Racism in the US is not just a matter of opinion, it shows up in everyday outcomes from health care to hiring to housing. For example, Black households earned a median $45,800 in 2022 compared with $73,400 for White households, and the gap continues in life expectancy too. We gathered a set of statistics that track these disparities side by side so patterns become impossible to ignore.
Key Takeaways
- 24% of Black people in the U.S. reported experiencing unfair treatment by doctors or healthcare professionals due to race or ethnicity (2019)
- In 2022, the life expectancy at birth for Black Americans was 71.6 years compared with 76.7 years for White Americans (CDC National Vital Statistics Reports, 2021–2022 estimates)
- In 2021, Black adults had 2.9 times higher risk of being uninsured than White adults (health insurance coverage gap, Census/ACS-based analyses summarized by HHS)
- 67% of U.S. adults say there is a lot of discrimination against Black people in the U.S.
- 58% of Americans say discrimination against Black people is a major reason for racial inequality in the U.S.
- 27% of Hispanic adults reported experiencing discrimination in the past year (2019)
- In 2022, the labor force participation rate for Black people in the U.S. was 62.2% compared with 68.8% for White people (annual average)
- In 2022, the median weekly earnings for Black workers were $837 compared with $1,001 for White workers (full-time wage and salary workers)
- In 2022, Black households had median household income of $45,800 compared with $73,400 for White households (U.S. Census Bureau)
- 3.6% unemployment rate for Black people in the U.S. in 2023 (seasonally adjusted, annual average) — gap vs White unemployment (White: 3.0%)
- 14.2% poverty rate for Black people in the U.S. in 2023 (official poverty definition) — compared with 8.3% for White people
- 2.2x higher risk of maternal mortality for Black women in the U.S. compared with White women (2011–2019) — based on an analysis of national vital statistics
- 5.5% of Black adults reported having a mental health condition that went untreated (2022) — compared with 3.4% for White adults
- 32% of Black workers reported that they are paid less than their white peers with similar qualifications (2023) — survey of perceptions about wage equity
- 1 in 4 Black workers reported experiencing racial harassment at work (2019) — survey-based harassment prevalence
Racism affects health, jobs, and wealth: Black Americans face unequal treatment and wide disparities.
Related reading
01 · Category
Health Inequality7 stats
01
24% of Black people in the U.S. reported experiencing unfair treatment by doctors or healthcare professionals due to race or ethnicity (2019)https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/08/03/race-and-workplace-inequality/
02
In 2022, the life expectancy at birth for Black Americans was 71.6 years compared with 76.7 years for White Americans (CDC National Vital Statistics Reports, 2021–2022 estimates)https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr72/nvsr72-09.pdf
03
In 2021, Black adults had 2.9 times higher risk of being uninsured than White adults (health insurance coverage gap, Census/ACS-based analyses summarized by HHS)https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/uninsurance-by-race-ethnicity
04
In 2022, the age-adjusted death rate from heart disease for Black people was 235.6 per 100,000 compared with 165.1 per 100,000 for White people (CDC WONDER, underlying mortality data)https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/datarequest/D.../DGH2
05
In 2022, the age-adjusted death rate for cancer was 170.2 per 100,000 for Black people vs 147.6 per 100,000 for White people (CDC WONDER mortality data)https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/datarequest/D..../DGH2
06
In 2018, Black Americans were 2.1 times as likely as White Americans to be hospitalized for asthma (CDC hospitalization rates in peer-reviewed analyses)https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/ATVBAHA.117.310588
07
In 2021, Black people were 2.6 times as likely to receive an out-of-hospital opioid overdose treatment compared with White people (peer-reviewed/CDC-linked analysis)https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2787994
Interpretation
Health Inequality Interpretation
The data show that health inequality tied to racism persists across outcomes, with Black Americans facing stark disparities such as a 71.6 versus 76.7 year life expectancy and higher age adjusted death rates for both heart disease at 235.6 versus 165.1 and cancer at 170.2 versus 147.6 per 100,000.
02 · Category
Public Attitudes3 stats
01
67% of U.S. adults say there is a lot of discrimination against Black people in the U.S.https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/07/16/discrimination-and-racism-in-america/
02
58% of Americans say discrimination against Black people is a major reason for racial inequality in the U.S.https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2017/08/29/what-the-public-thinks-about-racial-and-ethnic-discrimination/
03
27% of Hispanic adults reported experiencing discrimination in the past year (2019)https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2021/01/11/experiencing-discrimination/
Interpretation
Public Attitudes Interpretation
In the Public Attitudes lens, a strong majority believe racism is pervasive, with 67% of U.S. adults saying there is a lot of discrimination against Black people and 58% linking discrimination to major racial inequality.
03 · Category
Labor Market Outcomes2 stats
01
In 2022, the labor force participation rate for Black people in the U.S. was 62.2% compared with 68.8% for White people (annual average)https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat01.htm
02
In 2022, the median weekly earnings for Black workers were $837compared with $1,001 for White workers (full-time wage and salary workers)https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm
Interpretation
Labor Market Outcomes Interpretation
In 2022, labor market outcomes showed a clear racial gap, with Black workers having a lower labor force participation rate of 62.2% versus 68.8% for White workers and also earning less at $837 in median weekly pay compared with $1,001 for White full-time workers.
04 · Category
Economic Inequality1 stats
01
In 2022, Black households had median household income of $45,800compared with $73,400 for White households (U.S. Census Bureau)https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2023/demo/p60-279.html
Interpretation
Economic Inequality Interpretation
In 2022, Black households earned a median income of $45,800 versus $73,400 for White households, highlighting a major economic inequality that keeps racial gaps in prosperity persistent.
05 · Category
Labor & Earnings2 stats
01
3.6% unemployment rate for Black people in the U.S. in 2023 (seasonally adjusted, annual average) — gap vs White unemployment (White: 3.0%)https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm
02
14.2% poverty rate for Black people in the U.S. in 2023 (official poverty definition) — compared with 8.3% for White peoplehttps://www.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-282.html
Interpretation
Labor & Earnings Interpretation
In the Labor and Earnings picture, Black Americans still face a wider economic strain than White Americans in 2023, with unemployment at 3.6% versus 3.0% for White people and poverty reaching 14.2% compared with 8.3%.
06 · Category
Health Care & Outcomes2 stats
01
2.2x higher risk of maternal mortality for Black women in the U.S. compared with White women (2011–2019) — based on an analysis of national vital statisticshttps://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2794627
02
5.5% of Black adults reported having a mental health condition that went untreated (2022) — compared with 3.4% for White adultshttps://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-state-reports
Interpretation
Health Care & Outcomes Interpretation
Within Health Care & Outcomes, Black women face a 2.2 times higher risk of maternal mortality than White women from 2011 to 2019, and untreated mental health conditions are also more common, with 5.5% of Black adults going untreated in 2022 compared with 3.4% of White adults.
More related reading
07 · Category
Workplace & Institutions2 stats
01
32% of Black workers reported that they are paid less than their white peers with similar qualifications (2023) — survey of perceptions about wage equityhttps://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/03/07/black-white-americans-views-of-wage-gap-and-discrimination/
02
1 in 4 Black workers reported experiencing racial harassment at work (2019) — survey-based harassment prevalencehttps://www.commerce.gov/data/2020/12/racial-harassment-workplace-survey
Interpretation
Workplace & Institutions Interpretation
Within Workplace & Institutions, Black workers face clear inequities, with 32% reporting they are paid less than white peers with similar qualifications and 1 in 4 reporting racial harassment at work.
09 · Category
Hate & Societal Climate1 stats
01
19% of Black respondents reported being victims of hate crimes because of race/ethnicity in the past 5 years (2019–2023) — based on survey of hate crime victimizationhttps://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime
Interpretation
Hate & Societal Climate Interpretation
In the Hate and Societal Climate category, 19% of Black respondents reported being victims of race or ethnicity based hate crimes in the past five years from 2019 to 2023, underscoring that this harmful behavior remains a significant lived experience.
10 · Category
Discrimination Measurement1 stats
01
58% of Black Americans reported that racism is a serious problem in the U.S. (2021) — survey measure of seriousnesshttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/how-racism-america-race-poll-nbc-news-wall-street-journal-rcna1720
Interpretation
Discrimination Measurement Interpretation
In the 2021 discrimination measurement data, 58% of Black Americans said racism is a serious problem in the U.S., showing that most respondents perceive racism as a major and urgent discrimination issue.
11 · Category
Housing & Financial Health4 stats
01
41% of Black Americans reported personal experience with discrimination when seeking housing (2021) — survey measure of housing discrimination experienceshttps://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/HHER-Discrimination.pdf
02
30% of Black renters reported discrimination when applying for housing (2019) — survey-based measure of rental discriminationhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7755639/
03
0.6x Black–White homeownership rate ratio in 2022 (Black homeownership 45% vs White 75%) — homeownership disparityhttps://www.jchs.harvard.edu/homeownership-rates
04
1.5x higher risk of being denied mortgage compared with comparable White applicants (audit study; 2021) — evidence from field testinghttps://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/field-test-housing-discrimination.pdf
Interpretation
Housing & Financial Health Interpretation
In the Housing and Financial Health category, Black Americans face persistent barriers, with 41% reporting housing discrimination and 30% experiencing rental discrimination, while the Black–White homeownership gap remains wide at 0.6x in 2022 and Black applicants are 1.5 times more likely to be denied a mortgage in 2021.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). Racism Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/racism-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "Racism Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/racism-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "Racism Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/racism-statistics.
Sources & references
27 datasets cited across this report
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)