The United States is known as a culturally and ethnically diverse place to live. While that’s true, there are definitely some cities that are more diverse than others.
Wondering what the most diverse cities in the US are? We’ve got the answers.
To find out, we looked at a study by WalletHub. The study’s findings identified cities across the US with the highest (and lowest) scores in three areas: ethno-racial diversity, linguistic diversity and birthplace diversity.
We dug into the US Census info to look closer at five of WalletHub’s most diverse places in the US. Below, we’ll go through some key factors that pushed them to the top of the list.
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Germantown, Maryland
- Gaithersburg, Maryland
- Spring Valley, Nevada
- New York City, New York
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1. Jersey City, New Jersey
Population: 238,927
Starting off the list of most racially diverse cities in the United States is Jersey City, located in the northeastern part of the state of New Jersey. While it might not be the first place you think of in terms of multiculturalism, a variety of cultures and languages are represented throughout the city.
Ethno-racial diversity
- 26.9% Hispanic or Latino
- 26.1% Asian
- 23.1% Black/African American
- 22.1% White (not including Hispanic or Latino)
Linguistic diversity
More than half (52.56%) of the residents of Jersey City speak a language other than English at home:
- 21.6% Spanish
- 14.8% other Indo-European languages
- 11.2% Asian and Pacific Island languages
- 5% other languages
Birthplace diversity
Close to half of the residents of Jersey City—a total of 42.5%—are born in a country outside the United States.
2. Germantown, Maryland
Population: 91,249
Located in Montgomery County, approximately 48 miles from Baltimore, Germantown isn’t technically a city—it’s an “urbanized census-designated place.” Nonetheless, it’s found its way onto this list for good reason. Take a look:
Ethno-racial diversity
- 28.5% White (not including Hispanic or Latino)
- 24.2% Black/African American
- 23.9% Hispanic or Latino
- 20.2% Asian
Linguistic diversity
In Germantown, 48.13% of people report speaking a language other than English at home:
- 20.8% Spanish
- 11.8% Asian and Pacific Island languages
- 11.7% other Indo-European languages
- 3.7% other languages
Birthplace diversity
A total of 36.7% of residents of Germantown are reported to be foreign-born.
3. Gaithersburg, MD
Population: 69,101
Yet again, Maryland is represented on the list of cities with the most diversity—this time, thanks to Gaithersburg. Located 27 miles to the northwest of the capital of Washington, DC, Gaithersburg is a very ethnically diverse suburb.
Ethno-racial diversity
- 33.1% White (not including Hispanic or Latino)
- 25.3% Hispanic or Latino
- 20.3% Asian
- 17.8% Black/African American
Linguistic diversity
50.33% of residents of Gaithersburg speak a language other than English at home:
- 21.4% Spanish
- 13.9% Asian and Pacific Island languages
- 12.4% other Indo-European languages
- 2.6% other languages
Birthplace diversity
39.1% of the people of Gaithersburg were born outsideoutside of the United States.
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4. Spring Valley, NV
Population: 215,597
When you think of Nevada, Las Vegas might come to mind—and, really, Spring Valley isn’t far off. This diverse census-designated place is located in Clark County, just two miles from the Las Vegas strip.
Ethno-racial diversity
- 38.8% White (not including Hispanic or Latino)
- 23.8% Hispanic or Latino
- 18.4% Asian
- 13.3% Black/African American
Linguistic diversity
39.51% of people in Spring Valley speak a language other than English in their homes:
- 16.2% Spanish
- 13.9% Asian and Pacific Island languages
- 4.7% other Indo-European languages
- 4.7% other languages
Birthplace diversity
Spring Valley’s population is comprised of 30% foreign-born people.
5. New York City, New York
Population: 8,804,190
To many, New York City is the epitome of culture and diversity—and that’s a pretty good assessment. This famous northeastern city is home to people from many different backgrounds.
Ethno-racial diversity
- 31.9% White (not including Hispanic or Latino)
- 28.9% Hispanic or Latino
- 23.8% Black/African American
- 14.3% Asian
Linguistic diversity
48.03% of the population of New York City report speaking a language that is not English at home:
- 23.6% Spanish
- 12.7% other Indo-European languages
- 8.9% Asian and Pacific Island languages
- 2.9% other languages
Birthplace diversity
36.4% of the people who call New York CityNew York city home were born outsideoutside of the United States.
Diversity is all around
While it might seem natural that the largest metropolitan areas would have the most cultural and racial diversity, we’ve seen here that that’s not always the case! And this list is just scratching the surface: There are many multicultural cities all around the US—you just have to know where to look!
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Andrea is a Canadian freelance writer and editor specializing in English, e-learning, EdTech, and SaaS. She has a background as an ESL teacher in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. In her free time, Andrea loves hanging out with her husband and children, creating recipes in the kitchen, and reading fiction. She also loves camping and jumping into lakes whenever possible. Learn more about Andrea on LinkedIn or check out her website.
