Cities with the most diverse millennial population
America’s up-and-coming generations will be the most diverse in the nation’s history—and, while not as racially and ethnically diverse as Generation Z, millennials are more diverse than the population as a whole. Researchers calculated a Simpson’s Diversity Index for the millennial population (aged 26–40 in 2020) and ranked metros and states accordingly.
Cities With the Most Diverse Millennial Population
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U.S. Census data puts the number of millennials in the United States at roughly 72 million, surpassing Baby Boomers to make millennials America’s most-populous generation. While not as racially and ethnically diverse as the up-and-coming Generation Z, millennials are more diverse than the population as a whole, and increasingly so; according to the Pew Research Center, immigration is adding more numbers to the millennial population than it is to any other demographic group in the United States.
The millennial generation is more diverse than the total population
The ascendance of the millennial population is happening in tandem with the decline of America’s majority white population. According to U.S. Census data, about four out of 10 people in the United States identify as non-white, a proportion that has been increasing for decades. But the period from 2010 to 2020 marked America’s first-ever decade with both a decline in the white population proportion and a decline in absolute numbers. This means that all of the nation’s population growth over the past decade was attributed to racial and ethnic minorities.
The US population is growing increasingly diverse
America’s overall shift away from a majority-white country is all but certain. The U.S. Census forecasts that the United States will be “minority white” in the year 2045 with a demographic makeup of: 49.7% whites, 24.6% Hispanics or Latinos, 13.1% Blacks, 7.9% Asians, and 3.8% multiracial populations. America’s up-and-coming generations will be the most diverse in the nation’s history.
At the state level, diversity among the millennial population and among the general population track similarly. In 2020, data computed by the Census Bureau using a Diversity Index, which measures the probability that two randomly chosen people will be from different ethnic and racial groups, showed that Hawaii had an overall DI score of 76%, the highest among the states. Employing the same methodology to determine the makeup of the millennial population here, Hawaii also ranks the highest among U.S. states, with a DI score of 78.4% for millennials.
Coastal and southern states have the most diverse millennial populations
Hawaii was followed by Western states—California (69.7% overall, 69.1% millennial) and Nevada (68.8% overall, 69.1% millennial). The lowest collective DI scores—the states with the least amount of diversity—are found in a cohort of Northeastern states that includes New Hampshire (23.6% overall, 25.5% millennial), Vermont (20.2% overall, 19.9% millennial), and Maine (18.5% overall, 17.6% millennial). West Virginia and much of the Midwest and Mountain West also report some of the least diverse populations.
At the metro level, from 2010 to 2020, white population proportions declined in 381 of America’s 384 metropolitan areas, according to the Brookings Institution. And 2020 Census data shows there were minority-white populations in 32 of America’s 100 largest metropolitan areas, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas. Among the 100 largest metropolitan areas, Honolulu, Hawaii had the highest DI score for millennials, 77.9%, followed by cohorts of urban locales that are spread out across the United States.
The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 ACS PUMS 5-Year Estimates. To determine the locations with the most diverse millennial populations, researchers at HireAHelper calculated a Simpson’s Diversity Index for the millennial population (aged 26–40 in 2020) using the demographic groups listed below. Only the top 100 largest metros in the U.S. were included in the analysis.
Here are the U.S. metropolitan areas with the most diverse millennial populations.
15. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
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- Diversity index: 66.7%
- Hispanic or Latino: 518,061
- White alone non-Hispanic: 1,050,837
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 336,399
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 1,651
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 175,305
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 708
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 5,224
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 47,084
14. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
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- Diversity index: 67.4%
- Hispanic or Latino: 1,501,644
- White alone non-Hispanic: 869,764
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 201,832
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 5,561
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 503,078
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 6,930
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 10,414
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 89,860
13. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
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- Diversity index: 67.5%
- Hispanic or Latino: 159,585
- White alone non-Hispanic: 560,706
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 490,680
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 1,929
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 97,250
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 859
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 5,492
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 31,939
12. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
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- Diversity index: 68.0%
- Hispanic or Latino: 205,600
- White alone non-Hispanic: 248,220
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 94,153
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 490
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 28,052
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 385
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 3,838
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 15,559
11. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
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- Diversity index: 68.0%
- Hispanic or Latino: 295,124
- White alone non-Hispanic: 347,403
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 43,014
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 3,321
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 105,388
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 3,221
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 1,698
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 33,150
10. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
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- Diversity index: 68.8%
- Hispanic or Latino: 122,851
- White alone non-Hispanic: 124,468
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 11,675
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 464
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 203,974
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 2,063
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 1,486
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 15,406
9. Stockton, CA
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- Diversity index: 69.2%
- Hispanic or Latino: 74,370
- White alone non-Hispanic: 45,420
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 11,574
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 357
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 28,215
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 615
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 26
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 6,212
8. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
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- Diversity index: 69.4%
- Hispanic or Latino: 126,429
- White alone non-Hispanic: 244,150
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 37,437
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 1,626
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 76,955
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 5,122
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 2,065
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 29,581
7. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
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- Diversity index: 70.1%
- Hispanic or Latino: 532,954
- White alone non-Hispanic: 711,926
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 292,190
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 3,613
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 147,711
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 1,736
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 4,872
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 39,449
6. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
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- Diversity index: 70.3%
- Hispanic or Latino: 650,166
- White alone non-Hispanic: 522,870
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 290,230
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 2,960
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 138,962
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 999
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 3,554
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 32,626
5. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
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- Diversity index: 71.4%
- Hispanic or Latino: 262,033
- White alone non-Hispanic: 624,807
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 358,134
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 1,723
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 164,394
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 479
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 5,845
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 51,815
4. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
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- Diversity index: 71.4%
- Hispanic or Latino: 1,224,845
- White alone non-Hispanic: 1,861,067
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 714,435
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 5,275
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 584,719
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 1,418
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 29,889
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 94,384
3. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
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- Diversity index: 71.7%
- Hispanic or Latino: 178,062
- White alone non-Hispanic: 192,339
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 65,020
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 2,453
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 51,646
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 4,205
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 2,872
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 21,623
2. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
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- Diversity index: 73.1%
- Hispanic or Latino: 272,779
- White alone non-Hispanic: 426,082
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 78,284
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 1,798
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 336,070
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 7,533
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 6,566
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 56,338
1. Urban Honolulu, HI
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- Diversity index: 77.9%
- Hispanic or Latino: 27,711
- White alone non-Hispanic: 50,690
- Black or African American alone non-Hispanic: 8,708
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone non-Hispanic: 191
- Asian alone non-Hispanic: 76,360
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone non-Hispanic: 21,054
- Some Other Race alone non-Hispanic: 649
- Multiracial non-Hispanic: 43,395