The 10 Most Diverse Cities In Maryland For 2024


The most diverse cities in Maryland are Gaithersburg and Hyattsville for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.


Most Diverse Cities In Maryland

Racial diversity in Maryland is a mixed bag.

There are parts of Maryland where there’s a high level of diversity. But where will you find the most diverse places in Maryland?

To answer that question, we went to the US Census data. Using Saturday Night Science, we measured the Gini coefficient for all 43 cities in Maryland to rank them from most to least diverse.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


Here are the 10 most diverse places in Maryland for 2024:

  1. Gaithersburg
  2. Hyattsville
  3. College Park
  4. Rockville
  5. Greenbelt
  6. Cheverly
  7. Takoma Park
  8. Laurel
  9. Mount Rainier
  10. Cambridge

So what city is the most diverse in Maryland? According to the most Census data, Gaithersburg took the number one over all spot for diversity in Maryland.

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. To see where Maryland ranked as a state, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in Ameria.

For more Maryland reading:

The 10 Most Diverse Places In Maryland For 2024

Gaithersburg, MD

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 69,016
HHI: 2,426
% White: 32.5%
% African American: 15.5%
% Hispanic: 26.0%
% Asian: 20.9%
More on Gaithersburg: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Hyattsville, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Famartin | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 20,851
HHI: 2,728
% White: 26.3%
% African American: 27.3%
% Hispanic: 35.3%
% Asian: 5.9%
More on Hyattsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

College Park, MD

Source: Wikipedia User User:Tomf688 | CC BY-SA 2.5
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 34,416
HHI: 2,754
% White: 42.0%
% African American: 22.5%
% Hispanic: 16.5%
% Asian: 14.0%
More on College Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Rockville, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Wikipedian1234 | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 67,142
HHI: 2,934
% White: 45.0%
% African American: 9.7%
% Hispanic: 17.5%
% Asian: 22.1%
More on Rockville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Greenbelt, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Andrew Bossi | CC BY-SA 2.5
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 24,646
HHI: 3,009
% White: 20.7%
% African American: 46.7%
% Hispanic: 15.4%
% Asian: 11.6%
More on Greenbelt: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Cheverly, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Famartin | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 6,132
HHI: 3,097
% White: 33.6%
% African American: 42.3%
% Hispanic: 7.3%
% Asian: 6.1%
More on Cheverly: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Takoma Park, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Farragutful | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 17,542
HHI: 3,103
% White: 42.1%
% African American: 33.3%
% Hispanic: 12.2%
% Asian: 5.9%
More on Takoma Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Laurel, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Adavidb at English Wikipedia | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 29,581
HHI: 3,268
% White: 16.6%
% African American: 50.4%
% Hispanic: 18.3%
% Asian: 9.5%
More on Laurel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Mount Rainier, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Nonvirtual | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 8,262
HHI: 3,326
% White: 20.3%
% African American: 42.4%
% Hispanic: 33.3%
% Asian: 1.3%
More on Mount Rainier: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Cambridge, MD

Source: Wikipedia User FlickreviewR | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 13,058
HHI: 3,502
% White: 37.3%
% African American: 44.5%
% Hispanic: 7.7%
% Asian: 2.4%
More on Cambridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Methodology: How we determined the most diverse cities in Maryland for 2024

We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census — and Saturday Night Science. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Maryland.

That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2018-2022 American Community Survey data from the US Census.

Specifically, we looked at table B03002: HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:

  • White alone*
  • Black or African American alone*
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
  • Asian alone*
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
  • Some other race alone*
  • Two or more races*
  • Hispanic or Latino
* Not Hispanic or latino

We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 5,000 people. That left us with 43 cities.

We then calculated the HHI for each city by finding the racial breakdown of a city in percent terms, squaring them, and then adding the squares together. This left us with scores ranging from 2,426 (Gaithersburg) to 8,618 (District Heights).

Finally, we ranked each city based on the HHI, with a lower score being more diverse than a high score. Gaithersburg took the distinction of being the most diverse, while District Heights was the least diverse city.

We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most diverse places in Maryland.

Summary: Diversity Across Maryland

If you’re looking for a scientific breakdown of diversity across Maryland, this is an accurate list.

The most diverse cities in Maryland are Gaithersburg, Hyattsville, College Park, Rockville, Greenbelt, Cheverly, Takoma Park, Laurel, Mount Rainier, and Cambridge.

If you’re curious enough, here are the least diverse places in Maryland:

  1. District Heights
  2. Thurmont
  3. Manchester

For more Maryland reading, check out:

Race By City In Maryland For 2024

Rank City Population HHI % White % Black % Hispanic % Asian
1 Gaithersburg, MD 69,016 2,426 32.5% 15.5% 26.0% 20.9%
2 Hyattsville, MD 20,851 2,728 26.3% 27.3% 35.3% 5.9%
3 College Park, MD 34,416 2,754 42.0% 22.5% 16.5% 14.0%
4 Rockville, MD 67,142 2,934 45.0% 9.7% 17.5% 22.1%
5 Greenbelt, MD 24,646 3,009 20.7% 46.7% 15.4% 11.6%
6 Cheverly, MD 6,132 3,097 33.6% 42.3% 7.3% 6.1%
7 Takoma Park, MD 17,542 3,103 42.1% 33.3% 12.2% 5.9%
8 Laurel, MD 29,581 3,268 16.6% 50.4% 18.3% 9.5%
9 Mount Rainier, MD 8,262 3,326 20.3% 42.4% 33.3% 1.3%
10 Cambridge, MD 13,058 3,502 37.3% 44.5% 7.7% 2.4%
11 Frederick, MD 78,390 3,597 54.2% 17.2% 17.7% 5.2%
12 Salisbury, MD 32,960 3,654 44.7% 39.7% 5.2% 4.7%
13 Annapolis, MD 40,719 3,667 53.1% 22.8% 17.4% 2.7%
14 Aberdeen, MD 16,422 3,684 54.1% 24.3% 11.1% 2.8%
15 Riverdale Park, MD 7,284 3,722 16.0% 20.8% 54.7% 2.7%
16 Bowie, MD 57,922 3,958 27.3% 55.8% 8.2% 3.4%
17 La Plata, MD 10,283 4,069 52.0% 36.3% 5.6% 2.5%
18 Hagerstown, MD 43,374 4,164 59.9% 20.7% 9.7% 1.8%
19 Fruitland, MD 5,603 4,343 60.3% 24.3% 9.7% 2.8%
20 Baltimore, MD 584,548 4,460 27.0% 60.7% 5.9% 2.5%
21 Elkton, MD 15,830 4,518 64.5% 14.9% 7.4% 1.6%
22 New Carrollton, MD 13,580 4,771 6.6% 64.5% 23.4% 1.6%
23 Easton, MD 17,118 4,874 67.0% 15.9% 10.6% 1.9%
24 Havre De Grace, MD 14,743 5,045 68.2% 17.6% 7.6% 2.0%
25 Brunswick, MD 7,781 5,088 69.4% 10.9% 9.4% 2.2%
26 Cheste, MD 5,522 5,220 68.1% 23.8% 4.1% 2.0%
27 Bladensburg, MD 9,574 5,243 1.2% 65.0% 31.8% 0.5%
28 Berlin, MD 5,056 5,943 75.1% 16.6% 4.1% 0.5%
29 Bel Air, MD 10,630 6,050 77.0% 4.2% 8.6% 4.5%
30 Chesapeake Beach, MD 6,358 6,166 77.6% 6.5% 3.3% 3.1%
31 Poolesville, MD 5,686 6,190 77.6% 0.3% 8.3% 9.2%
32 Frostburg, MD 7,118 6,311 78.3% 12.5% 3.5% 2.8%
33 Glenarden, MD 6,335 6,355 2.5% 78.2% 14.9% 0.4%
34 Westminster, MD 20,099 6,449 79.6% 6.7% 6.2% 3.0%
35 Walkersville, MD 6,239 6,749 81.6% 5.9% 5.0% 3.4%
36 Mount Airy, MD 9,667 7,095 83.8% 2.7% 7.1% 2.2%
37 Taneytown, MD 7,234 7,427 85.6% 9.8% 2.7% 0.9%
38 Cumberland, MD 19,041 7,634 87.1% 4.3% 2.3% 0.8%
39 Ocean City, MD 6,879 7,638 86.9% 0.6% 8.6% 0.8%
40 Hampstead, MD 6,278 7,669 87.4% 2.9% 1.8% 4.3%
41 Manchester, MD 5,403 8,022 89.4% 1.4% 2.9% 0.7%
42 Thurmont, MD 6,313 8,366 91.3% 1.2% 4.2% 0.0%
43 District Heights, MD 5,905 8,618 3.1% 92.8% 1.6% 0.1%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.