Federal Data • Live
State of the Black Economy
Live federal data on Black employment, earnings, wealth, and spending — updated as the government reports it. These are the numbers behind “Black buying power.” This dashboard shows what they actually mean.
Data: Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) • Bureau of Labor Statistics • U.S. Census Bureau
Live Federal Data — Hover any metric for a definition
Employment
Who’s working, who’s looking, and how the gap compares.
The percentage of Black workers who are actively looking for a job but can’t find one. This has historically been roughly double the white rate — a gap that persists across economic cycles.
Black Unemployment
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The share of the Black population (16+) that is either working or actively looking for work. A declining rate can mean discouragement — people who stopped looking because they don’t believe jobs are available to them.
Black Labor Force Participation
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The percentage of the Black civilian population (16+) that is currently employed. Unlike the unemployment rate, this includes people who have stopped looking — making it a more complete picture of who’s actually working.
Black Employment Ratio
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Gender
The intersection of race and gender in the labor market. Black women and Black men face different economic realities — and the data shows it.
The unemployment rate for Black women aged 20 and over. Black women have historically had higher labor force participation than white women — but face both racial and gender wage gaps simultaneously.
Black Women Unemployment
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The unemployment rate for Black men aged 20 and over. Black men consistently face the highest unemployment rate of any demographic group in the U.S. labor market.
Black Men Unemployment
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The share of Black women (20+) who are either working or actively looking for work. A drop here can signal that Black women are leaving the workforce — not by choice, but because of caregiving demands, burnout, or lack of opportunity.
Black Women in the Workforce
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The share of Black men (20+) who are either working or actively looking for work. This rate is affected by incarceration, disability, and discouragement — factors that remove people from the labor force entirely.
Black Men in the Workforce
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Earnings
What Black workers earn — and how it compares to the national picture.
The median weekly earnings for Black full-time workers — meaning half earn more and half earn less. This is reported quarterly in current dollars (not adjusted for inflation).
Black Median Weekly Earnings
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The same weekly earnings figure, but adjusted for inflation. This shows whether Black wages are actually keeping up with rising prices — or just looking bigger on paper while buying less.
Black Median Weekly Earnings (Inflation-Adjusted)
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Wealth
Homeownership is the primary wealth-building vehicle in America. Here’s where Black households stand.
The percentage of Black households that own their home. Homeownership is the largest source of household wealth in the U.S. The Black-white homeownership gap is wider today than it was when the Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968.
Black Homeownership Rate
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The overall U.S. homeownership rate across all races. Comparing this against the Black rate shows the structural gap in wealth accumulation.
National Homeownership Rate
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Consumer Spending
Where Black dollars actually go. Annual spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey — the most detailed picture of how Black households allocate their money.
The average total annual spending for Black households, covering everything from housing and food to transportation and healthcare. This is the real number behind “Black buying power” — what Black households actually spend each year.
Black Avg Annual Spending
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Average annual wages and salaries for Black households before taxes. Comparing this against total spending shows how much room Black households have — or don’t have — for saving and building wealth.
Black Avg Annual Income
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Data Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (via FRED) • U.S. Census Bureau (via FRED) • Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
All data is publicly available federal data. BDI does not modify, estimate, or editorialize the numbers. Hover any metric for a plain-language definition.
All data is publicly available federal data. BDI does not modify, estimate, or editorialize the numbers. Hover any metric for a plain-language definition.