Posted by: Adam McCann

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 more diverse in the years to follow.

But U.S. diversity spans more than just racial lines. In many states, the population reflects a mix of not just races and ethnicities but also cultures, religions, economic statuses, educational backgrounds and other characteristics. These groups come together in everyday life, influencing and experiencing one another. However, some elements of society aren’t as diverse as others. For example, there are only 24 women among the CEOs of fortune 500 companies, and around 73% of those companies’ senior executives are white.

Some U.S. states promote diversity more than others. In order to determine where idea and identity exchanges have occurred at the highest level — and where the population is relatively more homogeneous — WalletHub compared the 50 states across six key diversity categories. For a more local perspective on America’s ever-expanding diversity, we also conducted our analysis at the city level. Read on for our findings, expert commentary from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Detailed Findings
3. Ask the Experts
4. Methodology

Main Findings Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/38262/geochart-diverse-states.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2OvXzmV>

 

Most & Least Diverse States in the U.S.

Overall Rank (1 = Most Diverse)	State	Total Score	‘Socioeconomic Diversity’ Rank	‘Cultural Diversity’ Rank	‘Economic Diversity’ Rank	‘Household Diversity’ Rank	‘Religious Diversity’ Rank	‘Political Diversity’ Rank
1	California	70.89	3	1	11	5	32	6
2	Texas	70.00	13	4	13	14	6	28
3	Hawaii	69.69	15	3	4	13	34	11
4	New Jersey	69.38	5	7	39	26	19	12
5	New York	69.21	8	8	37	6	21	2
6	New Mexico	69.13	34	5	5	4	22	22
7	Maryland	68.64	1	10	26	10	30	9
8	Florida	68.18	29	6	34	7	38	3
9	Nevada	68.00	27	2	44	2	45	32
10	Illinois	67.93	11	12	38	23	7	4
11	Arizona	67.81	23	9	25	8	41	21
12	Virginia	67.71	4	14	16	33	25	16
13	Georgia	67.45	20	13	18	9	16	26
14	Connecticut	67.08	6	15	45	27	27	9
15	Alaska	66.49	19	11	1	30	44	47
16	Delaware	66.46	14	17	40	15	35	1
17	Colorado	66.25	7	18	28	36	40	13
18	Washington	66.02	10	16	12	35	43	15
19	Massachusetts	65.88	2	19	50	22	33	39
20	North Carolina	65.82	26	20	29	20	26	24
21	Rhode Island	65.67	12	21	49	11	36	5
22	Oklahoma	65.46	42	22	6	19	18	37
23	Louisiana	65.25	45	25	14	3	3	46
24	South Carolina	65.20	37	23	20	12	14	38
25	Kansas	64.92	21	27	24	40	11	8
26	Nebraska	64.24	25	33	22	42	4	19
27	Alabama	64.04	46	28	17	16	12	43
28	Minnesota	63.95	16	36	43	43	5	20
29	Mississippi	63.93	49	26	10	1	14	49
30	Pennsylvania	63.87	24	32	48	32	10	17
31	Oregon	63.81	22	24	21	29	48	28
32	Tennessee	63.73	41	31	23	18	20	41
33	Arkansas	63.43	48	29	15	25	24	35
34	Idaho	63.15	43	35	8	48	13	47
35	South Dakota	63.13	36	42	9	44	2	34
36	North Dakota	62.84	28	44	7	49	1	23
37	Michigan	62.84	32	34	47	24	31	7
38	Missouri	62.83	31	39	35	30	17	24
39	Wisconsin	62.74	30	40	41	39	9	31
40	Indiana	62.57	39	37	46	28	29	13
41	Wyoming	62.49	33	38	2	47	37	42
42	Ohio	62.14	38	41	42	17	28	28
43	Utah	61.91	18	30	30	50	49	50
44	Iowa	61.88	35	46	31	45	8	35
45	Kentucky	61.54	47	45	27	21	23	18
46	Montana	60.95	44	43	3	46	39	45
47	New Hampshire	60.78	9	47	36	41	46	26
48	Vermont	59.78	17	48	33	38	47	40
49	Maine	58.40	40	49	32	37	50	33
50	West Virginia	58.29	50	50	19	34	42	44

 

Detailed Findings

State	‘Household-Income Diversity’ Rank	‘Educational-Attainment Diversity’ Rank	‘Racial & Ethnic Diversity’ Rank	‘Linguistic Diversity’ Rank	‘Birthplace Diversity’ Rank	‘Industry Diversity’ Rank	‘Occupational Diversity’ Rank	‘Worker-Class Diversity’ Rank	‘Marital-Status Diversity’ Rank	‘Generational Diversity’ Rank	‘Household-Type Diversity’ Rank	‘Household-Size Diversity’ Rank	‘Religious Diversity’ Rank	‘Political Diversity’ Rank
Alabama	47	29	22	47	43	22	10	22	6	14	10	47	47	43
Alaska	1	44	13	17	4	17	22	1	35	49	30	4	4	47
Arizona	30	18	11	8	3	13	33	28	15	4	13	11	11	21
Arkansas	48	43	26	37	29	31	3	16	11	5	24	44	44	35
California	14	2	2	1	23	3	36	17	31	45	11	2	2	6
Colorado	8	8	24	16	5	4	45	33	39	47	36	10	10	14
Connecticut	5	7	21	12	19	44	47	35	30	11	25	19	19	9
Delaware	13	19	16	22	9	35	40	41	18	7	14	22	22	1
Florida	37	22	9	7	2	16	31	37	3	1	12	42	42	3
Georgia	31	12	10	21	16	5	28	27	14	44	7	14	14	27
Hawaii	3	26	1	9	14	19	30	4	38	2	33	3	3	11
Idaho	38	45	41	28	13	7	9	12	49	32	49	16	16	47
Illinois	16	11	12	11	38	24	35	47	32	30	21	15	15	4
Indiana	33	41	35	32	39	42	5	50	24	29	26	23	23	13
Iowa	25	48	45	35	44	32	13	32	45	8	45	39	39	35
Kansas	27	21	30	23	25	27	29	19	42	26	39	27	27	8
Kentucky	46	33	43	46	41	30	7	34	10	20	20	37	37	18
Louisiana	45	30	15	33	50	10	6	26	2	43	2	30	30	46
Maine	35	39	50	42	35	47	21	15	26	21	38	48	48	33
Maryland	2	4	5	15	8	37	49	6	25	35	9	8	8	9
Massachusetts	12	1	25	10	30	50	50	38	29	42	23	13	13	39
Michigan	32	36	29	30	49	43	18	48	23	23	19	29	29	7
Minnesota	10	23	38	24	40	34	41	43	48	25	43	20	20	20
Mississippi	50	34	18	49	46	29	2	10	1	27	1	31	31	49
Missouri	36	32	36	43	37	28	24	40	19	12	28	32	32	24
Montana	40	42	46	48	18	9	25	3	34	15	44	49	49	45
Nebraska	23	31	37	26	32	12	23	25	46	28	41	24	24	19
Nevada	26	35	4	6	1	46	15	45	4	33	5	7	7	32
New Hampshire	4	17	47	34	15	36	43	31	41	40	48	21	21	26
New Jersey	7	5	7	4	17	25	46	39	37	9	29	6	6	12
New Mexico	44	16	8	2	12	33	26	2	5	17	4	25	25	22
New York	18	3	6	5	33	45	44	21	21	36	3	9	9	2
North Carolina	39	14	17	25	21	26	27	29	17	16	16	33	33	24
North Dakota	15	47	44	44	34	11	11	8	47	46	46	40	40	23
Ohio	34	38	34	40	48	38	20	46	13	13	15	38	38	28
Oklahoma	41	37	19	29	27	2	8	13	16	31	22	26	26	37
Oregon	28	20	31	19	10	18	34	20	20	19	34	18	18	28
Pennsylvania	22	25	32	27	47	39	32	49	22	6	27	34	34	17
Rhode Island	19	9	27	13	24	49	38	44	8	38	6	28	28	5
South Carolina	42	24	20	38	22	20	12	24	7	10	8	46	46	38
South Dakota	29	46	40	41	36	14	16	9	44	24	40	45	45	34
Tennessee	43	27	28	39	28	23	14	23	12	22	18	35	35	41
Texas	21	10	3	3	26	1	19	30	28	48	17	5	5	30
Utah	11	28	33	20	31	8	37	36	50	50	50	1	1	50
Vermont	20	13	49	45	20	48	42	11	27	39	42	43	43	40
Virginia	6	6	14	18	11	21	48	7	33	34	32	17	17	16
Washington	9	15	23	14	7	6	39	18	36	41	37	12	12	15
West Virginia	49	49	48	50	42	40	4	14	9	3	31	50	50	44
Wisconsin	24	40	39	31	45	41	17	42	40	18	35	36	36	31
Wyoming	17	50	42	36	6	15	1	5	43	37	47	41	41	42

 

Ask the Experts

Diversity can have profound effects on communities. For insight on such outcomes and advice on achieving social integration, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What are the pros and cons of living in a diverse state?
2. What impact does diversity have on social innovation and social cohesion? What about violence and social unrest?
3. What can policymakers do to encourage integration across neighborhoods?
4. How can states take advantage of their diversity in order to increase economic growth?

< >

• Marcus M. Stuart Associate Professor of Management, Bentley University
• Donald Tomaskovic-Devey Professor of Sociology, University of Massachusetts
• Hephzibah V. Strmic-Pawl Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sociology, Manhattanville College

Methodology

In order to determine the most and least diverse states in America, WalletHub compared the 50 states across six key dimensions: 1) Socio-economic Diversity, 2) Cultural Diversity, 3) Economic Diversity, 4) Household Diversity, 5) Religious Diversity and 6) Political Diversity.

We evaluated those dimensions using 14 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights and subcomponents. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale.

Finally, we determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the states. A total score of 100 represents the most diverse state.

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).

1. Socioeconomic Diversity - Total Points: 20
   1. Household-Income Diversity: Weight - 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: Weight - Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
      • No 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: Weight - 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)
      • Other (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: Weight - Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
      • English
      • Spanish
      • Other Indo-European Languages
      • Asian & Pacific-Islander Languages
      • Other Languages
   3. Birthplace Diversity: Weight - 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: Weight - 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: Weight - 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: Weight - 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: Weight - Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
      • Never Married
      • Married (excluding separated)
      • Divorced
      • Separated
      • Widowed
   2. Generational Diversity: Weight - Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
      • Post-Millennials (Generation Z): born after 2000
      • Millennials: Ages 16 to 35 (born 1981-2000)
      • Generation X: Ages 36 to 51 (born 1965-1980)
      • Baby Boomers: Ages 52 to 70 (born 1946-1964)
      • Silent Generation & Greatest Generation: Ages 71 & Older (born before 1946)
   3. Household-Type Diversity: Weight - Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
      • Family Households with Married Couples
      • Male-Headed Family Households (no spouse present)
      • Female-Headed Family Households (no spouse present)
      • Nonfamily Households
   4. Household-Size Diversity: Weight - 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: 10
   • Evangelical Protestant
   • Mainline Protestant
   • Black Protestant
   • Catholic
   • Orthodox Christian
   • Muslim
   • Buddhist
   • Hindu
   • Jewish
   • Unaffiliated
   • Other

    

6. Political Diversity - Total Points: 10
   • Conservative
   • Moderate
   • Liberal
   • Unclaimed

 Videos for News Use:

• YouTube (for web embedding National)
• Raw files (for editing into clips)

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, ARDA and AVA.

Image: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com

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