Two counties of the Washington area sit in the national top three for African-born residents. Montgomery County, Maryland, ranks second with 62,763 people, and Prince George’s County ranks third with 61,443, according to the 2024 estimates in a 2026 report by the Prince George’s County Planning Department. Only Harris County, Texas, is ahead, with 76,731. Together the two DMV counties are home to more than 124,000 African-born residents.
The 2024 top five
- 1. Harris County, Texas: 76,731
- 2. Montgomery County: 62,763
- 3. Prince George’s County: 61,443
- 4. Bronx County, New York: 60,060
- 5. Los Angeles County, California: 59,313
The two Maryland counties are separated by fewer than 1,400 people. For the United States as a whole, the report counts 2,762,710 African-born residents in 2024.
Fourteen years earlier
The same two counties were already in the top three in 2010, behind Los Angeles County. Montgomery had 41,473 African-born residents and Prince George’s had 38,889.
- Montgomery County: up 21,290 people, or about 51%
- Prince George’s County: up 22,554 people, or 58%
- United States: up about 88%, from 1,466,454 to 2,762,710
What the numbers tell us
The DMV is one of the main hubs of the African diaspora, but the community is growing faster elsewhere. Harris County, Texas, went from 33,119 to 76,731 African-born residents, more than doubling and moving from sixth place to first. Los Angeles County, first in 2010, fell to fifth. The DMV’s share of the national total therefore slipped even though both counties grew by more than half.
For associations, businesses and event organizers, the message is simple: the audience here is large and established. For a closer look at one of the two counties, read our report on the 61,443 African-born residents of Prince George’s County, including the top countries of origin, where people live and how they live. You can also browse our stories by country on the African news by country page.
About the data
The figures are American Community Survey estimates for 2010 and 2024, so they carry a margin of error. Percentages are our own calculation from the numbers in the report. This article is our own summary of Table 1 of African Immigrants in Prince George’s County, Planning Data Journal, Summer 2026 (PDF), Prince George’s County Planning Department.
Frequently asked questions
Which county has the most African-born residents in the Washington area?
Montgomery County, Maryland, with 62,763 in 2024, slightly ahead of Prince George’s County with 61,443.
Where does the DMV rank nationally?
Montgomery County is second and Prince George’s County is third in the United States, behind Harris County, Texas.
Is the African-born population still growing in the DMV?
Yes. Between 2010 and 2024 it grew about 51% in Montgomery County and 58% in Prince George’s County, but more slowly than the national increase of about 88%.
