Based On Socioeconomic Factors, 13 Of The 15 Best Regions For African-Americans Are Located In The South: The Other Two, Maryland And DC, Border Southern States

From City Journal, "Against Tribal America: Racialism, from any side of the political spectrum, is a recipe for disaster." by Joel Kotkin:

Evaluating factors like income differentials, homeownership, business ownership, migration, and educational achievement, a study by the Center for Opportunity Urbanism (where I’m [Joel Kotkin] executive director) found that, ironically, 13 of the 15 best regions for African-Americans are today located in the old Confederacy, while the other two—Washington and Baltimore—were in border states. The worst performers were Democratic strongholds like Boston, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles. Blue-state policies—including environmental regulations and higher taxes—also drive out blue-collar businesses that tend to hire minorities and raise housing and other costs. The biggest gap between minority and white homeownership rates—a critical component of the persistent divergence in wealth by race—can be found in left-leaning states like Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.