Updated on January 3, 2024
5 of the most diverse cities in the US
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.
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.
More than half (52.56%) of the residents of Jersey City speak a language other than English at home:
Close to half of the residents of Jersey City—a total of 42.5%—are born in a country outside the United States.
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:
In Germantown, 48.13% of people report speaking a language other than English at home:
A total of 36.7% of residents of Germantown are reported to be foreign-born.
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.
50.33% of residents of Gaithersburg speak a language other than English at home:
39.1% of the people of Gaithersburg were born outsideoutside of the United States.
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.
39.51% of people in Spring Valley speak a language other than English in their homes:
Spring Valley’s population is comprised of 30% foreign-born people.
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.
48.03% of the population of New York City report speaking a language that is not English at home:
36.4% of the people who call New York CityNew York city home were born outsideoutside of the United States.
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!
