Maryland is far more diverse than Missouri. On the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 diversity index, Maryland scored in the high 60s, one of the highest scores of any state and well above the national figure of about 61 percent. Missouri scored around 40, well below average. The gap is one of the widest in this series: Maryland has no single racial or ethnic majority, while roughly three in four Missourians are non-Hispanic White.
Below, we explain how the index works, compare the two states side by side, and look at the places that drive each score, from Prince George’s County to St. Louis.
What the diversity index measures
The Census Bureau’s Diversity Index (DI) is the probability that two people chosen at random from a place belong to different racial or ethnic groups. It ranges from 0 to 100. A score of 40 means there is about a 40 percent chance two random residents differ; a score of 67 means the chance is about two in three.
The categories come from the census race and Hispanic origin questions: Hispanic or Latino, and non-Hispanic White, Black, Asian, American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, some other race, and multiracial.
Useful context before comparing:
- The index is highest when several groups are roughly balanced. Maryland’s large Black population combined with sizable Hispanic and Asian shares creates that balance.
- It does not measure income, religion or national origin. Maryland’s Ethiopian and Salvadoran communities, for instance, appear only within broad race and Hispanic categories.
- The 2020 Census improved how race responses were coded, increasing the multiracial count, so some of the change since 2010 reflects method rather than migration.
Missouri vs Maryland at a glance
These are rounded approximations from recent Census Bureau data, intended for comparison.
| Measure | Missouri | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | About 6.2 million | About 6.2 million |
| 2020 diversity index | Around 40 | High 60s |
| Non-Hispanic White share | Roughly three quarters | Under half |
| Black share | Around 11 percent | Around 29 to 30 percent |
| Hispanic or Latino share | Around 5 percent | Around 11 to 12 percent |
| Asian share | About 2 percent | About 6 to 7 percent |
| Main diversity hubs | St. Louis, Kansas City | Prince George’s, Montgomery, Baltimore |
The two states have almost the same population, which makes the comparison especially clear. Every major group other than non-Hispanic White is two to three times larger as a share of Maryland’s population than of Missouri’s.
Why Maryland is so diverse
Prince George’s County
Prince George’s County, just east of Washington, D.C., is majority Black and is often cited as one of the most affluent majority-Black counties in the United States. Its growth was shaped by Black families moving out of D.C. from the 1970s onward, and by federal jobs, military installations and universities in the region. The county’s Hispanic population, especially in areas like Langley Park and Hyattsville, has grown quickly, with many Salvadoran, Guatemalan and Honduran families.
Montgomery County
Montgomery County, northwest of D.C., is one of the most diverse large counties in the country, with no single group forming a majority. Silver Spring and Wheaton have large Ethiopian and Eritrean communities, Gaithersburg and Germantown are highly mixed, and Rockville and Potomac have large Chinese, Korean, Indian and Iranian populations. Federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, along with biotech employers, attract professionals from around the world.
Baltimore and the rest of the state
Baltimore is majority Black and has deep African American history, from Frederick Douglass (who lived there as a young man) to Thurgood Marshall, who grew up in the city. Howard County, between Baltimore and D.C., has a large Korean American community around Ellicott City. By contrast, Western Maryland and much of the Eastern Shore are much less diverse, though the Eastern Shore has a long-established Black population and a growing Hispanic workforce in poultry and seafood processing.
Where Missouri’s diversity lives
St. Louis
St. Louis city is roughly 45 percent Black, and North St. Louis and parts of North County are majority Black. The city also has one of the largest Bosnian communities outside Europe, centered around Bevo Mill in south St. Louis, which grew rapidly after refugees fled the Bosnian war in the 1990s. Cherokee Street has a visible Mexican American business district, and the city has resettled refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and elsewhere.
Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri, has a large Black community on the East Side and a historic Hispanic community on the Westside, one of the oldest Mexican American neighborhoods in the Midwest. It also has growing Vietnamese, Somali, Sudanese and Ethiopian communities, many tied to refugee resettlement agencies in the area.
Rural Missouri
Outside the two metro areas, most of Missouri is overwhelmingly non-Hispanic White. There are exceptions: the Bootheel in the southeast has a long-established Black population, and meatpacking and poultry towns such as Noel in southwest Missouri and Milan in the north have drawn Hispanic and immigrant workers, including a Somali community in Noel.
What the gap means in practice
A 25-plus point difference on the index shows up in everyday life:
- Schools: Many Maryland school districts, particularly Montgomery and Prince George’s, serve students speaking well over 100 home languages. Most Missouri districts outside St. Louis and Kansas City have far fewer English learners.
- Politics: Maryland’s majority-minority population has shaped its politics, with strong Black representation in state and local government. In Missouri, Black political influence is concentrated in St. Louis and Kansas City.
- Economy: Maryland’s proximity to D.C. and its federal and research employers draw international workers; Missouri’s economy leans more on manufacturing, agriculture, logistics and healthcare.
- Culture: Maryland hosts large Ethiopian, Salvadoran, Korean and West African cultural events. Missouri’s cultural landscape is anchored by Black music history (St. Louis blues, Kansas City jazz), Bosnian and Mexican communities, and German heritage in towns along the Missouri River.
Reading county data for yourself
Statewide averages can mislead in both directions. A quick way to get a truer picture of the place you actually live or plan to move:
- Open the Census Bureau’s 2020 Census diversity index map and zoom to county level. In Maryland, compare Montgomery and Prince George’s with Garrett County in the far west; in Missouri, compare St. Louis city and Jackson County with rural counties in the Ozarks.
- Look at the group shares behind each score, not only the index itself, because two counties with similar scores can have very different populations.
- For small towns, use the American Community Survey five-year estimates, and treat small group numbers with caution because of margins of error.
- Check school district demographic reports, which often show change faster than census data.
Following local news
Census data is updated only once a decade, with yearly survey estimates in between. For what is happening in communities right now, local news and press platforms are practical sources. Missouri PR Reports publishes news and releases from across Missouri, useful for following businesses, events and community organizations in St. Louis, Kansas City and smaller towns.
For Maryland, Maryland PR Insider covers state news and announcements, a good way to keep up with what is happening in Baltimore, the D.C. suburbs and beyond.
Whatever you read, check whether a number comes from the decennial census or the American Community Survey, which year it covers, and whether it describes a whole state or a specific county.
What to watch next
Maryland’s score is already among the highest in the country and may keep inching up as its Hispanic and Asian populations grow. Missouri is diversifying more slowly, mainly in the St. Louis and Kansas City suburbs and in a few rural towns with meatpacking or manufacturing plants. The 2024 federal update to race and ethnicity standards, including a new Middle Eastern or North African category, will affect how future scores are calculated in both states.
For more comparisons, see New Jersey vs Virginia, which covers Maryland’s neighbor Virginia, and Wisconsin vs Colorado. The full series is in the Daily Bites category.
Frequently asked questions
Is Maryland more diverse than Missouri?
Yes, by a wide margin. Maryland scored in the high 60s on the 2020 Census diversity index, one of the highest state scores, while Missouri scored around 40.
Is Maryland a majority-minority state?
Yes. Non-Hispanic White residents make up less than half of Maryland’s population according to the 2020 Census, so no single racial or ethnic group is a majority.
What is the most diverse county in Maryland?
Montgomery County and Prince George’s County are the most diverse. Montgomery has no majority group, and Prince George’s is majority Black with a fast-growing Hispanic population.
Why are there so many Bosnians in St. Louis?
Refugees fleeing the war in Bosnia in the 1990s were resettled in St. Louis, and the community grew as relatives joined them. It is now one of the largest Bosnian communities outside Europe.
Where can I find exact diversity index figures?
The Census Bureau publishes 2020 diversity index values for every state and county through its data visualizations and data.census.gov.
