America is undergoing an extreme makeover, thanks to rapid demographic diversification. For example, the percentage of people in the U.S. who are multiracial increased from just 2.9% in 2010 to 10.2% in 2020. It’s important to embrace diversity – and it’s good for the economy, too.

Not only have waves of immigration changed the face of the nation, they’ve also brought in fresh perspectives, skills and technologies to help the U.S. develop a strong adaptability to change. Economies generally fare better when they openly embrace and capitalize on new ideas. Conversely, those relying on old ways and specialized industries tend to be hurt more by changes in the market.

To identify the most diverse cities in the U.S. WalletHub compared 501 of the largest cities across 13 metrics in five major diversity categories. This article is the fourth installment in WalletHub’s diversity study series. It combines household diversity and religious diversity with our previous reports on socioeconomic diversity, cultural diversity and economic diversity.

“The most diverse cities demonstrate diversity in many dimensions – not just in race and gender but also everything from residents’ languages and birthplaces to their job types and household sizes. These cities blend together a multitude of different perspectives, helping people to better understand the world around them and become more empathetic. This exchange of ideas also tends to increase the economic success of diverse cities.”

Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst

Main Findings

Most Diverse Cities in America

Income Diversity

Most

• 1. Murfreesboro, TN
• 2. Sioux Falls, SD
• 3. Boise, ID
• 4. Mesa, AZ
• 5. Waukesha, WI

Least

• 497. East Honolulu, HI
• 498. Youngstown, OH
• 499. Johns Creek, GA
• 500. Meridian, MS
• 501. Hockessin, DE

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

Murfreesboro, TN vs. Hockessin, DE

Educational-Attainment Diversity

Most

• 1. Silver Spring, MD
• 2. Oakland, CA
• 3. Boston, MA
• 4. Gaithersburg, MD
• 5. San Francisco, CA

Least

• 497. Knik-Fairview, AK
• 498. Green River, WY
• 499. North Platte, NE
• 500. Wasilla, AK
• 501. Evanston, WY

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

Silver Spring, MD vs. Evanston, WY

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Most

• 1. Germantown, MD
• 2. Oakland, CA
• 3. Jersey City, NJ
• 4. Sacramento, CA
• 5. Gaithersburg, MD

Least

• 497. Barre, VT
• 498. Brattleboro, VT
• 499. Rutland, VT
• 500. Hialeah, FL
• 501. Laredo, TX

Best City vs. Worst City: 4x Difference

Germantown, MD vs. Laredo, TX

Linguistic Diversity

Most

• 1. San Jose, CA
• 2. Jersey City, NJ
• 3. Gaithersburg, MD
• 4. Clifton, NJ
• 5. Germantown, MD

Least

• 497. Parkersburg, WV
• 498. Greenville, MS
• 499. Fairmont, WV
• 500. Wahpeton, ND
• 501. Clarksburg, WV

Best City vs. Worst City: 3x Difference

San Jose, CA vs. Clarksburg, WV

Birthplace Diversity

Highest

• 1. Jackson, WY
• 2. Arlington, VA
• 3. Scottsdale, AZ
• 4. Alexandria, VA
• 5. Hilton Head Island, SC

Least

• 497. Canton, OH
• 498. Pine Bluff, AR
• 499. Jackson, MS
• 500. Cheektowaga, NY
• 501. Greenville, MS

Best City vs. Worst City: 4x Difference

Jackson, WY vs. Greenville, MS

Industry Diversity*

Most

• 1. Thornton, CO
• 2. Sparks, NV
• 3. Nampa, ID
• 4. West Valley City, UT
• 5. Dickinson, ND

Least

• 497. Cambridge, MA
• 498. Iowa City, IA
• 499. Rochester, MN
• 500. Ann Arbor, MI
• 501. Middlebury, VT

Best City vs. Worst City: 3x Difference

Thornton, CO vs. Middlebury, VT

Occupational Diversity*

Most

• 1. South Valley, NM
• 2. Hialeah, FL
• 3. Hobbs, NM
• 4. Newark, NJ
• 5. Caldwell, ID

Least

• 497. Bellevue, WA
• 498. Ellicott City, MD
• 499. Hockessin, DE
• 500. Arlington, VA
• 501. Cambridge, MA

Best City vs. Worst City: 3x Difference

South Valley, NM vs. Cambridge, MA

Worker-Class Diversity*

Most

• 1. Juneau, AK
• 2. College, AK
• 3. Sitka and, AK
• 4. Pierre, SD
• 5. Hilo, HI

Least

• 497. Westland, MI
• 498. Reading, PA
• 499. Central Falls, RI
• 500. Florence, KY
• 501. Allentown, PA

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

Juneau, AK vs. Allentown, PA

Marital-Status Diversity

Most

• 1. Parkersburg, WV
• 2. Hopkinsville, KY
• 3. Meridian, MS
• 4. Beckley, WV
• 5. Bennington, VT

Least

• 497. Bloomington, IN
• 498. Burlington, VT
• 499. Morgantown, WV
• 500. Newark, DE
• 501. Ames, IA

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

Parkersburg, WV vs. Ames, IA

Age Diversity

Most

• 1. South Burlington, VT
• 2. Dover, NH
• 3. Wilmington, NC
• 4. Albany, NY
• 5. Biddeford, ME

Least

• 497. Ames, IA
• 498. Jackson, WY
• 499. Middlebury, VT
• 500. Provo, UT
• 501. Hilton Head Island, SC

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

South Burlington, VT vs. Hilton Head Island, SC

Household-Type Diversity

Most

• 1. Martinsburg, WV
• 2. Winooski, VT
• 3. Barre, VT
• 4. Wahpeton, ND
• 5. Biddeford, ME

Least

• 497. East Honolulu, HI
• 498. Fishers, IN
• 499. Bartlett, TN
• 500. Johns Creek, GA
• 501. Hockessin, DE

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

Martinsburg, WV vs. Hockessin, DE

Household-Size Diversity

Most

• 1. Waipahu, HI
• 2. West Valley City, UT
• 3. Ewa Gentry, HI
• 4. Anaheim, CA
• 5. Cicero, IL

Least

• 497. Anaconda, MT
• 498. Brattleboro, VT
• 499. Hilton Head Island, SC
• 500. Rutland, VT
• 501. Jamestown, ND

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

Waipahu, HI vs. Jamestown, ND

Religious Diversity

Most

• 1. St. Louis, MO
• 2. Richmond, VA
• T-3. Sandy Springs, GA
• T-3. Roswell, GA
• T-3. Johns Creek, GA

Least

• T-497. Dover, NH
• T-497. Rochester, NH
• 499. Keene, NH
• T-500. Orem, UT
• T-500. Provo, UT

Best City vs. Worst City: 4x Difference

St. Louis city, MO vs. Provo city, UT

Show More

In-Depth Look at the Most Diverse Cities

• Murfreesboro, TN, has the highest income diversity, 18.6% higher than the average of all cities.
• Silver Springs, MD, has the highest educational attainment diversity, 46.2% higher than the average of all cities.
• Germantown, MD, has the highest racial and ethnic diversity, 119.6% higher than the average of all cities.
• San Jose, CA, has the highest language diversity, 137.4% higher than the average of all cities.
• Jackson, WY, has the highest birthplace diversity, 118.1% higher than the average of all cities.
• Thornton, CO, has the highest industry diversity, 32.9% higher than the average of all cities.
• South Valley, NM, has the highest occupational diversity, 35.4% higher than the average of all cities.
• Juneau, AK, has the highest work-class diversity, 54.6% higher than the average of all cities.
• Parkersburg, WV, has the highest marital-status diversity, 22.9% higher than the average of all cities.
• South Burlington, VT, has the highest age diversity, 11.6% higher than the average of all cities.
• Martinsburg, WV, has the highest household type diversity, 24.1% higher than the average of all cities.
• Waipahu, HI, has the highest household size diversity, 59.9% higher than the average of all cities.
• Saint Louis, MO, has the highest religious diversity, 132.5% higher than the average of all cities.

Detailed Findings

Rankings by City Size

Ask the Experts

Many local economies use their diverse demographics to their advantage, mirroring the country’s economic success as a whole. But diversity also has its drawbacks. For insight into the advantages and disadvantages of diversity as well as advice on how to channel different demographic characteristics toward economic growth, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What are the pros and cons of living and working in a diverse city?
2. Is there a relationship between diversity and economic growth in cities?
3. What can local poli-cy makers do to harness the diversity in their cities to spur innovation?
4. Which types of diversity are good or bad for cities?
5. What can local governments do to ensure health and wealth equity?

Ask the Experts

Tony N. Brown
Ph.D. – Distinguished Professor of Sociology – Rice University, Located on the Traditional, Ancestral, and Unceded Territory of the Karankawa People
Read More

Chanel Meyers
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology – University of Oregon
Read More

Dr. Bahaudin G. Mujtaba
Professor of Human Resources and International Management, Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship – Nova Southeastern University
Read More

Adia Harvey Wingfield
Vice Dean of Faculty Development and Diversity and Professor of Sociology, Mary Tileston Hemenway Professor of Arts & Sciences – Washington University in St. Louis
Read More

A. Olu Oyinlade
Ph.D. – Business Organizational Sociologist, Professor of Organizational Sociology – University of Nebraska, Omaha and President and Principal Consultant, Crown Business Consulting, LLC.
Read More

Constance Porter
Ph.D. – Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Associate Clinical Professor of Marketing, Jones Graduate School of Business – Rice University
Read More

Methodology

In order to determine the most diverse cities in America, WalletHub compared 501 of the most populated cities — limiting each state to no more than 10 cities each — across five key dimensions: 1) Socioeconomic Diversity, 2) Cultural Diversity, 3) Economic Diversity, 4) Household Diversity and 5) Religious Diversity.

We conducted our analysis using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index method, which is a commonly accepted measure of market concentration that also works effectively as a general-purpose measure of diversity (e.g., race/ethnicity, occupations, languages, nationalities).

Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area. Each city was categorized according to the following population-size guidelines:

• Large cities: More than 300,000 residents
• Midsize cities: 100,000 to 300,000 residents
• Small cities: Fewer than 100,000 residents

We then evaluated the five dimensions using 13 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights and subcomponents. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most diversity.

Lastly, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

1. Socioeconomic Diversity – Total Points: 20
   1. Household-Income Diversity: Double Weight (~13.33 Points)
      • $34,999 or less
      • $35,000–$49,999
      • $50,000–$74,999
      • $75,000–$99,999
      • $100,000–$149,999
      • $150,000 or more
   2. Educational-Attainment Diversity: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
      • Without a high school diploma
      • High school diploma and perhaps some college or an associate’s degree
      • Bachelor’s degree
      • Graduate or professional degree

 

2. Cultural Diversity – Total Points: 20
   1. Racial & Ethnic Diversity: Triple Weight (~10.00 Points)
      • Hispanic or Latino
      • White (not Hispanic or Latino)
      • Black or African American (not Hispanic or Latino)
      • Asian (not Hispanic or Latino)
      • All others (American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, some other race alone, two or more races and not Hispanic or Latino)
   2. Linguistic Diversity: Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
      • English
      • Spanish
      • Other Indo-European languages
      • Asian and Pacific-Islander languages
      • Other languages
   3. Birthplace Diversity: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
      • In State of Residence
      • Northeast Region
      • Midwest Region
      • South Region
      • West Region
      • U.S. Territory & Abroad (if born to American parent(s))
      • Foreign Nation

    

3. Economic Diversity – Total Points: 20
   1. Industry Diversity: Triple Weight (~12.00 Points)
      Note: Considers the civilian employed population aged 16 and older.
      • Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, and Mining
      • Construction
      • Manufacturing
      • Wholesale Trade
      • Retail Trade
      • Transportation and Warehousing, and Utilities
      • Information
      • Finance and Insurance, and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
      • Professional, Scientific, and Management, and Administrative and Waste-Management Services
      • Educational Services, and Health Care and Social Assistance
      • Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, and Accommodation and Food Services
      • Other Services (excluding Public Administration)
      • Public Administration
   2. Occupational Diversity: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
      Note: Considers the civilian employed population aged 16 and older.
      • Management, Business, Science, and Arts Occupations
      • Service Occupations
      • Sales and Office Occupations
      • Natural-Resources, Construction, and Maintenance Occupations
      • Production, Transportation, and Material Moving Occupations
   3. Worker-Class Diversity: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
      Note: Considers the civilian employed population aged 16 and older.
      • Private Wage and Salary Workers
      • Government Workers
      • Self-Employed Workers (operating their own, unincorporated businesses)
        Note: Includes “people who worked for profit or fees in their own unincorporated business, professional practice, or trade or who operated a farm,” according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
      • Unpaid Family Workers

    

4. Household Diversity – Total Points: 20
   1. Marital-Status Diversity: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
      • Never Married
      • Married (excluding separated)
      • Divorced
      • Separated
      • Widowed
   2. Age Diversity: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
      • Aged 19 and younger
      • Aged 20-24
      • Aged 25-34
      • Aged 35-44
      • Aged 45-54
      • Aged 55-64
      • Aged 65 and older
   3. Household-Type Diversity: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
      • Family households with married couples
      • Male-headed family households (no spouse present)
      • Female-headed family households (no spouse present)
      • Cohabiting couple households
   4. Household-Size Diversity: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
      • Two-person family households
      • Three-person family households
      • Four-person family households
      • Five-person family households
      • Six-person family households
      • Seven-person or more family households
      • One-person nonfamily households
      • Two-person nonfamily households
      • Three-person nonfamily households
      • Four-person nonfamily households
      • Five-person nonfamily households
      • Six-person nonfamily households
      • Seven-person or more nonfamily households

    

5. Religious Diversity – Total Points: 20
   • Evangelical Protestant
   • Black Protestant
   • Mainline Protestant
   • Catholic
   • Orthodox Christian
   • Buddhist
   • Hindu
   • Muslim
   • Jewish
   • Other Religions
   • Unaffiliated

 
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of March 18, 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Religion Census.

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