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 (1990 ACS). California leads at 74. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 54, against an all-states median of 37.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPDIVERSITY SCOREVS –

USUnited States248,709,87347–

01California, CACA39,287,37774–

02New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24674–

03Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23569–

04Texas, TXTX30,188,42469–

05District of Columbia, DCDC681,29462–

06New York, NYNY19,852,36660–

07Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77959–

08Louisiana, LALA4,611,96159–

09Maryland, MDMD6,206,01157–

10Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83856–

11South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22555–

12Georgia, GAGA10,940,40754–

13Florida, FLFL22,416,07754–

14Alaska, AKAK735,70653–

15New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80953–

16Illinois, ILIL12,694,79851–

17Alabama, ALAL5,086,76850–

18North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40449–

19Virginia, VAVA8,705,17048–

20Nevada, NVNV3,184,61245–

21Delaware, DEDE1,021,19143–

22Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63441–

23Colorado, COCO5,862,18941–

24Michigan, MIMI10,077,76138–

25Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39137–

26Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38337–

27Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50835–

28Washington, WAWA7,816,11630–

29Missouri, MOMO6,191,81429–

30Ohio, OHOH11,810,29329–

31Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05628–

32Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63928–

33Kansas, KSKS2,947,19726–

34Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80124–

35Indiana, ININ6,851,07324–

36Oregon, OROR4,254,29322–

37Wyoming, WYWY582,39721–

38Utah, UTUT3,392,33120–

39South Dakota, SDSD907,42820–

40Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87220–

41Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82419–

42Montana, MTMT1,116,87519–

43Idaho, IDID1,934,26218–

44Nebraska, NENE1,978,70718–

45Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44515–

46North Dakota, NDND784,84114–

47West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37310–

48Iowa, IAIA3,210,50710–

49New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8687–

50Maine, MEME1,387,8175–

51Vermont, VTVT647,1065–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest diversity score?

California ranks #1 with 74 (1990 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by diversity score?

California, New Mexico, Hawaii, Texas, 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 Decennial Census 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, 1990 Decennial Census.