Black Americans are experiencing a concerning decline in overall wellbeing despite improvements in some areas, according to the third annual "Black Thriving in America: 2025" report released Tuesday by the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center in partnership with Gallup's Center on Black Voices.
Dr. M.C.Brown II
"The promise of thriving is slipping for too many," said Dr. N. Joyce Payne, founder of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. "Education, particularly through the transformative power of HBCUs, remains one of the strongest levers we have. It is not merely a pathway to individual success; it is a lifeline to dignity, equity and generational wealth."
The report, which draws from over 90 years of Gallup survey data and three years of longitudinal trends, reveals a complex landscape where modest gains in some areas are overshadowed by troubling declines in others.
Perhaps most concerning are the findings related to workplace equity and career satisfaction. Only 38% of Black American employees strongly agree they are treated with respect at work, reflecting an 8-percentage-point decrease from 2024 and falling below the national average of 40%.
The gender disparities are particularly stark. Just 35% of Black women report being treated with respect at work, down 9 percentage points since 2024, compared to 41% of Black men who experienced their own 8-point decline.
Career wellbeing also suffered, with 53% of Black Americans saying they like what they do occupationally every day, down 3 points from 2024. The steepest decline occurred among young Black adults under 30, where only 39% express job satisfaction, down 8 percentage points from the previous year.
The report underscores how income continues to be a significant predictor of wellbeing across all measures. Among Black Americans earning $120,000 or more annually, 61% report thriving, compared to 47% in middle-income households and just 36% in lower-income households. Notably, even high-earning Black Americans saw a 6-point decline in thriving from 2024.
"Income continues to be a significant predictor of wellbeing. Higher-earning Black households report better outcomes across various domains, including safety, career satisfaction and perceived dignity," the report states. "However, income alone does not shield individuals from racialized experiences in public spaces."
The study presents a nuanced picture of Black Americans' experiences in public spaces. While 70% say they were treated fairly in public spaces over the past 30 days – a 10-point increase from 2024 – significant disparities remain. Twenty-three percent of Black Americans report being treated unfairly while shopping in the past month, and 21% report the same in healthcare settings, rates that are more than twice those reported by white Americans.
Safety perceptions showed improvement, with 68% of Black Americans saying they feel safe walking alone at night in their area, up 6 points from 2024. However, this varies dramatically by income and gender: 83% of high-income Black Americans feel safe compared to 56% of those in lower-income households, while 78% of Black men feel safe versus only 59% of Black women.
Police interactions also showed modest improvement, with 77% of Black Americans who interacted with police in the past year reporting fair treatment, up 3 points from 2024, though still trailing Hispanic Americans (85%) and white Americans (88%).
The report identified several areas of progress. Physical wellbeing among Black Americans improved notably, with 47% rating their health as near perfect, up 8 points from 2024 and above the national average. Lower-income Black Americans saw particularly strong gains, with 44% now rating their health as near perfect, up from 34% in 2024.
Educational optimism also increased, with 79% of Black Americans saying children in their area have opportunities for good education, up 4 points from 2024. However, perceptions vary significantly by income, with 89% of higher-earning households expressing confidence compared to 69% of lower-income households.
The report reveals troubling generational patterns, with younger Black Americans facing the steepest declines across multiple measures. Black Americans under 30 show the lowest thriving rates (36%) and steepest career satisfaction declines, "signaling early systemic attrition," according to the researchers.
Gender disparities appear throughout the data, with Black women "particularly affected in areas like financial stability and workplace respect," the report notes.
Dr. M.C. Brown II, executive director of the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center, highlighted the report's role as more than just data collection.
"By translating lived experiences into measurable indicators, the report enables more effective deployment of resources, evaluation of program impact, and accountability in civic and corporate initiatives," he said.
The report serves as the foundation for the Black American Racial Equity Dashboard, described as a "Dow Jones for racial equity" that tracks key indicators including thriving rates, dignity in public spaces, workplace respect, police interactions, neighborhood safety, and educational quality.
Jim Clifton, Chairman of Gallup and the Payne Research Center, noted the broader significance.
"While economists and government agencies have long tracked the transactions of Black Americans, they've often missed the full picture of their lived experiences," he said. "Today, the Payne Research Center and the Center on Black Voices are changing that."
The study surveyed over 10,000 U.S. adults and represents the third annual installment examining Black Americans' lived experiences across dimensions of wellbeing, equity, and opportunity.
