Houston Surpasses New York And Los Angeles As The 'Most Diverse In Nation'

Houston has surpassed the likes of Los Angeles and New York as the most ethnically diverse metropolitan area in the the U.S., according to a new report out of Rice University.

The report, from the university's Kinder Institute of Urban Research and the Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, drew from census data from 1990, 2000 and 2010.

The percentage of Latinos in the region increased dramatically from one fifth of the population (20.8 percent) in 1990 to more than one third (35.5 percent) in 2010. The Anglo population, on the other hand, decreased significantly from 1990, now encompassing 39.7 percent of metropolitan residents.

The Latino population, which follows closely behind the proportion of Anglos, is now the second largest ethic group in the metropolitan area. If the growth of the population continues at its current rate, Latinos will eventually surpass Anglos to take the number one spot in the region, the report estimates.

Michael Emerson, co-author and co-director the Kinder Institute, attributed the region's increased diversity to a 1965 shift in immigration laws. Whereas before 1965, the immigrant population was primarily composed of Europeans, now, the population is predominantly derived from Africa, Latin America and Asia.

The shift in immigration, along with a decrease in segregation between ethic groups, has contributed significantly to the ethnically diverse composition of the city today.

But not all of the diversity is concentrated in urban sectors of the metropolitan area. The report also found that two suburbs of the Texas city -- Pearland and Missouri City -- are the most diverse in the region and are statistically less segregated than Houston.

"Houston is one of a handful of what is known as majority-minority cities, where Anglos represent less than 50 percent of the population," Jenifer Bratter, co-author and director of the Institute’s Race Scholar’s program, said in a statement. "And while Houston is one of the country's most diverse major cities, Pearland and Missouri City are now on par with Houston as the area's most ethnically diverse cities."

RELATED: Latinos in the U.S., By The Numbers

Loading Slideshow

• 43%

  <blockquote><strong>43% </strong>is the percentage increase in the Hispanic population between April 1, 2000, and April 1, 2010, making Hispanics the fastest-growing minority group. Source for all statistics: <a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-04.pdf" target="_hplink">United States Census</a> </blockquote>

• 50.5 million

  <blockquote><strong> 50.5 million</strong> is the size of the Hispanic population of the United States as of April 1, 2010, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority. Hispanics constituted 16.3 percent of the nation's total population. In addition, there are 3.7 million residents of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. </blockquote>

• 132.8 million

  <blockquote><strong>132.8 million</strong> is the projected size of the Hispanic population of the United States on July 1, 2050. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 30 percent of the nation's population by that date. </blockquote>

• 2nd

  <blockquote><strong>2nd</strong> is the ranking of the size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide, as of 2010. Only Mexico (112 million) had a larger Hispanic population than the United States (50.5 million). </blockquote>

• 14 million

  <blockquote><strong>14 million </strong>is the size of the population of the Hispanic-origin population that lived in California in 2010, up from 11 million in 2000. </blockquote>

• 96%

  <blockquote><strong>96%</strong> is the percentage of the population of Webb County, Texas, that was Hispanic as of 2010. This is the highest proportion of any county in the country.</blockquote>

• 82

  <blockquote> <strong>82</strong> is the number of the nation's 3,143 counties that were majority-Hispanic.</blockquote>

• 10.4 million

  <blockquote>10.4 million is the number of Hispanic family households in the United States in 2010.</blockquote>

• 35 Million

  <blockquote><strong>35 million</strong> is the number of U.S. residents 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2009. Those who <em>hablan español</em> constituted 12 percent of U.S. residents. More than half of these Spanish speakers spoke English "very well." </blockquote>

• 26.6%

  <blockquote><strong>26.6%</strong> is the poverty rate among Hispanics in 2010, up from 25.3 percent in 2009, and 23.2 percent in 2008.</blockquote>

• 14%

  <blockquote> <strong>14%</strong> the percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher in 2010.</blockquote>

• 47%

  <blockquote><strong>47%</strong> is the percent of the foreign-born population that was Hispanic in 2009.</blockquote>

• 9.7 million

  <blockquote><strong> 9.7 million </strong>is the number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2008 presidential election, about 2 million more than voted in 2004. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting went from 47 percent in 2004 to 50 percent in 2008. </blockquote>

• 1.1 million

  <blockquote><strong>1.1 million</strong> is the number of Hispanics or Latinos 18 and older who are veterans of the U.S. armed forces.</blockquote>

Comments

[staydiverse]

10:38 PM on 09/09/2012

Houston is the most diverse! www.staydiverse.org will tell you all about it!

[theostracizedafrican]

04:09 AM on 08/06/2012

I went to visit a friend in Houston about 2 years from LA. You know, I was actually offended by the Houstonians because they seemed very friendly. I had gotten so used to the general hostility of Los Angeles that the friendliness of the people in H-Town made me feel uncomfortable. I also learned HTown is very integrated and the home prices are ridiculous...like 100k for a house where in LA you will spend about 300k at very least if you're lucky. I saw many clean cut AA's who seemed to be somewhat middle class where in LA I saw nothing but crack addicts, the homeless, Mexican Mafia, welfare queens, gang-bangers, and people who are so uneducated that they think Jamaica is a country "in" Africa. Yeah....I'm no longer in LA but still not in Houston, however, it does look very inviting. Houston may be the place I've been searching for.

[bd64kcmo]

07:40 PM on 10/08/2012

I think you would be welcome with open arms and smiles.

[anitaroosevelt]

02:15 PM on 07/28/2012

"Houston combines the heat of Texas with the humidity of New Orleans"

on CriminalMinds.

[USAmerican100]

01:45 AM on 06/28/2012

This is idiotic, replacing multi-ethnic Anglos with single ethnic Mexicans does not create "diversity", if anything it's the opposite. Most "Anglos" are not from England, they come from dozens of European countries.

[Francisco Ovalle]

04:08 PM on 07/27/2012

Most "Mexicans" are not from Mexico..... Latinos in Houston come from all over Latin America.

[friscoboy987]

02:57 AM on 05/31/2012

Houston is NOT the most diverse city in the U.S. The only ethnicities you will find in Houston are Caucasian, Mexican, and African American. Other ethnic groups are barely represented from Asia, Africa, and even Europe. Asians only make up 6% of the Houston population, while they constitute 13% of New York City. ETHNIC DIVERSITY IS NOT THE SAME AS RACIAL DIVERSITY. I still say New York City is the most ethnic diverse city in the country, because they represent ethnicities, NOT races.

[6531WilliamsG]

10:09 AM on 06/01/2012

Mistaken, do you even live in Houston? Have you been to Hillcroft or Alief..like ever? I think you're a windowlicking NY, go away.

[friscoboy987]

02:01 AM on 06/22/2012

I don't need to live in Houston because I can simply look at the statistics for demographics. If you feel the need to argue, then please back it up with facts. Where are your facts? I'll take your word for it that those two neighborhoods are probably diverse, but those are two places in a whole entire city. NYC and even other cities are diverse as a whole. Again, provide me with your facts.

[XCellKen]

10:37 AM on 03/27/2013

My NEIGHBORHOOD is more ethnically diverse than most cities. Muslims, Indians, Africans, and that's just the building next door.

[Kimberly T]

09:46 PM on 03/14/2012

I miss home terribly... I absolutely LOVE Houston, and I've always felt it was one of the most ethnically diverse places to be... I remember sitting in a Starbucks on afternoon reading, and was completely surrounded by so many different languages. It was absolutely beautiful. Great festivals, authentic foods from around the world, exposure to a multitude of cultures and people that still say "good morning" and hold the door open for you. I love Houston. Although this article doesn't address the varieties of people that live in Houston, the study by which this piece was inspired does... read below the fold dear people. I'm still a Houstonian, no matter where in the world I may roam.

[luz2409]

12:55 PM on 05/29/2012

It's lovely that you feel that way and can appreciate so many different cultures. Good for you! :)

[NoMoreMoneyChangers]

01:47 AM on 09/07/2012

I'll be moving to Houston soon and was wondering if you could tell me what are some good areas/neighborhoods for a young african american? Something affordable and not too far from Downtown.

[bd64kcmo]

08:10 PM on 09/20/2012

Try the Heighs, but it may be pricey. Montrose is way past anyone's reach. Galleria may suit you too.

[MDHouston]

05:36 PM on 03/07/2012

Here is a link to the actual study.

http://kinder.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/Urban_Research_Center/Media/Houston%20Region%20Grows%20More%20Ethnically%20Diverse%202-13.pdf

[MDHouston]

05:35 PM on 03/07/2012

Here is a link to the actual study.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/houston-most-diverse_n_1321089.html

[Rooster Coburn]

02:37 PM on 03/07/2012

"Diversity" is a canard invented by the left. Either you're an American or you're not. My wife was born in Korea of Korean parents. She is an American citizen and was so even before we met each other. What the left really is trying to do is brainwash people by telling them "diversity" means that, "If you are not a light-skinned Christian from Northern or Central Europe you should vote the straight Democrat party line at election time." That's not really diversity at all. That's "Group Think."

[XCellKen]

10:41 AM on 03/27/2013

Mail order bride much ???

[Linda Bunn]

01:15 PM on 03/07/2012

What definition of diverse was the writer using? The article infers that non-white = diverse. How about Honolulu? Anglos amount to less than 20% of the population.

[Birdie]

06:29 PM on 03/06/2012

From reading this article, I surmise that the meaning of the word "diverse" has changed to mean Latino...not that there's anything wrong with that! The old meaning of diverse would have included Asians, Native Americans, Blacks, Pan-Pacific Islanders, etc. as well as Latinos and Europeans...also Latino used to be an ethnicity and diversity used to address racial background.

[houstonhipster]

10:51 AM on 03/06/2012

Why does this article only mention Latinos and the gain for them? Houston's growing Asian population is what has made it so diverse... Hispanics have always been around, just higher numbers now. Houston used to be like Austin is now -- Whites, Hispanics and not much else. Now Houston has two Chinatowns, and other ethnic neighborhoods.

[stayjay evans]

12:51 PM on 03/06/2012

Yea didn't they rename Hillcroft to Mahatma Ghandi Street because of all of the Indian and Pakistani businesses there? And then all of the Vietnamese spots near downtown

[6531WilliamsG]

10:10 AM on 06/01/2012

Some of us Indians also live in nice places like Bellaire and West U~

[Qriz]

10:19 AM on 03/06/2012

Why do people think that their own perceptions of their experiences paints a more accurate picture of ethnic diversity than a study like this? This study uses 20 years of US Census data and clear definitions for what it discusses ("diversity") with results that are basically impossible to argue with unless you think something is inaccurate about the Census. Your personal experiences don't exactly measure up.

[MekhongKurt]

02:40 PM on 03/06/2012

Qriz, the question is why the article doesn't mention any other groups than Hispanics and whites, except when it mentions that as a result of the changes in the law in 1965, more immigrants come today from Africa, Latin America, and Asia than before, at the expense (in percentage terms) of European immigrants.

I haven't been to Houston in years, but I did live in Beaumont about 100 miles east of it 1988-90nd had to go to Houston fairly often, and even back then there were substantial Vietnamese and Chinese communities -- and two Chinatowns -- as well as many others.

It's not that the article is *wrong* -- it just doesn't address the overall picture.

[Qriz]

03:00 PM on 03/06/2012

Who cares about what the article says?! A mindful consumer pretty much dismisses anything written in an article like this and reads the source--the original study--instead. It would be nice if we could trust sites like this one to report this kind of information clearly, but we simply cannot.

[superdestroyer]

06:23 AM on 03/06/2012

Of course, the diversity of Houston is why all of the hip, white progressives live in Austin.

Image how hard it is going to be for Rice University or Herman Hospital to maintain their staff as Houston becomes less white and much more Hispanic.

[houstonhipster]

10:41 AM on 03/06/2012

Apparently you've never been to Montrose, the Heights, West U in Houston...

[superdestroyer]

06:11 AM on 03/07/2012

The only way for a white to live in the Heights or West U is to put their children into private school. If talented people are faced with the prospects of paying for private school, why not live in NYC, DC, or SF.

[northcntrlcoast]

04:08 AM on 03/06/2012

Living in houston is like living in mexico with crime and low wage jobs.

[houstonhipster]

10:45 AM on 03/06/2012

Really? Have you ever lived in Houston? Most of it is not like Mexico at all, and you may want to check some recent lists that show Houston is one of the better places for middle and higher wage jobs, not lower.

[bd64kcmo]

08:13 PM on 09/20/2012

No the writer lives on the north central coast. Duluth?

[6531WilliamsG]

10:11 AM on 06/01/2012

The UCR disagrees with you.