Fletcher 'glad to see others' perceive Houston is nation's most diverse city in new study

Houston is the most diverse city in the United States, according to a new study by the financial website WalletHub.

"We know,” U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Houston) said in a statement. “Glad to see others see it, too."

The study compared 501 of the largest cities in five diversity categories: Socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household and religious. It used 13 metrics to measure the diversity of cities including socioeconomic, educational, linguistic and birthplace factors of residents.

Some factors such as racial and ethnic diversity and the diversity of industries in the city were “triple weighted” in the study. Others such as linguistic diversity were double weighted.

Houston edged out Jersey City, New York, Dallas and Los Angeles for the top spot.

“America is undergoing an extreme makeover, thanks to rapid demographic diversification,” WalletHub said. “For example, while non-Hispanic whites are expected to remain the largest ethnic group for the foreseeable future, they will likely no longer make up a majority of the population by 2045.”

Diversity strengthens a city’s economy, WalletHub wrote.

“Not only have waves of immigration changed the face of the nation, they’ve also brought in fresh perspectives, skills and technologies to help the U.S. develop a strong adaptability to change,” the site said. “Economies generally fare better when they openly embrace and capitalize on new ideas. Conversely, those relying on old ways and specialized industries tend to be hurt more by changes in the market.”

The least diverse city in the United States is Provo, Utah, WalletHub found. It ranked 501st in the study.

WalletHub’s study was released just before the U.S. Census announced results its once-a-decade population count that determines among other things, the number of U.S. representatives and electoral votes each state receives

Texas gained two more votes in Congress and the Electoral College with Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon gaining one seat each. Meanwhile, California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia each lost a seat, Houston Public Media reported.