2017’s Most & Least Socioeconomically Diverse Cities
5:10 AMPosted by: Richie Bernardo
Parsing Americans by economic class is simple: You’re either one of the wealthiest 1 percent or the bottom 99, thanks to an ever wider wealth gap. Indeed, the rich are richer and the poor even poorer today, but how? Between 2009 and 2012, the top 1 percent of earners captured 95 percent of all post-recession income growth. That raised this group’s collective share of total U.S. wealth to more than 40 percent, compared with just nearly 26 percent in 1982. As a result, poverty today reflects the same levels seen during the financial crisis and has reached communities it historically did not afflict.
But some experts argue that the complete absence of poverty is not necessarily ideal. Unequal distribution of income can actually create advantages, too. As one financial analyst explained, “An economy that has no wealth inequality will, most certainly, stagnate and die leaving widespread poverty behind. We want and need the right amount of wealth inequality to fuel the creative ambition that leads people to seek a better financial future.” Education, which generally diminishes unemployment odds and raises income potential, is often considered one of the best ways to move up the economic ladder.
In order, therefore, to determine the cities with the healthiest balance of socioeconomic diversity, WalletHub’s analysts compared 501 of the largest U.S. cities based on the variations in income and educational attainment in each. Read on for our findings, key insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.
- Main Findings
- Ratio – Over Time
- Highest & Lowest Concentrations by Category
- Rankings by City Size
- Ask the Experts
- Methodology
Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/10321/geochart-diversity3.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2qD2hE3;
Ratio – Over Time
Highest & Lowest Concentrations by Category
|
Metric |
City with Highest Concentration |
City with Lowest Concentration |
|---|---|---|
| Income Diversity | ||
| Households with Annual Incomes of $34,999 or Less | Youngstown, OH (64.80%) | Ewa Gentry, HI (9.20%) |
| Households with Annual Incomes Between $35,000 and $49,999 | Horn Lake, MS (21.60%) | Ellicott City, MD (6.20%) |
| Households with Annual Incomes Between $50,000 and $74,999 | Jackson, WY (26.60%) | Hockessin, DE (9.40%) |
| Households with Annual Incomes Between $75,000 and $99,999 | Brattleboro, VT (21.20%) | Youngstown, OH (5.00%) |
| Households with Annual Incomes Between $100,000 and $149,999 | Glasgow, DE (27.00%) | Youngstown, OH (3.10%) |
| Households with Annual Incomes of $150,000 or More | Hockessin, DE (39.60%) | Youngstown, OH (1.00%) |
| Educational-Attainment Diversity | ||
| People Without a High School Diploma | Central Falls, RI (44.40%) | Carmel, IN (2.00%) |
| People with a High School Diploma and Perhaps Some College or an Associate’s Degree | Levittown, PA (75.90%) | Cambridge, MA (19.30%) |
| People with a Bachelor’s Degree | Fishers, IN (41.10%) | Camden, NJ (5.90%) |
| People with a Graduate or Professional Degree | Cambridge, MA (46.30%) | Cicero, IL (1.00%) |
|
Rank |
Large City Name (Score) |
Rank |
Midsize City Name (Score) |
Rank |
Small City Name (Score) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA (77.85) | 1 | Alexandria, VA (78.47) | 1 | Silver Spring, MD (79.64) |
| 2 | San Jose, CA (77.70) | 2 | Plano, TX (77.89) | 2 | Gaithersburg, MD (79.01) |
| 3 | Washington, DC (77.66) | 3 | Aurora, IL (77.67) | 3 | New Rochelle, NY (78.18) |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA (77.65) | 4 | Stamford, CT (77.67) | 4 | Germantown, MD (77.94) |
| 5 | San Diego, CA (77.63) | 5 | Overland Park, KS (77.51) | 5 | Hoover, AL (77.86) |
| 6 | Austin, TX (77.36) | 6 | Cary, NC (77.48) | 6 | Franklin, TN (77.76) |
| 7 | Denver, CO (76.72) | 7 | Bellevue, WA (77.22) | 7 | Lenexa, KS (77.64) |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC (76.64) | 8 | Sandy Springs, GA (77.15) | 8 | West Hartford, CT (77.54) |
| 9 | Oakland, CA (76.62) | 9 | Scottsdale, AZ (77.14) | 9 | Portsmouth, NH (77.43) |
| 10 | Boston, MA (76.31) | 10 | Columbia, MD (76.89) | 10 | Norwalk, CT (77.36) |
| 11 | Anaheim, CA (75.82) | 11 | Olathe, KS (76.76) | 11 | Roswell, GA (77.36) |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN (75.75) | 12 | Chandler, AZ (76.72) | 12 | Bentonville, AR (77.26) |
| 13 | Portland, OR (75.74) | 13 | Jersey City, NJ (76.54) | 13 | Edmond, OK (77.18) |
| 14 | New York, NY (75.72) | 14 | Centennial, CO (76.37) | 14 | South Burlington, VT (77.18) |
| 15 | Honolulu, HI (75.71) | 15 | Rochester, MN (76.23) | 15 | Hilton Head Island, SC (77.09) |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC (75.66) | 16 | Cambridge, MA (76.20) | 16 | Mount Pleasant, SC (77.07) |
| 17 | Los Angeles, CA (75.29) | 17 | Madison, WI (76.12) | 17 | Rockville, MD (77.03) |
| 18 | Long Beach, CA (74.93) | 18 | Durham, NC (76.11) | 18 | Madison, AL (76.92) |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA (74.61) | 19 | Naperville, IL (75.65) | 19 | Plymouth, MN (76.86) |
| 20 | Chicago, IL (74.38) | 20 | Westminster, CO (75.63) | 20 | West Des Moines, IA (76.80) |
| 21 | Virginia Beach, VA (74.24) | 21 | Charleston, SC (75.59) | 21 | Frederick, MD (76.55) |
| 22 | Lexington, KY (74.20) | 22 | Arlington, VA (75.59) | 22 | Montpelier, VT (76.51) |
| 23 | Houston, TX (74.05) | 23 | Fort Collins, CO (75.55) | 23 | Fishers, IN (76.41) |
| 24 | Fort Worth, TX (73.97) | 24 | Ann Arbor, MI (75.48) | 24 | Pike Creek Valley, DE (76.38) |
| 25 | Nashville, TN (73.96) | 25 | Gilbert, AZ (75.15) | 25 | Beaverton, OR (76.37) |
| 26 | Colorado Springs, CO (73.84) | 26 | Arvada, CO (75.15) | 26 | Newport, RI (76.34) |
| 27 | Dallas, TX (73.67) | 27 | Elgin, IL (75.12) | 27 | Quincy, MA (76.26) |
| 28 | Arlington, TX (73.60) | 28 | Yonkers, NY (75.00) | 28 | Lebanon, NH (76.22) |
| 29 | Sacramento, CA (73.49) | 29 | Anchorage, AK (74.63) | 29 | Danbury, CT (76.21) |
| 30 | Omaha, NE (73.39) | 30 | Salt Lake City, UT (74.62) | 30 | Shawnee, KS (76.19) |
| 31 | Bakersfield, CA (73.19) | 31 | Lakewood, CO (74.46) | 31 | Woodbury, MN (76.13) |
| 32 | Aurora, CO (73.03) | 32 | St. Paul, MN (74.45) | 32 | Hillsboro, OR (76.10) |
| 33 | Phoenix, AZ (72.90) | 33 | Fort Lauderdale, FL (74.06) | 33 | Dover, NH (75.94) |
| 34 | Oklahoma City, OK (72.53) | 34 | Enterprise, NV (74.05) | 34 | Newark, DE (75.90) |
| 35 | Tampa, FL (72.16) | 35 | Columbia, MO (73.98) | 35 | Bloomington, MN (75.77) |
| 36 | Albuquerque, NM (72.09) | 36 | Murfreesboro, TN (73.93) | 36 | College, AK (75.76) |
| 37 | Columbus, OH (72.01) | 37 | Thornton, CO (73.90) | 37 | Santa Fe, NM (75.70) |
| 38 | Kansas City, MO (71.76) | 38 | Metairie, LA (73.89) | 38 | Jackson, WY (75.62) |
| 39 | San Antonio, TX (71.65) | 39 | Tempe, AZ (73.88) | 39 | Johns Creek, GA (75.57) |
| 40 | Las Vegas, NV (71.48) | 40 | Norman, OK (73.86) | 40 | Maple Grove, MN (75.50) |
| 41 | Corpus Christi, TX (71.43) | 41 | Chesapeake, VA (73.82) | 41 | Lee's Summit, MO (75.49) |
| 42 | Baltimore, MD (70.81) | 42 | Huntsville, AL (73.60) | 42 | Nashua, NH (75.49) |
| 43 | El Paso, TX (70.78) | 43 | Sterling Heights, MI (73.51) | 43 | Carmel, IN (75.48) |
| 44 | Mesa, AZ (70.73) | 44 | Henderson, NV (73.49) | 44 | Renton, WA (75.30) |
| 45 | Louisville, KY (70.69) | 45 | Joliet, IL (73.28) | 45 | Sandy, UT (75.00) |
| 46 | Wichita, KS (70.67) | 46 | Broken Arrow, OK (73.22) | 46 | O'Fallon, MO (74.96) |
| 47 | Tulsa, OK (70.57) | 47 | Peoria, AZ (73.09) | 47 | Essex Junction, VT (74.93) |
| 48 | Jacksonville, FL (70.34) | 48 | Boise, ID (73.00) | 48 | Clifton, NJ (74.86) |
| 49 | Indianapolis, IN (70.22) | 49 | Lafayette, LA (72.94) | 49 | Kailua, HI (74.82) |
| 50 | Pittsburgh, PA (70.09) | 50 | Kent, WA (72.93) | 50 | East Honolulu, HI (74.79) |
| 51 | New Orleans, LA (69.62) | 51 | Sioux Falls, SD (72.84) | 51 | Middletown, DE (74.71) |
| 52 | Fresno, CA (69.55) | 52 | Little Rock, AR (72.74) | 52 | Rogers, AR (74.68) |
| 53 | Philadelphia, PA (68.39) | 53 | Springfield, IL (72.52) | 53 | Juneau, AK (74.65) |
| 54 | St. Louis, MO (68.15) | 54 | Lincoln, NE (72.45) | 54 | Ellicott City, MD (74.65) |
| 55 | Memphis, TN (66.92) | 55 | Manchester, NH (72.25) | 55 | Livonia, MI (74.57) |
| 56 | Tucson, AZ (66.92) | 56 | Reno, NV (72.17) | 56 | Middlebury, VT (74.42) |
| 57 | Milwaukee, WI (66.14) | 57 | Columbia, SC (72.07) | 57 | Burlington, VT (74.34) |
| 58 | Miami, FL (65.88) | 58 | Richmond, VA (71.99) | 58 | St. Charles, MO (74.34) |
| 59 | Cleveland, OH (57.81) | 59 | Tacoma, WA (71.56) | 59 | Bartlett, TN (74.30) |
| 60 | Detroit, MI (56.17) | 60 | Fargo, ND (71.51) | 60 | St. Peters, MO (74.14) |
| 61 | Peoria, IL (71.48) | 61 | Cranston, RI (73.98) | ||
| 62 | West Jordan, UT (71.45) | 62 | Orem, UT (73.95) | ||
| 63 | Worcester, MA (71.44) | 63 | Concord, NH (73.92) | ||
| 64 | Surprise, AZ (71.41) | 64 | Warwick, RI (73.91) | ||
| 65 | Greensboro, NC (71.40) | 65 | Valley Falls, RI (73.90) | ||
| 66 | Cedar Rapids, IA (71.36) | 66 | Toms River, NJ (73.86) | ||
| 67 | Salem, OR (71.24) | 67 | Hockessin, DE (73.85) | ||
| 68 | Montgomery, AL (71.18) | 68 | Kaneohe, HI (73.80) | ||
| 69 | Tallahassee, FL (71.16) | 69 | Helena, MT (73.74) | ||
| 70 | Billings, MT (71.12) | 70 | Sitka and, AK (73.71) | ||
| 71 | Lowell, MA (71.06) | 71 | South Portland, ME (73.69) | ||
| 72 | St. Petersburg, FL (71.05) | 72 | Bismarck, ND (73.64) | ||
| 73 | Vancouver, WA (71.00) | 73 | Lawrence, KS (73.56) | ||
| 74 | Las Cruces, NM (70.87) | 74 | Bend, OR (73.53) | ||
| 75 | High Point, NC (70.87) | 75 | Waukesha, WI (73.44) | ||
| 76 | North Las Vegas, NV (70.87) | 76 | West Fargo, ND (73.40) | ||
| 77 | Wilmington, NC (70.81) | 77 | Brooklyn Park, MN (73.36) | ||
| 78 | Provo, UT (70.69) | 78 | Portland, ME (73.34) | ||
| 79 | Providence, RI (70.67) | 79 | Bear, DE (73.26) | ||
| 80 | Eugene, OR (70.66) | 80 | Pierre, SD (73.21) | ||
| 81 | Spring Valley, NV (70.61) | 81 | Bozeman, MT (73.19) | ||
| 82 | Winston-Salem, NC (70.49) | 82 | Iowa City, IA (73.13) | ||
| 83 | Orlando, FL (70.20) | 83 | Westerly, RI (73.11) | ||
| 84 | Grand Rapids, MI (70.14) | 84 | Saco, ME (72.98) | ||
| 85 | Glendale, AZ (70.13) | 85 | Pearl City, HI (72.95) | ||
| 86 | West Valley City, UT (70.12) | 86 | Keene, NH (72.90) | ||
| 87 | Newport News, VA (70.06) | 87 | East Providence, RI (72.86) | ||
| 88 | New Haven, CT (70.03) | 88 | Mount Vernon, NY (72.81) | ||
| 89 | Norfolk, VA (69.78) | 89 | Layton, UT (72.79) | ||
| 90 | Baton Rouge, LA (69.66) | 90 | Dearborn, MI (72.75) | ||
| 91 | Des Moines, IA (69.62) | T-91 | Meridian, ID (72.73) | ||
| 92 | Laredo, TX (69.54) | T-91 | Charleston, WV (72.73) | ||
| 93 | Davenport, IA (69.44) | 93 | Hobbs, NM (72.70) | ||
| 94 | Everett, WA (69.36) | 94 | Glasgow, DE (72.68) | ||
| 95 | Port St. Lucie, FL (69.35) | 95 | Corvallis, OR (72.62) | ||
| 96 | Hampton, VA (69.14) | 96 | Greenville, SC (72.51) | ||
| 97 | Fort Wayne, IN (69.08) | 97 | Olive Branch, MS (72.51) | ||
| 98 | Gresham, OR (68.96) | 98 | Ewa Gentry, HI (72.46) | ||
| 99 | Topeka, KS (68.96) | 99 | Summerville, SC (72.40) | ||
| 100 | Chattanooga, TN (68.95) | 100 | Waldorf, MD (72.40) | ||
| 101 | Elizabeth, NJ (68.77) | 101 | Mililani Town, HI (72.34) | ||
| 102 | Cape Coral, FL (68.71) | 102 | Manhattan, KS (72.33) | ||
| 103 | Bridgeport, CT (68.60) | 103 | Bristol, CT (72.20) | ||
| 104 | Paradise, NV (68.60) | 104 | Appleton, WI (72.16) | ||
| 105 | Columbus, GA (68.48) | 105 | Georgetown, KY (72.15) | ||
| 106 | Spokane, WA (68.28) | 106 | Rio Rancho, NM (72.14) | ||
| 107 | Green Bay, WI (68.27) | 107 | Winooski, VT (72.13) | ||
| 108 | Clarksville, TN (67.97) | 108 | Brookings, SD (72.10) | ||
| 109 | Shreveport, LA (67.87) | 109 | Mandan, ND (72.07) | ||
| 110 | Mobile, AL (67.65) | 110 | Brattleboro, VT (72.07) | ||
| 111 | Fayetteville, NC (67.63) | 111 | Dickinson, ND (72.03) | ||
| 112 | North Charleston, SC (67.46) | 112 | Glen Burnie, MD (72.03) | ||
| 113 | Athens, GA (67.33) | 113 | Sparks, NV (72.02) | ||
| 114 | Cincinnati, OH (67.11) | 114 | Cheyenne, WY (71.84) | ||
| 115 | Warren, MI (67.09) | 115 | Ames, IA (71.79) | ||
| 116 | Rockford, IL (66.95) | 116 | Waipahu, HI (71.59) | ||
| 117 | Macon, GA (66.91) | 117 | Bellevue, NE (71.58) | ||
| 118 | Savannah, GA (66.91) | 118 | Springdale, AR (71.57) | ||
| 119 | Waterbury, CT (66.39) | 119 | Kearney, NE (71.54) | ||
| 120 | Sunrise Manor, NV (66.29) | 120 | Florence, KY (71.53) | ||
| 121 | Independence, MO (66.28) | 121 | Auburn, AL (71.53) | ||
| 122 | Kansas City, KS (66.22) | 122 | Federal Way, WA (71.43) | ||
| 123 | Augusta, GA (66.06) | 123 | Minot, ND (71.39) | ||
| 124 | Syracuse, NY (65.56) | 124 | Fayetteville, AR (71.30) | ||
| 125 | Allentown, PA (65.40) | 125 | Waukegan, IL (71.27) | ||
| 126 | Springfield, MA (65.37) | 126 | Conway, AR (71.25) | ||
| 127 | Knoxville, TN (65.35) | 127 | Kahului, HI (71.12) | ||
| 128 | South Bend, IN (64.81) | 128 | Grand Forks, ND (71.08) | ||
| 129 | Lansing, MI (64.56) | 129 | Brookside, DE (71.07) | ||
| 130 | Jackson, MS (64.29) | 130 | Dover, DE (70.94) | ||
| 131 | Buffalo, NY (64.20) | 131 | Southaven, MS (70.92) | ||
| 132 | Springfield, MO (63.78) | 132 | Kenner, LA (70.89) | ||
| 133 | Newark, NJ (63.63) | 133 | Missoula, MT (70.83) | ||
| 134 | Rochester, NY (63.47) | 134 | Rock Springs, WY (70.82) | ||
| 135 | Hartford, CT (62.98) | T-135 | Lynn, MA (70.78) | ||
| 136 | Pueblo, CO (62.95) | T-135 | Williston, ND (70.78) | ||
| 137 | Akron, OH (62.93) | 137 | Taylorsville, UT (70.77) | ||
| 138 | Paterson, NJ (62.90) | 138 | Johnson City, TN (70.77) | ||
| 139 | Erie, PA (62.87) | 139 | Farmington, NM (70.76) | ||
| 140 | Evansville, IN (62.69) | 140 | Goose Creek, SC (70.73) | ||
| 141 | Birmingham, AL (62.51) | 141 | Bethlehem, PA (70.72) | ||
| 142 | Toledo, OH (61.62) | 142 | St. George, UT (70.66) | ||
| 143 | Hialeah, FL (60.60) | 143 | Fairbanks, AK (70.65) | ||
| 144 | Dayton, OH (57.75) | 144 | Rapid City, SD (70.55) | ||
| Hilo, HI (70.49) | |||||
| Laconia, NH (70.38) | |||||
| Moore, OK (70.38) | |||||
| Bossier City, LA (70.35) | |||||
| Albany, NY (70.28) | |||||
| Casper, WY (70.14) | |||||
| Tuscaloosa, AL (70.08) | |||||
| Elizabethtown, KY (70.07) | |||||
| Green River, WY (69.94) | |||||
| Dubuque, IA (69.85) | |||||
| Duluth, MN (69.83) | |||||
| Sheridan, WY (69.82) | |||||
| Brockton, MA (69.82) | |||||
| Derry, NH (69.78) | |||||
| Tanaina, AK (69.77) | |||||
| Union City, NJ (69.70) | |||||
| Smyrna, DE (69.68) | |||||
| Aberdeen, SD (69.67) | |||||
| Columbus, NE (69.65) | |||||
| Knik-Fairview, AK (69.57) | |||||
| Gillette, WY (69.55) | |||||
| Laramie, WY (69.51) | |||||
| Decatur, AL (69.49) | |||||
| Tupelo, MS (69.45) | |||||
| Enid, OK (69.42) | |||||
| Badger, AK (69.39) | |||||
| Idaho Falls, ID (69.33) | |||||
| Lakes, AK (69.23) | |||||
| Auburn, ME (69.22) | |||||
| Wilmington, DE (69.20) | |||||
| St. Cloud, MN (69.18) | |||||
| Carson City, NV (69.11) | |||||
| Jamestown, ND (69.06) | |||||
| Portsmouth, VA (69.03) | |||||
| Evanston, WY (69.03) | |||||
| Dothan, AL (69.02) | |||||
| Kenosha, WI (68.97) | |||||
| Jonesboro, AR (68.88) | |||||
| Grand Island, NE (68.87) | |||||
| Morgantown, WV (68.80) | |||||
| Rock Hill, SC (68.72) | |||||
| Mitchell, SD (68.64) | |||||
| Hastings, NE (68.62) | |||||
| Eau Claire, WI (68.61) | |||||
| Rochester, NH (68.57) | |||||
| Sumter, SC (68.57) | |||||
| Yakima, WA (68.55) | |||||
| Sioux City, IA (68.49) | |||||
| Medford, OR (68.49) | |||||
| Biddeford, ME (68.48) | |||||
| Pawtucket, RI (68.29) | |||||
| Fremont, NE (68.16) | |||||
| Westbrook, ME (68.09) | |||||
| Wahpeton, ND (68.07) | |||||
| Rutland, VT (68.03) | |||||
| Cicero, IL (67.99) | |||||
| Janesville, WI (67.95) | |||||
| Cheektowaga, NY (67.94) | |||||
| Jackson, TN (67.89) | |||||
| Salina, KS (67.77) | |||||
| Clovis, NM (67.77) | |||||
| Spearfish, SD (67.75) | |||||
| Wasilla, AK (67.75) | |||||
| Levittown, PA (67.73) | |||||
| Havre, MT (67.63) | |||||
| Norfolk, NE (67.61) | |||||
| Parma, OH (67.58) | |||||
| Lewiston, ID (67.57) | |||||
| Huron, SD (67.51) | |||||
| Great Falls, MT (67.46) | |||||
| North Little Rock, AR (67.45) | |||||
| New Bedford, MA (67.40) | |||||
| Roanoke, VA (67.38) | |||||
| Coeur d'Alene, ID (67.34) | |||||
| Midwest City, OK (67.28) | |||||
| Barre, VT (67.27) | |||||
| New Britain, CT (67.26) | |||||
| Council Bluffs, IA (67.24) | |||||
| Sanford, ME (67.21) | |||||
| Lafayette, IN (67.20) | |||||
| Oshkosh, WI (67.17) | |||||
| Roswell, NM (67.16) | |||||
| Biloxi, MS (67.10) | |||||
| Yankton, SD (67.09) | |||||
| Pocatello, ID (67.01) | |||||
| Ogden, UT (67.00) | |||||
| Bennington, VT (66.94) | |||||
| Greenville, NC (66.87) | |||||
| Schenectady, NY (66.85) | |||||
| Racine, WI (66.74) | |||||
| Waterloo, IA (66.72) | |||||
| Wheeling, WV (66.68) | |||||
| Westland, MI (66.66) | |||||
| Augusta, ME (66.52) | |||||
| Lake Charles, LA (66.51) | |||||
| Watertown, SD (66.44) | |||||
| Post Falls, ID (66.44) | |||||
| Bloomington, IN (66.42) | |||||
| Bowling Green, KY (66.40) | |||||
| Lawton, OK (66.27) | |||||
| Twin Falls, ID (66.23) | |||||
| St. Joseph, MO (66.19) | |||||
| North Platte, NE (66.16) | |||||
| Stillwater, OK (66.15) | |||||
| Lancaster, PA (65.84) | |||||
| Riverton, WY (65.81) | |||||
| Caldwell, ID (65.74) | |||||
| Horn Lake, MS (65.60) | |||||
| Alamogordo, NM (65.52) | |||||
| Hammond, IN (65.38) | |||||
| Nampa, ID (65.36) | |||||
| Weirton, WV (65.35) | |||||
| Beckley, WV (65.31) | |||||
| Owensboro, KY (65.29) | |||||
| Fort Smith, AR (65.24) | |||||
| Scranton, PA (65.22) | |||||
| Fall River, MA (65.18) | |||||
| Bangor, ME (65.16) | |||||
| Gulfport, MS (65.14) | |||||
| Miles City, MT (65.02) | |||||
| Covington, KY (64.92) | |||||
| Butte-Silver Bow, MT (64.82) | |||||
| Alexandria, LA (64.78) | |||||
| Kalispell, MT (64.76) | |||||
| Martinsburg, WV (64.75) | |||||
| Passaic, NJ (64.69) | |||||
| Fairmont, WV (64.67) | |||||
| Woonsocket, RI (64.44) | |||||
| Springfield, OR (64.38) | |||||
| South Valley, NM (64.12) | |||||
| Richmond, KY (64.09) | |||||
| Monroe, LA (63.83) | |||||
| Huntington, WV (63.81) | |||||
| Trenton, NJ (63.63) | |||||
| Clarksburg, WV (63.44) | |||||
| Lewiston, ME (63.38) | |||||
| Harrisburg, PA (63.25) | |||||
| Hopkinsville, KY (62.93) | |||||
| Hattiesburg, MS (62.72) | |||||
| Greenville, MS (62.30) | |||||
| Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, MT (62.28) | |||||
| Meridian, MS (61.24) | |||||
| Lorain, OH (61.23) | |||||
| Albany, GA (60.68) | |||||
| Pine Bluff, AR (60.45) | |||||
| Parkersburg, WV (58.93) | |||||
| Central Falls, RI (58.57) | |||||
| Reading, PA (57.23) | |||||
| Camden, NJ (56.85) | |||||
| Canton, OH (56.72) | |||||
| Gary, IN (55.74) | |||||
| Flint, MI (52.41) | |||||
| Youngstown, OH (51.79) |
For advice and insight on driving economic diversity within local governments, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:
- How does income inequality affect a city’s socioeconomic environment?
- Should low-income workers be helped to live in the city where they work? If so, what programs should local authorities develop for this purpose?
- What private or public programs are most effective at combating income inequality?
In order to determine the local economies with the healthiest levels of socioeconomic diversity, WalletHub’s analysts compared 501of the most populated U.S. cities — limiting each state to no more than 10 cities each — based on two key metrics, “Income Diversity” and “Educational-Attainment Diversity,” 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 highest level of socioeconomic 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.
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
Finally, we calculated the total score for each city based on its weighted average across both metrics and used the resulting scores to construct our final ranking.
Income Diversity : Total Points: 70- $34,999 or less
- $35,000-$49,999
- $50,000-$74,999
- $75,000-$99,999
- $100,000-$149,999
- $150,000 or more
- Without a high school diploma
- High school diploma and perhaps some college or an associate’s degree
- Bachelor’s degree
- Graduate or professional degree
Sources: Data used to create this ranking was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
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