Which states are the most diverse? Least? See where yours ranks
Which states are the most diverse? Least? See where yours ranks
Anthony Thompson, USA TODAYTue, September 15, 2026 at 7:06 PM UTC
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Where does your state rank when it comes to diversity?
A new WalletHub analysis comparing all 50 states ranks the most diverse and least diverse states in the U.S.
The rankings come as the Census Bureau projects that the nation will no longer have a single racial or ethnic majority by 2060. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, the likelihood that two Americans would be from different racial or ethnic groups increased from 54.9% to 61.1%.
WalletHub's analysis looked beyond race and ethnicity, measuring differences among states in areas such as income, education, language, birthplace, occupations, household makeup, religion and political views.
Here's a look at the rankings and where each state lands.
The happiest states in America: See where yours ranks
Where does your state rank?
Here is where every state ranked overall:
California
Texas
New Mexico
Florida
Nevada
New York
New Jersey
Maryland
Hawaii
Arizona
Georgia
Illinois
Virginia
North Carolina
Connecticut
Washington
Alaska
Delaware
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
South Carolina
Colorado
Louisiana
Tennessee
Arkansas
Kansas
Alabama
Oregon
Nebraska
Pennsylvania
Minnesota
Mississippi
Idaho
Missouri
Indiana (tie)
Ohio (tie)
South Dakota
Michigan
Wisconsin
North Dakota
Utah
Iowa
Wyoming
Kentucky
Montana
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine
West Virginia
California tops the list
California took the No. 1 spot with a diversity score of 70.85. The state ranked first in cultural diversity and linguistic diversity, while also ranking second in racial and ethnic diversity and educational-attainment diversity.
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About 56% of Californians speak only English at home, according to WalletHub. Nearly 28% also speak Spanish, while about 10% speak Asian or Pacific Islander languages.
Texas ranked second with a score of 70.50. It had the highest industry diversity in the country and ranked fifth in racial and ethnic diversity. More than 35% of residents speak a language other than English at home.
New Mexico, Florida and Nevada rounded out the top five. New Mexico ranked particularly high for household diversity, while Nevada ranked first nationally in that category.
New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Hawaii and Arizona completed the top 10.
West Virginia ranks last
West Virginia ranked 50th overall with a score of 60.14. It ranked last in both socioeconomic and cultural diversity and 50th in educational-attainment diversity.
Maine ranked 49th, followed by New Hampshire, Vermont and Montana.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said states can be diverse in ways that are not always immediately apparent, including differences in residents' ages, birthplaces, languages, jobs and family structures.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Which states are the most diverse? Least? See where yours ranks
Source: “AOL Breaking”
