Texas Named Number Two Most Diverse State In America
In many states, the population reflects an eclectic mix of not just races but also cultures, religions, economic statuses, educational backgrounds and other characteristics…
2017’s Most & Least Diverse States in America
According to a recent report from WalletHub, the American narrative is a story of diversity. Our history tells of many different peoples coming together from every walk of life to form what is today a complex tapestry of backgrounds.
And our story will continue to advance that narrative in the decades to come. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2044 the U.S. will no longer have a single ethnic majority, currently non-Hispanic whites, and will grow increasingly “majority-minority” in the years to follow.
But U.S. diversity spans more than just racial lines. In many states, the population reflects an eclectic mix of not just races but also cultures, religions, economic statuses, educational backgrounds and other characteristics, as people of various demographic profiles are forced to come into contact with one another.
In order to determine where idea and identity exchanges have occurred at the highest level — and where the population is relatively more homogeneous — WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states across five key diversity categories listed below. For a more local perspective on America’s ever expanding diversity, WalletHub also conducted our analysis at the city level.
Most & Least Diverse States in America
Overall Rank (1 = Most Diverse) |
State | Total Score | ‘Socio-economic Diversity’ Rank | ‘Cultural Diversity’ Rank | ‘Economic Diversity’ Rank | ‘Household Diversity’ Rank | ‘Religious Diversity’ Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | California | 70.74 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 32 |
2 | Texas | 69.53 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 6 |
3 | Hawaii | 69.26 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 34 |
4 | New Jersey | 68.92 | 3 | 7 | 39 | 25 | 20 |
5 | New York | 68.58 | 8 | 9 | 37 | 6 | 18 |
6 | New Mexico | 68.56 | 33 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 22 |
7 | Maryland | 67.95 | 1 | 10 | 25 | 11 | 30 |
8 | Nevada | 67.51 | 26 | 2 | 45 | 2 | 45 |
9 | Florida | 67.35 | 29 | 6 | 34 | 7 | 38 |
10 | Arizona | 67.11 | 24 | 8 | 26 | 8 | 41 |
11 | Illinois | 66.91 | 11 | 12 | 38 | 21 | 7 |
12 | Virginia | 66.79 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 33 | 25 |
13 | Georgia | 66.39 | 20 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 16 |
14 | Connecticut | 66.07 | 6 | 15 | 44 | 26 | 27 |
15 | Alaska | 65.79 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 29 | 44 |
16 | Delaware | 65.29 | 13 | 17 | 40 | 12 | 35 |
17 | Colorado | 65.19 | 7 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 40 |
18 | Massachusetts | 64.87 | 2 | 20 | 50 | 19 | 33 |
19 | Washington | 64.85 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 35 | 43 |
20 | North Carolina | 64.47 | 27 | 19 | 29 | 18 | 26 |
21 | Rhode Island | 64.33 | 10 | 21 | 49 | 9 | 36 |
22 | Oklahoma | 63.92 | 42 | 22 | 6 | 22 | 19 |
23 | Louisiana | 63.87 | 44 | 25 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
24 | South Carolina | 63.71 | 38 | 23 | 20 | 13 | 15 |
25 | Kansas | 63.15 | 21 | 27 | 23 | 39 | 11 |
26 | Alabama | 62.38 | 46 | 28 | 17 | 16 | 12 |
27 | Mississippi | 62.32 | 49 | 26 | 10 | 1 | 14 |
28 | Oregon | 62.30 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 30 | 48 |
29 | Nebraska | 62.23 | 25 | 34 | 21 | 44 | 4 |
30 | Minnesota | 62.08 | 16 | 36 | 43 | 43 | 5 |
31 | Tennessee | 61.99 | 41 | 31 | 24 | 20 | 21 |
32 | Pennsylvania | 61.90 | 22 | 32 | 48 | 32 | 10 |
33 | Arkansas | 61.53 | 48 | 29 | 14 | 27 | 24 |
34 | Idaho | 61.40 | 43 | 35 | 8 | 48 | 13 |
35 | South Dakota | 60.96 | 37 | 42 | 9 | 42 | 2 |
36 | Michigan | 60.79 | 34 | 33 | 47 | 23 | 31 |
37 | Missouri | 60.77 | 32 | 39 | 35 | 31 | 17 |
38 | Wyoming | 60.68 | 31 | 38 | 2 | 47 | 37 |
39 | Utah | 60.66 | 18 | 30 | 30 | 50 | 49 |
40 | Wisconsin | 60.65 | 30 | 40 | 41 | 38 | 9 |
41 | North Dakota | 60.42 | 28 | 45 | 7 | 49 | 1 |
42 | Indiana | 60.36 | 40 | 37 | 46 | 28 | 29 |
43 | Ohio | 59.98 | 36 | 41 | 41 | 17 | 28 |
44 | Iowa | 59.53 | 35 | 46 | 32 | 46 | 8 |
45 | Kentucky | 59.02 | 47 | 44 | 28 | 24 | 23 |
46 | Montana | 58.82 | 45 | 43 | 3 | 45 | 39 |
47 | New Hampshire | 58.68 | 9 | 47 | 36 | 41 | 46 |
48 | Vermont | 57.49 | 17 | 48 | 33 | 40 | 47 |
49 | Maine | 55.83 | 39 | 49 | 31 | 37 | 50 |
50 | West Virginia | 55.55 | 50 | 50 | 19 | 34 | 42 |
This report was originally published by WalletHub.