WalletHub Ranks Maryland Seventh Most Diverse State in U.S.

There’s a new study out that looks at diversity in states across the country, and Maryland ranks seventh for 2018.

The finance website, WalletHub.com, ranks Texas (#2), Hawaii (#3), New Jersey (#4), New York (#5), New Mexico (#6), Florida (#8), Nevada (#9), and Illinois (#10) in the top 10 most diverse states.

The number one state on the list is California.

According to WalletHub, 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.

WalletHub compared the 50 states in the following six key categories of diversity:

1. Socioeconomic Diversity
2. Cultural Diversity
3. Economic Diversity
4. Household Diversity
5. Religious Diversity
6. Political Diversity

A score for “Socioeconomic diversity” was based on household income and educational attainment. The score for “Cultural diversity” was based on population races and ethnicities, languages that are spoken, and birthplace. The score for “Economic diversity” was based on industries, occupations, and worker classes.

A weighted score was calculated for each of the six key areas.  The states were then ranked based on their total weighted score.

Maryland ranked second for income diversity, fourth for educational attainment, and fifth for racial and ethnic diversity,

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

For more information on WalletHub’s study, click here.

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