Columbia is One of Most Diverse Cities in America

By DEB BELT and ELIZABETH JANNEY

COLUMBIA, MD — Columbia was named to the 2016 "Most Diverse Cities in America" list.

WalletHub, an online financial resource and services website for individuals and businesses, recently released a study of the most diverse cities in the nation. Criteria included social class, ethno-racial, household and economic diversity, and more.

Columbia is number 70.

Four Montgomery County communities were in the top 20: Gaithersburg at No. 1, Silver Spring at No. 4, Germantown at No. 5 and Rockville at No. 14.

New York came in at No. 6 on the list.

The No. 2 ranking went to Jersey City, N.J., followed by Oakland, Calif.

Study authors said the least diverse city in the country is Detroit.

Find the top 20 ranking list attached. Click here to read about WalletHub’s detailed methodology, which includes looking at income, education, race, language, birthplace, occupation, marital status and family structure.

Diversity has made America adaptable to change, and helped it thrive, say the folks at WalletHub.

“Diversification is nothing to be feared. In fact, economic growth follows it,” says the website. “America would not enjoy such unrivaled economic success if not for the waves of immigration that both changed the face of the nation and accelerated financial and social mobility.”

Columbia lakefront. Patch File Photo.