Four Fairfield County cities top diversity rankings

A WalletHub study of the most diverse cities in the United States placed four from Fairfield County among the most diverse among 501 urban areas studied.

Norwalk was ranked at number 30, Stamford took slot 19, while Bridgeport and Danbury were numbers 12 and 10 respectively.

The cities were measured across five different factors to determine their rankings.

The first factor was “Socioeconomic Diversity” which was based on household income levels and educational attainment. “Cultural Diversity” which highlights ethnic, linguistic, and whether individuals were born where they currently live. “Economic Diversity” which measures the industries people work in, what their role within an organization is, and whether they are self-employed or not. “Household Diversity” which measures marital status, age range, and household size. Lastly “Religious Diversity” which measured the professed faith of respondents.

“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 study’s authors wrote. “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.