Community Corner

These FL Towns Among Top 100 Most Ethnically Diverse U.S. Cities

Four Florida cities are among the nation's most diverse, and why experts say it's a great thing.

FLORIDA — Four cities in Florida were recently named among the top 100 most ethnically diverse cities in the United States, according to a new ranking.

Finance and credit website WalletHub recently took a snapshot of America’s current cultural profile, comparing more than 500 of the largest U.S. cities across three key indicators of ethnic diversity. Analysts examined each city based on the ethnicity and race, language and birthplace of its residents.

Here are Florida cities that made the top 100 list:

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  • No. 13 Orlando
  • No. 58 Fort Lauderdale
  • No. 60 Tampa
  • No. 84 Port St. Lucie

"Living in an ethnically diverse city can be an economic benefit, as people bring a wide range of skill sets and approaches to solving problems from their own cultures and national origins," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in a statement.

Lupo continued, "People who live in ethnically diverse cities have the opportunity to learn a lot about people different from themselves, which is not only an enriching experience but also a good way to break down walls of prejudice."

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Here are the top 10 most ethnically diverse cities in the U.S., according to WalletHub:

  1. Germantown, MD
  2. Jersey City, NJ
  3. Gaithersburg, MD
  4. Silver Spring, MD
  5. Kent, WA
  6. New York, NY
  7. Spring Valley, NV
  8. Federal Way, WA
  9. Rockville, MD
  10. Oakland, CA

Take a look at the full ranking at WalletHub.com.

"Diversity fosters creativity, innovation, community, compassion, and critical thinking. When exposed to multiple perspectives, we are encouraged to consider more viewpoints," WalletHub analyst Julia Marin Hellwege said in a statement.

"Our perspectives are shaped by what we are exposed to; thus, if we encounter fewer perspectives and types of people, our thinking becomes comparatively limited. It becomes very challenging to think innovatively about things to which we have never been exposed," Marin Hellwege added. "Living in an ethnically diverse city allows this mindset to grow, benefiting both individuals and society by fostering more innovation."

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