The 10 Most Diverse Cities In Washington For 2022


We used data and science to determine the most diverse cities in Washington.

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Most Diverse Cities In Washington

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Race relations in America seem to be hitting a tipping point.

While we still haven't dealt with racism as a society, the election of Donald Trump to the presidency has only flamed the tensions that have been mounting for years.

Part of the reason for that tension? The country as a whole continues to self segregate across race, income, and party lines. But it's not all bad on the race relations front.

There are parts of Washington where there's a high level of diversity -- where people of all walks of life come together. We decided to shine a light on those places today.

Using a standard measure of diversity, we ranked all 121 cities in Washington from most to least diverse.

Here are the 10 most diverse places in Washington for 2022:

  1. Tukwila
  2. SeaTac
  3. Fife
  4. Kent
  5. Federal Way
  6. Pacific
  7. Renton
  8. Lakewood
  9. Des Moines
  10. Burien

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

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

And if you already knew these places were diverse, check out:

The 10 Most Diverse Places In Washington For 2022

1. Tukwila

Tukwila, WA

Source: Wikipedia User Joe Mabel | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 20,265

HHI: 2,197
% White: 27.8%
% African American: 20.1%
% Asian: 26.1%
More on Tukwila: Photos | Data

2. Seatac

Seatac, WA

Source: Wikipedia User SounderBruce from Seattle | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 29,102

HHI: 2,296
% White: 33.4%
% African American: 23.4%
% Asian: 11.7%
More on Seatac: Photos | Data

3. Fife

Fife, WA

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

6
/10

Population: 10,345

HHI: 2,567
% White: 43.7%
% African American: 9.4%
% Asian: 15.3%
More on Fife: Photos | Data

4. Kent

Kent, WA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 130,038

HHI: 2,627
% White: 41.5%
% African American: 11.7%
% Asian: 21.6%
More on Kent: Photos | Data

5. Federal Way

Federal Way, WA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 96,812

HHI: 2,644
% White: 43.1%
% African American: 15.2%
% Asian: 13.9%
More on Federal Way: Photos | Data

6. Pacific

Pacific, WA

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

8.5
/10

Population: 7,122

HHI: 2,764
% White: 46.4%
% African American: 8.5%
% Asian: 13.1%
More on Pacific: Photos | Data

7. Renton

Renton, WA

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

8.5
/10

Population: 101,871

HHI: 2,856
% White: 44.2%
% African American: 8.7%
% Asian: 23.8%
More on Renton: Photos | Data

8. Lakewood

Lakewood, WA

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

6
/10

Population: 60,564

HHI: 2,966
% White: 48.1%
% African American: 12.5%
% Asian: 7.6%
More on Lakewood: Photos | Data

9. Des Moines

Des Moines, WA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 31,983

HHI: 3,099
% White: 49.7%
% African American: 9.2%
% Asian: 11.8%
More on Des Moines: Photos | Data

10. Burien

Burien, WA

Source: Wikipedia User No machine-readable autho | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 51,588

HHI: 3,115
% White: 47.9%
% African American: 10.0%
% Asian: 13.2%
More on Burien: Photos | Data

Methodology: How we determined the most diverse cities in Washington for 2022

We still believe in the accuracy of data -- especially from the census. So that's where we went to get the breakdown of race across Washington.

That lead us to the Census's most recently available data, the 2016-2020 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
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We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 5,000 people. That left us with 121 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 2,197 (Tukwila) to 9,784 (Mattawa).

Finally, we ranked each city based on the HHI with a lower score being more diverse than a high score. Tukwila took the distinction of being the most diverse, while Mattawa was the least diverse city. You can download the data here.

Read on for more information on how the cities in Washington ranked for diversity or, for a more general take on diversity in america, head over to our ranking of the most diverse cities in America.

Summary: Diversity Across Washington

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

If you're curious enough, here are the least diverse places in Washington:

  1. Mattawa
  2. Liberty Lake
  3. Port Townsend

For more Washington reading, check out:

Detailed List Of Race By City In Washington For 2022

Rank City Population HHI
1 Tukwila, WA 20,265 2,197
2 Seatac, WA 29,102 2,296
3 Fife, WA 10,345 2,567
4 Kent, WA 130,038 2,627
5 Federal Way, WA 96,812 2,644
6 Pacific, WA 7,122 2,764
7 Renton, WA 101,871 2,856
8 Lakewood, WA 60,564 2,966
9 Des Moines, WA 31,983 3,099
10 Burien, WA 51,588 3,115
11 Auburn, WA 80,914 3,240
12 Newcastle, WA 12,078 3,391
13 Lynnwood, WA 38,538 3,479
14 Tacoma, WA 215,766 3,714
15 Bellevue, WA 146,145 3,749
16 Connell, WA 5,518 3,759
17 Oak Harbor, WA 23,358 3,834
18 Redmond, WA 67,959 3,840
19 Issaquah, WA 38,707 4,236
20 Everett, WA 110,840 4,255
21 Yakima, WA 93,829 4,265
22 Mill Creek, WA 20,750 4,274
23 Seattle, WA 741,251 4,314
24 Union Gap, WA 6,167 4,347
25 Dupont, WA 9,514 4,365
26 Steilacoom, WA 6,366 4,409
27 Sammamish, WA 65,265 4,420
28 Lacey, WA 50,827 4,458
29 Prosser, WA 6,288 4,460
30 Moses Lake, WA 23,442 4,498
31 Shoreline, WA 56,835 4,500
32 Mount Vernon, WA 35,502 4,526
33 Pasco, WA 74,266 4,531
34 Airway Heights, WA 8,885 4,535
35 Bothell, WA 46,386 4,612
36 Mukilteo, WA 21,414 4,636
37 Mountlake Terrace, WA 21,328 4,650
38 University Place, WA 33,661 4,697
39 Bremerton, WA 41,258 4,761
40 Port Orchard, WA 14,303 4,808
41 Wenatchee, WA 34,249 4,827
42 Burlington, WA 9,085 4,837
43 Monroe, WA 19,403 4,845
44 East Wenatchee, WA 14,012 4,892
45 Covington, WA 21,131 4,902
46 Kennewick, WA 82,633 4,988
47 Kirkland, WA 91,146 5,080
48 Vancouver, WA 182,792 5,180
49 Aberdeen, WA 16,571 5,202
50 Walla Walla, WA 32,951 5,234
51 Mercer Island, WA 25,820 5,245
52 Pullman, WA 33,974 5,288
53 Marysville, WA 69,629 5,314
54 Selah, WA 7,957 5,327
55 Shelton, WA 10,467 5,365
56 Milton, WA 8,211 5,403
57 North Bend, WA 7,161 5,442
58 Fircrest, WA 6,844 5,471
59 College Place, WA 9,311 5,482
60 Ephrata, WA 8,081 5,545
61 Kenmore, WA 22,969 5,643
62 Olympia, WA 52,290 5,667
63 Sultan, WA 5,330 5,682
64 Cheney, WA 12,455 5,716
65 Woodinville, WA 13,038 5,718
66 Edmonds, WA 42,347 5,778
67 Arlington, WA 19,947 5,798
68 Ferndale, WA 14,591 5,854
69 Brier, WA 6,899 5,884
70 Tumwater, WA 23,390 5,939
71 Sedro-Woolley, WA 11,919 5,943
72 Puyallup, WA 41,666 5,945
73 Lake Forest Park, WA 13,455 6,017
74 Maple Valley, WA 26,739 6,021
75 Woodland, WA 6,223 6,031
76 Richland, WA 57,353 6,032
77 Yelm, WA 9,262 6,106
78 Ellensburg, WA 20,679 6,132
79 Bellingham, WA 90,821 6,139
80 Snoqualmie, WA 13,550 6,188
81 Longview, WA 37,914 6,236
82 Sumner, WA 10,246 6,241
83 Bonney Lake, WA 21,247 6,274
84 Lake Stevens, WA 33,470 6,307
85 Camas, WA 24,043 6,321
86 Centralia, WA 17,473 6,343
87 Orting, WA 8,267 6,407
88 Enumclaw, WA 12,062 6,425
89 Othello, WA 8,241 6,434
90 Kelso, WA 12,237 6,438
91 Sequim, WA 7,441 6,468
92 Chehalis, WA 7,607 6,490
93 Poulsbo, WA 10,869 6,567
94 Spokane, WA 219,185 6,585
95 West Richland, WA 14,842 6,647
96 Quincy, WA 7,815 6,670
97 Duvall, WA 7,979 6,672
98 Lynden, WA 14,700 6,685
99 Port Angeles, WA 20,071 6,737
100 Normandy Park, WA 6,643 6,772
Download The Entire Washington Ranking Data

How Is The Area In ?

Editor's Note: We updated this article for 2022. This is our ninth time ranking the most diverse places in Washington.

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.

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