Top 5 Cities With The Most Native Americans

Sara Schwartzkopf, Indian Country Today Media Network

From coast to coast, one can find Native Americans and Alaska Natives from every nation scattered across the country. With 78 percent of Natives living off the reservation, you might wonder which cities have the greatest number of Natives living in them.

Utilizing data from the 2010 census, here are the five cities with the greatest number of indigenous people:

Number 5: Anchorage, Alaska

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Also the city with the greatest proportion of Native Americans and Alaskan Natives, Anchorage is home to 36,062 indigenous people. The Smithsonian Institute houses their Arctic Studies Center out of the Anchorage Museum, researching and educating on northern indigenous peoples. In addition, Anchorage is home to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which educates visitors on Alaskan Native culture, but also offers programs for Native youth, classes in art, creative writing, cultural awareness and soon indigenous languages.

Number 4: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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With 39 federally recognized tribes and the second greatest percentage of Native Americans in the country, it’s unsurprising that a city from Oklahoma made the list. The city’s 36,572 indigenous residents make their presence known every June with the three day Red Earth Festival, showcasing dancing, singing, storytelling, poetry, music and art. The city will also eventually be home to the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum – a copy10 million project designed to educate the masses on Oklahoma’s unique Native history.

Number 3: Phoenix, Arizona

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Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, and Phoenix itself is home to 43,724 indigenous people. The Phoenix Indian Center is the oldest and first Native American non-profit in the entire country and, since 1947, has offered services to help the community in employment, education, Navajo language-learning and culturally-based health programs. Each March, the Heard Museum also offers the state’s largest Indian Fair and Market, featuring more than 700 Native artists.

Number 2: Los Angeles, California

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California is the state with the largest percentage of Native Americans and 54,236 of those people live in Los Angeles. The United American Indian Involvement provides services for mental and physical health, as well as youth education for urban Natives. The Southern California Indian Center organizes the area’s largest pow wow every November in addition to running programs to aid families around L.A. They also run InterTribal Entertainment, which provides training for Native Americans looking to get into the entertainment industry, and works to develop, produce and market Native-focused film and television projects.

Number 1: New York, New York

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The largest city in the country also has the largest indigenous population with 111,749 people. Each year, the Thunderbird American Indian Mid-Summer Pow Wow – the largest and oldest in the city – is held at the end of July at the Queens County Farm Museum. The city is also home to the American Indian Community House which offers health services, counseling, job training and placement, as well as a performing arts program.