most diverse suburbs (cost, state, map, largest)

[bballniket]

Here's a list of what I believe to be the most diverse racially/ethnically suburbs and satellite cities in the country. My basis for determining a city's diversity is the asian/black/hispanic/white make-up of the city along with the presence of individuals born abroad and the make-up of the foreign-born population. The asian and black percentages displayed include those who may be mixed with another race; hispanics may be of any race; however, the whites percentages correspond to those who are white only. This setup inherently strengthens the "diversity score" for a suburb in which many individuals are of mixed-race background. Please note that ALL data has been taken from U.S. Census' Bureau's American Community Survey: 2006-2008 Estimates.

I find these immensely diverse suburbs to be most prevalent in much of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, small pockets of the Los Angeles area and wide swaths of west-suburban Washington, DC.

List:
Carson, CA (Los Angeles area-pop. 96,657)
Race/Ethnicity:
27.2% black, 26.6% asian, 37.1% hispanic, and 7.5% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
33.1% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Gardena, CA (Los Angeles area- pop. 58,620)
Race/Ethnicity
23.6% black, 28.2% asian, 36.0% hispanic, and 9.8% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
35.1% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Hercules, CA (San Francisco Bay Area- pop. 23,079)
Race/Ethnicity:
22.1% black, 44.5% asian, 14.3% hispanic, and 18.8% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
33.9% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Richmond, CA (San Francisco Bay Area- pop. 99,318)
Race/Ethnicity:
29.9% black, 16.0% asian, 34.9% hispanic, and 19.5% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
31.5% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Pittsburg, CA (San Francisco Bay Area- pop. 63,487)
Race/Ethnicity:
19.3% black, 17.6% asian, 39.6% hispanic, and 22.5% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
31.4% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Oakland, CA (San Francisco Bay Area- pop. 362,342)
Race/Ethnicity:
31.9% black, 16.7% asian, 25.2% hispanic, and 25.4% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
28.3% were foreign born (breakdown: 5.2% in Europe, 39.2% in Asia, 4.5% in Africa, 0.6% in Oceania, 49.6% in Latin America, and 0.9% in Northern America)

San Leandro, CA (San Francisco Bay Area- pop. 87,574)
Race/Ethnicity:
14.4% black,29.4% asian, 23.4% hispanic, and 31.9% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
32.5% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Hayward, CA (San Francisco Bay Area- pop. 133,957)
Race/Ethnicity:
13.4% black, 26.1% asian, 37.6% hispanic, and 21.8% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
37.5% were foreign born (breakdown: 3.2% in Europe, 43.2% in Asia, 2.2% in Africa, 4.7% in Oceania, 46.6% in Latin America, and 0.1% in Northern America)

Mission Bend, TX (Greater Houston- pop. 35,904)
Race/Ethnicity:
30.6% black, 19.2% asian, 32.0% hispanic, and 19.0% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
38.3% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Bailey's Crossroads, VA (Washington, DC Metro area- pop.21,095)
Race/Ethnicity:
15.9% black, 17.8% asian, 33.6% hispanic, and 32.7% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
50.0% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Lorton, VA (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 27,709)
Race/Ethnicity:
30.4% black, 19.6% asian, 20.4% hispanic, and 30.4% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
34.3% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Springfield, VA (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 34,089)
Race/Ethnicity:
13.9% black, 23.9% asian, 23.3% hispanic, and 38.3% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
38.1% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Germantown, MD (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 60,630)
Race/Ethnicity:
22.5% black, 13.8% asian, 20.5% hispanic, and 43.8% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
31.1% were foreign born (continental data not provided)

Montgomery Village, MD (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 37,694)
Race/Ethnicity:
27.3% black, 13.1% asian, 15.6% hispanic, and 44.1% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
28.8% were foreign born (7.8% in Europe, 37.4% in Asian, 15.5% in Africa, 0.4% in Oceania, 38.8% in Latin America, and 0.2% in Northern America)

*Silver Spring, MD (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 76,043)
Race/Ethnicity:
27.3% black, 11.2% asian, 22.3% hispanic, and 39.0% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
35.5% were foreign born (continental data not available)

*Wheaton, MD (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 67,215)
Race/Ethnicity:
22.5% black, 14.7% asian, 38.6% hispanic, and 23.4% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
44.2% were foreign born(continental data not available)

White Oak, MD (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 20,017)
Race/Ethnicity:
36.3% black, 15.8% asian, 20.6% hispanic, and 27.6% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
39.0% were foreign born (continental data not available)

Gaithersburg, MD (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 55,320)
Race/Ethnicity:
14.3% black, 18.0% asian, 20.2% hispanic, and 47.7% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
36.1% were foreign born (16.2% in Europe, 40.5% in Asia, 6.2% in Africa, 0.1% in Oceania, 36.5% in Latin America, and 0.5% in Northern America)

Aspen Hill, MD (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 52,197)
Race/Ethnicity:
25.0% black, 11.4% asian, 21.6% hispanic, and 42.8% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
37.3% were foreign born (11.6% in Europe, 22.9% in Asia, 14.0% in Africa, 0.4% in Oceania, 49.8% in Latin America, and 1.3% in Northern America)

Fairland, MD (Washington, DC Metro area- pop. 22,037)
Race/Ethnicity:
44.8% black, 19.3% asian, 10.3% hispanic, and 24.4% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
40.4% were foreign-born (continental data not provided)

Jersey City, NJ (New York Metro area- pop. 227,797)
Race/Ethnicity:
28.7% black, 20.7 asian, 27.3% hispanic, and 24.0% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
37.0% were foreign born (7.7% in Europe, 43.9% in Asia, 9.0% in Africa, 0.1% in Oceania, 39.0% in Latin America, and 0.3% in Northern America)

North Brunswick, NJ (New York Metro area- pop. 38,781)
Race/Ethnicity:
19.7% black, 21.5% asian, 17.4% hispanic, and 41.6% white alone
Foreign-Born population: 33.2% (13.9% in Europe, 48.4% in Asia, 6.5% in Africa, 0.3% in Oceania, 30.0% in Latin America, and 0.9% in Northern America

Teaneck, NJ (New York Metro area- pop. 40,967)
Race/Ethnicity:
30.9% black, 11.2% asian, 15.8% hispanic, and 42.4% white alone
Foreign-Born population: 27.2% (10.4% in Europe, 36.0% in Asia, 5.0% in Africa, 0.0% in Oceania, 46.7% in Latin America, and 1.9% in Northern America)

*Taken from 2009 American Community Survey

Note Also: In order for a suburb/satellite city to be included on the list, it had to satisfy the following (and NO exceptions were made):
1) must be minority-majority
2) every minority group must constitute at least 10%
3) more than 25% of its population must be born abroad

Feel free to add other own suburbs/satellite cities that satisfy the above criteria to this list!

[Metro Matt]

Alief & Sugar Land, TX. are also both very diverse.

Fort Bend County (Sugar Land) is the most diverse county in Texas.

[bballniket]

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Alief & Sugar Land, TX. are also both very diverse.

Fort Bend County (Sugar Land) is the most diverse county in Texas.

Sugar Land is pretty diverse, but it's still majority white and has minimal hispanic and black populations (in spite of its large Asian population). Alief is diverse, but it's not a satellite city or a suburb; rather, it's a district inside of Houston.

Fort Bend county certainly is a contender for being one of the most diverse counties on a white/black/hispanic/asian basis along with Hudson County, NJ; Alameda County, CA; Queens County, NY; and some others. However, Fort Bend county doesn't have the foreign-born share that some other counties that aren't even minority-majority do, such as Montgomery County, MD and Fairfax County, VA.

[BPerone201]

Originally Posted by bballniket

Teaneck, NJ (New York Metro area- pop. 40,967)
Race/Ethnicity:
30.9% black, 11.2% asian, 15.8% hispanic, and 42.4% white alone
Foreign-Born population: 27.2% (10.4% in Europe, 36.0% in Asia, 5.0% in Africa, 0.0% in Oceania, 46.7% in Latin America, and 1.9% in Northern America)

Wow, my birthplace got some recognition on this forum!
I didn't live there long (2 years)- I believe it was the first town in the nation to integrate its schools.

It's full of Hasidic Jews, and it's where Lil Kim and DMX were arrested..I'd say it's very diverse.

[urza216]

Chicago Heights, IL is a Chicago suburb with a population of around 30,500. It's a diverse town but doesn't have very many Asians.

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by bballniket

Oakland, CA (San Francisco Bay Area- pop. 362,342)
Race/Ethnicity:
31.9% black, 16.7% asian, 25.2% hispanic, and 25.4% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
28.3% were foreign born (breakdown: 5.2% in Europe, 39.2% in Asia, 4.5% in Africa, 0.6% in Oceania, 49.6% in Latin America, and 0.9% in Northern America)

Jersey City, NJ (New York Metro area- pop. 227,797)
Race/Ethnicity:
28.7% black, 20.7 asian, 27.3% hispanic, and 24.0% white alone
Foreign-Born population:
37.0% were foreign born (7.7% in Europe, 43.9% in Asia, 9.0% in Africa, 0.1% in Oceania, 39.0% in Latin America, and 0.3% in Northern America)

These two are NOT suburbs. Oakland is its own principle city to the Bay Area CSA alongside San Francisco & San Jose.

[brent6969]

Gwinnett, GA

Gwinnett County has the largest Latino and Asian populations in the state of Georgia. Along with huge and rapidly growing Eastern European communities as well, Russian, Bosnian, Ukrainian, Turkish, and Indian.

Gwinnett County, Georgia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[18Montclair]

as Danny stated, Oakland is most definitely NOT a suburb.

Here is a superb post by Lifeshadower that I often reference because its so well done:

Originally Posted by Lifeshadower

What is the most diverse metropolitan area?
(All data is from American FactFinder)

For the 2000 census, the US census released a diversity index (http://www.census.gov/population/cen...ensr01-104.pdf) calculating the statistical diversity of each county in the United States based on the 8 broad ethno-racial demographic groups seen in the census. If you look on the 4th page of the link above, the census demographers use simple mathematics to determine how they got the index to begin with:

1) Square the percentage of each group analyzed
2) Subtract that number from 1.00 (total diversity)

The range of diversity is from .00 (no diversity at all) to 1.00 (total diversity). For the sake of making our lives easier, I will only analyze five statistically significant groups: i) White Non-Hispanics ii) Black Non-Hispanics iii) Hispanics iv) Asian Non-Hispanics v)Two or more races

If you want to calculate it based on diversity within groups (like Italian Americans, Irish Americans, Indian Americans, etc.), just add those percentages based on the American Community Survey Link above and do the same thing.

Here's the top 11 United States primary census areas by population: Table of United States primary census statistical areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA CSA
2 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA CSA
3 Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI CSA
4 Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV CSA
5 Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-RI-NH CSA
6 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA CSA
7 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX CSA
8 Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD CSA
9 Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX CSA
10 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL CSA
11 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL MSA


1. New York CSA (New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
54.0% White Non-Hispanic
15.7% Black Non-Hispanic
20.1% Hispanic
8.4% Asian
1.0% Two or More Races
US Census Diversity Index: .595

2. Los Angeles CSA (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
35.4% White Non-Hispanic
6.8% Black Non-Hispanic
43.9% Hispanic
11.3% Asian
1.6% Two or More Races
US Census Diversity Index: .664 (= {[.354*.354] + [.439*.439] + [.113+.113] + [.068*.068]+[.016*.016]} - 1.00)

3. Chicago CSA (Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
57.0% White Non-Hispanic
17.4% Black Non-Hispanic
19.2% Hispanic
5.1% Asian
1.1% Two or More Races
US Census Diversity Index: .605

4. Washington-Baltimore CSA (Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)56.2% White Non-Hispanic
25.9% Black Non-Hispanic
8.9% Hispanic
6.7% Asian
1.8% Two or More Races
US Census Diversity Index: .604

5. Boston-Providence CSA (Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-RI-NH CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
80.2% White Non-Hispanic
5.1% Black Non-Hispanic
7.8% Hispanic
4.6% Asian
1.3% Two or More Races
US Census Diversity Index: .346

6. San Francisco CSA (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
46.2% White Non-Hispanic
6.4% Black Non-Hispanic
22.4% Hispanic
21.1% Asian
2.6% Two or more races
US Census Diversity Index: .687 (= {[.462*.462] + [.224*.224] + [.211*.211] + [.064*.064]+[.026*.026]} - 1.00)

7. Dallas-Fort Worth CSA (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
54.3% White Non-Hispanic
13.3% Black Non-Hispanic
26.0% Hispanic
4.5% Asian
1.3% Two or more races
US Census Diversity Index: .618

8. Philadelphia CSA (Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
68.1% White Non-Hispanic
18.8% Black Non-Hispanic
7.4% Hispanic
4.0% Asian
1.3% Two or more races
US Census Diversity Index: .494

9. Houston CSA (Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
43.2% White Non-Hispanic
16.6% Black Non-Hispanic
33.1% Hispanic
5.6% Asian
0.9% Two or more races
US Census Diversity Index: .676

10. Atlanta CSA (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL CSA - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
54.8% White Non-Hispanic
29.9% Black Non-Hispanic
9.7% Hispanic
3.9% Asian
1.1% Two or more races
US Census Diversity Index: .599

11. Miami MSA (doesn't have a CSA: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Metro Area - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008)
38.4% White Non-Hispanic
19.2% Black Non-Hispanic
38.9% Hispanic
2.1% Asian
0.9% Two or more races
US Census Diversity Index: .663

TOP 11 LIST OF MOST DIVERSE METROPOLITAN AREAS IN TERMS OF RACIAL GROUPS (out of the top 11 populated metro areas):
1) San Francisco (.687)
2) Houston (.676)
3) Los Angeles (.664)
4) Miami (.663)
5) Dallas (.618)
6) Chicago (.605)
7) Washington (.604)
8) Atlanta (.599)
9) New York (.595)
10) Philadelphia (.494)
11) Boston (.346)

There. If you want to calculate your metro area/city/county/etc. or add more variables, just do what I did in the above. Just remember that the formula is

1 - ([Group1 squared) + [Group2 squared] + [Group 3 squared] + .......)

So using his formula, I made a map of the East Bay:


Im pretty sure the East Bay could make a case for being the most racially diverse area in the country.

[18Montclair]

Queens narrowly beats out Alameda County!

NYC Boroughs
Queens - .743
Brooklyn - .678
Manhattan - .646
Bronx - .530
Staten - .518

SF Bay Area Counties
Alameda .741
Solano .717
Santa Clara .695
San Mateo .680
San Francisco .671
Contra Costa .662
San Benito .552
Napa .549
Santa Cruz .504
Sonoma .474
Marin .244

LA Basin Counties
Orange .673
Los Angeles .669
San Bernardino .640
Riverside .627
Ventura .552

Houston
Harris, TX .688

[grapico]

Speaking of, has anybody seen that relatively new National Geo Documentary?

The Human Family Tree | National Geographic Channel (http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/the-human-family-tree-3706/Overview - broken link)

They get mouth swabs from all these people in Queens then trace their DNA back.

Also some good shots of Queens in the video.

Not a surprise that LA/SF are extreme diverse, California as a whole is just diverse in general, pretty much wherever you go.

I was thinking NJ would be higher up.


Not a single suburb from Chicago? Ouch. Chicago has some nice burbs but they are pretty lily white for the most part outside of the inner ring.