RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most racially diverse, US states · 1990

US states ranked by the CensusEasy Diversity Score (0 to 100), the chance two random residents are of a different race or ethnicity (2023 ACS). California leads at 79. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 56, against an all-states median of 38.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPDIVERSITY SCOREVS 2000

01California, CACA39,287,37779−0%

02New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24675+13%

03Texas, TXTX30,188,42473−3%

04Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23570−2%

05District of Columbia, DCDC681,29466−3%

06New York, NYNY19,852,36665−4%

07Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83862+7%

08Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77960−3%

09Louisiana, LALA4,611,96159−3%

10Maryland, MDMD6,206,01157−11%

11New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80956−12%

12Illinois, ILIL12,694,79856−9%

13South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22555−4%

14Georgia, GAGA10,940,40755−14%

15Alaska, AKAK735,70654+66%

16Florida, FLFL22,416,07753−16%

17Alabama, ALAL5,086,76850−5%

18Nevada, NVNV3,184,61250−19%

19Virginia, VAVA8,705,17049−11%

20North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40449−9%

21Colorado, COCO5,862,18946−4%

22Delaware, DEDE1,021,19144−15%

23Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63443+22%

24Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50840−11%

25Michigan, MIMI10,077,76139−6%

26Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39138−9%

27Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38337−10%

28Washington, WAWA7,816,11634−9%

29Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05632−10%

30Kansas, KSKS2,947,19730−10%

31Missouri, MOMO6,191,81430−8%

32Ohio, OHOH11,810,29330−8%

33Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63929−11%

34Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80128−18%

35Indiana, ININ6,851,07325−14%

36Oregon, OROR4,254,29325−16%

37Wyoming, WYWY582,39725+34%

38Utah, UTUT3,392,33124−9%

39Idaho, IDID1,934,26224+9%

40Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87222−14%

41South Dakota, SDSD907,42821+199%

42Montana, MTMT1,116,87520+172%

43Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82420−11%

44Nebraska, NENE1,978,70719−23%

45Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44516−29%

46North Dakota, NDND784,84114+132%

47Iowa, IAIA3,210,50711−29%

48West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37310−5%

49New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8687−18%

50Maine, MEME1,387,8175+12%

51Vermont, VTVT647,1065−6%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

Download CSV (full list, 51 rows)How this score is calculated

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest diversity score?

California ranks #1 with 79 (1990 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by diversity score?

California, New Mexico, Texas, Hawaii, District of Columbia.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 1990 ACS 5-year data.

How is diversity score measured?

CensusEasy Diversity Score (0 to 100): the chance that two random residents are of a different race or ethnicity, rescaled so 100 is a perfectly even split across all five groups. A Simpson diversity index over the five ACS race and ethnicity shares. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (1990).