall. It also has one of the top quarter education rates. In Colorado Springs, 32.4% of Black residents have a bachelor’s degree.
Aurora has some of the nation’s best Black labor force participation rates. With 75.7% of working-age Black people employed, Aurora has the sixth-highest rate in the U.S. Both cities have top-quartile homeownership rates.
In each of the three cities, economic outcomes are above the average for U.S. cities.
Aurora’s median Black household income is 13.5% higher than the national average, while Denver’s is 18.6% higher and in Colorado Springs, 22.2% higher. Education level, homeownership rate and labor force participation are between 5% and 20% higher in any given city.