30 Most Diverse Cities in the USA Embodying the American Dream
America is arguably the most diverse country in the world and for good reason. Within its borders, the United States has incredibly unique cultures depending on where you reside, which vary state by state and city by city.
Large metropolitan areas have diverse communities thanks to their ever-increasing populace. But even smaller cities attract distinctly different people of different races, young and old, to add to their population.
WalletHub took data from all over the U.S. to determine the 30 most diverse cities. If you think your city is diverse, find out where it stacks up against other U.S. cities, if at all.
Measuring City Diversity
WalletHub pulled data across five factors to determine the most diverse cities in the U.S. They include:
- Socioeconomic diversity
- Cultural diversity
- Economic diversity
- Household diversity
- Religious diversity
They measured 501 of the most populated cities in the U.S., excluding surrounding areas of each city proper.
Within each factor, WalletHub studied subfactors. For example, they examined education, including how much of each population has a high school diploma and who’s furthering their education with college degrees. They even considered worker class diversity, such as the number of salaried workers, government workers, self-employed workers, and those who are unemployed.
WalletHub assigned a total weighted score to each city, with higher scores indicating greater diversity. They also ranked the five subcategories for each city from 1 to 501, with “1” indicating the most diverse and “501” the least diverse.
With that in mind, these are the most diverse cities in America, starting with the most diverse.
1: Gaithersburg, Maryland
- Total score: 73.0
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 38
- Cultural diversity rank: 1
- Economic diversity rank: 227
- Household diversity rank: 403
- Religious diversity rank: 97
2: Silver Spring, Maryland
- Total score: 72.85
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 3
- Cultural diversity rank: 4
- Economic diversity rank: 302
- Household diversity rank: 255
- Religious diversity rank: 97
3: Germantown, Maryland
- Total score: 72.74
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 95
- Cultural diversity rank: 3
- Economic diversity rank: 246
- Household diversity rank: 404
- Religious diversity rank: 97
4: Houston, Texas
- Total score: 72.37
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 27
- Cultural diversity rank: 32
- Economic diversity rank: 156
- Household diversity rank: 112
- Religious diversity rank: 54
5: Arlington, Texas
- Total score: 72.34
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 68
- Cultural diversity rank: 31
- Economic diversity rank: 121
- Household diversity rank: 251
- Religious diversity rank: 41
6: New York City, New York
- Total score: 72.14
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 30
- Cultural diversity rank: 7
- Economic diversity rank: 325
- Household diversity rank: 153
- Religious diversity rank: 153
7: Jersey City, New Jersey
- Total score: 71.87
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 53
- Cultural diversity rank: 2
- Economic diversity rank: 445
- Household diversity rank: 202
- Religious diversity rank: 203
8: Dallas, Texas
- Total score: 71.79
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 8
- Cultural diversity rank: 50
- Economic diversity rank: 190
- Household diversity rank: 207
- Religious diversity rank: 68
9: Charlotte, North Carolina
- Total score: 71.75
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 9
- Cultural diversity rank: 75
- Economic diversity rank: 368
- Household diversity rank: 245
- Religious diversity rank: 17
10: Danbury, Connecticut
- Total score: 71.69
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 34
- Cultural diversity rank: 21
- Economic diversity rank: 152
- Household diversity rank: 241
- Religious diversity rank: 141
11: Los Angeles, California
- Total score: 71.69
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 13
- Cultural diversity rank: 25
- Economic diversity rank: 82
- Household diversity rank: 70
- Religious diversity rank: 200
12: Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Total score: 71.63
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 246
- Cultural diversity rank: 11
- Economic diversity rank: 183
- Household diversity rank: 78
- Religious diversity rank: 141
13: Orlando, Florida
- Total score: 71.6
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 64
- Cultural diversity rank: 15
- Economic diversity rank: 322
- Household diversity rank: 57
- Religious diversity rank: 152
14: Tampa, Florida
- Total score: 71.46
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 42
- Cultural diversity rank: 60
- Economic diversity rank: 345
- Household diversity rank: 76
- Religious diversity rank: 50
15: Rockville, Maryland
- Total score: 71.44
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 230
- Cultural diversity rank: 8
- Economic diversity rank: 399
- Household diversity rank: 379
- Religious diversity rank: 97
16: Chicago, Illinois
- Total score: 71.35
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 33
- Cultural diversity rank: 45
- Economic diversity rank: 355
- Household diversity rank: 267
- Religious diversity rank: 80
17: Long Beach, California
- Total score: 71.32
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 22
- Cultural diversity rank: 43
- Economic diversity rank: 80
- Household diversity rank: 55
- Religious diversity rank: 200
18: Clifton, New Jersey
- Total score: 71.29
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 184
- Cultural diversity rank: 30
- Economic diversity rank: 230
- Household diversity rank: 250
- Religious diversity rank: 81
19: Stamford, Connecticut
- Total score: 71.2
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 45
- Cultural diversity rank: 18
- Economic diversity rank: 392
- Household diversity rank: 248
- Religious diversity rank: 141
20: Aurora, Illinois
- Total score: 71.06
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 10
- Cultural diversity rank: 42
- Economic diversity rank: 316
- Household diversity rank: 324
- Religious diversity rank: 137
21: Yonkers, New York
- Total score: 71.01
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 43
- Cultural diversity rank: 33
- Economic diversity rank: 272
- Household diversity rank: 148
- Religious diversity rank: 164
22: Fort Worth, Texas
- Total score: 71.01
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 67
- Cultural diversity rank: 62
- Economic diversity rank: 117
- Household diversity rank: 252
- Religious diversity rank: 105
23: Springdale, Arkansas
- Total score: 70.99
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 81
- Cultural diversity rank: 47
- Economic diversity rank: 189
- Household diversity rank: 227
- Religious diversity rank: 119
24: Nashville, Tennessee
- Total score: 70.8
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 12
- Cultural diversity rank: 143
- Economic diversity rank: 277
- Household diversity rank: 185
- Religious diversity rank: 13
25: Oakland, California
- Total score: 70.76
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 46
- Cultural diversity rank: 12
- Economic diversity rank: 250
- Household diversity rank: 139
- Religious diversity rank: 309
26: Kansas City, Kansas
- Total score: 70.74
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 317
- Cultural diversity rank: 57
- Economic diversity rank: 61
- Household diversity rank: 135
- Religious diversity rank: 101
27: Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
- Total score: 70.57
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 139
- Cultural diversity rank: 52
- Economic diversity rank: 425
- Household diversity rank: 306
- Religious diversity rank: 73
28: Sacramento, California
- Total score: 70.54
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 51
- Cultural diversity rank: 23
- Economic diversity rank: 14
- Household diversity rank: 39
- Religious diversity rank: 369
29: Kent, Washington
- Total score: 70.52
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 219
- Cultural diversity rank: 5
- Economic diversity rank: 79
- Household diversity rank: 145
- Religious diversity rank: 357
30: Norwalk, Connecticut
- Total score: 70.51
- Socioeconomic diversity rank: 98
- Cultural diversity rank: 46
- Economic diversity rank: 290
- Household diversity rank: 310
- Religious diversity rank: 141
Maryland a Leader in Diversity
With three of its cities at the top of the list, Maryland is one of the most diverse states in the U.S., according to WalletHub. That aligns closely with the 2020 census, where the Free State was deemed the fourth-most diverse state. California, Hawaii, and Texas were the only states ranking higher. That said, between 2010 and 2020, analysts tracked Maryland’s ethnic and racial changes and warned Maryland was still a highly segregated state.
While there are positive changes, experts point to the city of Baltimore, the state’s largest city, and the fact that the city has a pattern of racial segregation. Black residents are relegated to living in sections of the city that have been split up demographically over 100 years ago. This also affects students who are separated by race and class in Maryland.
One State’s Diversity Rise
The Texas cities of Houston, Arlington, and Dallas rank among the top eight of the most diverse cities. As of 2022, white people are no longer the largest population in the Lone Star State since at least 1850. Latinos in the state make up approximately 40% of the population, edging out non-Hispanic white Texans who are at 39%.
Texas’ changing diversity has been influenced by a growing movement of people from the West and East Coast moving to the Lone Star State. Among those moving to Texas as of late are those in the millennial and Gen Z demographics.
Connecticut City’s Changing Diversity
Norwalk, Connecticut, scrapped by as the 30th most diverse city in the U.S. due in part to its population increase over the last few years. According to data from 2021, between 2010 and 2020, Norwalk’s population grew approximately 6% compared to the Connecticut state’s overall increase of just a little under 1%.
A Norwalk spokesperson acknowledges that the growing population, which has led to a more diverse population, is thanks to improvements to the city’s schools, amenities, and business-friendly environment. Along with Norwalk, the entire state of Connecticut experienced a rise in diversity as the number of people in the state who identified as two or more races increased by at least 90% in the last decade.
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