New Jersey Is 4th ‘Most-Diverse State’ In America, Study Says

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey has been named as the fourth “Most-Diverse State” in a 2022 report from financial information website, WalletHub.

The Garden State ranked behind only California, Texas and Hawaii on WalletHub’s annual list, which compared the 50 states across six key categories: socio-economic, cultural, economic, household, religious and political diversity.

See the full report and learn more about its methodology here.

Diversity in New Jersey (1=Most Diverse, 25=Avg.)

• 27th – Income Diversity
• 5th – Educational-Attainment Diversity
• 6th – Racial & Ethnic Diversity
• 2nd – Linguistic Diversity
• 17th – Birthplace Diversity
• 28th – Industry Diversity
• 14th – Generational Diversity
• 8th – Household-Size Diversity
• 19th – Religious Diversity

There really aren’t too many negatives when it comes to a state’s diversity – unless its residents are “resistant to change and cultural exposure,” according to Rashawn Ray, a senior fellow with The Brookings Institution, one of several experts to comment on the WalletHub study.

But any cultural clash is far outweighed by the benefits of diversity, Ray added.

“Exposure to different cultures and ways of life is important,” Ray said. “It helps people to be more well-rounded, tolerant, inclusive and equitable.”

• See related article: New Jersey Is Now More Diverse Than New York, Census Data Shows

Send news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.