The Houston ReportHouston Still Most Diverse City in the Nation, Report Finds
Published Apr 12, 2019 by A.J. Mistretta
A new report finds Houston remains the most diverse city in the nation.
Several studies in recent years have shown the Bayou City at the top of the list for ethnic and racial diversity. The city has no ethnic majority and nearly one-in-four residents are foreign born. In fact, Houston today mirrors what demographers forecast the U.S. population will look like in four decades.
The latest report from WalletHub shows Houston is the most diverse city out of the 501 municipalities researchers examined. WalletHub looked at diversity across five categories: socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household, and religious. The report examines additional factors such as industry diversity, income, age, religious affiliation, education, language, worker class, and marital status.
According to WalletHub: “By 2050, many shifts will happen. For example, while non-Hispanic whites are expected to remain the largest ethnic group, they will no longer make up a majority of the population. But America’s transformation is more than skin-deep — it’s economic, too. Not only have waves of immigration changed the face of the nation, they’ve also brought in fresh perspectives, skills and technologies to help the U.S. develop a strong adaptability to change. Economies generally fare better when they openly embrace and capitalize on new ideas. Conversely, those relying on old ways and specialized industries tend to be hurt more by changes in the market.”
When it comes to other major Texas cities: Dallas ranked No. 5 on the list of most diverse cities, followed by Arlington at No. 9 and Fort Worth at No. 25. Austin ranked No. 42 on the list and San Antonio ranked No. 62.
Houston is the fourth largest city in the nation with a total population of 2.3 million. The broader metropolitan area is home to just under 6.9 million residents. The local population is also among the youngest in the nation: 36% of metro area residents are under the age of 25 and the largest percentage of adults (15.1%) are age 25 to 34, according to research from the Greater Houston Partnership.
Click here to see other recent rankings.
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