A newly released study by WalletHub revealed that Maryland is home to four of the most culturally diverse cities in the entire country.
WalletHub’s report on 2018’s Most & Least Culturally Diverse Cities has just been released, and four of Maryland’s cities landed in the top 10 of 500 American cities! Gaithersburg actually ranked as the second most diverse city in the U.S., with Germantown and Silver Spring following close behind at No. 3 and No. 4, and Rockville snatching up the ninth spot on the list. All four cities are located in Montgomery County. The study found Jersey City, NJ, to be the most culturally diverse of them all. Rounding out the top 10 were Spring Valley, NV (No. 5), New York City (No. 6), Oakland, CA (No. 6), San Jose, CA (No. 7), and Kent, WA (No. 10). [caption id="attachment_7745" align="aligncenter" width="355"]
Courtesy of Vox Teneo[/caption]
Gaithersburg’s total score of 94.01 (out of 100) was hot on the heels of No. 1 Jersey City’s score of 95.74 while Germantown and Silver Spring ranked with scores of 93.91 and 92.58, respectively. Such high-ranking scores on a national scale are further indicative of the overall rich cultural diversity of Montgomery County. Even Rockville’s 87.95 total score (No. 9) was just three points behind New York City, despite NYC's much greater size and historical presence in American society.
Most Culturally Diverse Cities
| Overall Rank* | City | Cultural Diversity Score | 'Ethnoracial Diversity' Rank | 'Linguistic Diversity' Rank | 'Birthplace Diversity' Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jersey City, NJ | 95.74 | 2 | 1 | 155 |
| 2 | Gaithersburg, MD | 94.01 | 6 | 4 | 79 |
| 3 | Germantown, MD | 93.91 | 3 | 9 | 74 |
| 4 | Silver Spring, MD | 92.58 | 7 | 10 | 39 |
| 5 | Spring Valley, NV | 91.51 | 8 | 19 | 17 |
| 6 | New York, NY | 90.93 | 5 | 5 | 260 |
| 7 | Oakland, CA | 90.04 | 1 | 28 | 178 |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | 89.69 | 15 | 2 | 267 |
| 9 | Rockville, MD | 87.95 | 52 | 13 | 34 |
| 10 | Kent, WA | 87.43 | 16 | 22 | 102 |
WalletHub determined which cities were the least and most culturally diverse based on three main factors -- race, birthplace, and language. Each of the 500 cities analyzed were awarded up to 50 points based on ethnoracial diversity, up to 33 points based on diversity of the languages spoken in the cities, and 17 points based the diversity of residents’ place of birth. The point tallies were then used to calculate the “Cultural Diversity Score” which produced the rankings. The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index was used to analyze the metrics of each city.
The least diverse city in the country was Parkersburg, WV. To view the full rankings list, as well as categorical findings, expert opinions, analyses, and more, click here.
