Racial diversity in Vermont is a mixed bag.
There are parts of Vermont where there’s a high level of diversity. But where will you find the most diverse places in Vermont?
To answer that question, we went to the US Census data. Using Saturday Night Science, we measured the Gini coefficient for all 8 cities in Vermont to rank them from most to least diverse.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Here are the 10 most diverse places in Vermont for 2024:
So what city is the most diverse in Vermont? According to the most Census data, Winooski took the number one over all spot for diversity in Vermont.
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. To see where Vermont ranked as a state, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in Ameria.
For more Vermont reading:
The 10 Most Diverse Places In Vermont For 2024
/10
Population: 8,122
HHI: 6,533
% White: 79.8%
% African American: 4.9%
% Hispanic: 2.7%
% Asian: 11.3%
More on Winooski: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,646
HHI: 6,567
% White: 80.3%
% African American: 3.4%
% Hispanic: 1.9%
% Asian: 7.8%
More on Essex Junction: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 20,241
HHI: 6,636
% White: 80.7%
% African American: 1.8%
% Hispanic: 3.0%
% Asian: 9.1%
More on South Burlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 44,646
HHI: 7,433
% White: 85.9%
% African American: 3.6%
% Hispanic: 3.3%
% Asian: 3.1%
More on Burlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 8,030
HHI: 8,102
% White: 89.8%
% African American: 0.6%
% Hispanic: 2.9%
% Asian: 2.1%
More on Montpelier: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 6,891
HHI: 8,140
% White: 90.0%
% African American: 0.7%
% Hispanic: 0.9%
% Asian: 0.0%
More on St. Albans: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 8,488
HHI: 8,708
% White: 93.2%
% African American: 0.4%
% Hispanic: 1.8%
% Asian: 0.9%
More on Barre: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,819
HHI: 8,784
% White: 93.7%
% African American: 0.6%
% Hispanic: 2.1%
% Asian: 1.1%
More on Rutland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How we determined the most diverse cities in Vermont 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 Vermont.
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
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 6,000 people. That left us with 8 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 6,533 (Winooski) to 8,784 (Rutland).
Finally, we ranked each city based on the HHI, with a lower score being more diverse than a high score. Winooski took the distinction of being the most diverse, while Rutland was the least diverse city.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most diverse places in Vermont.
Summary: Diversity Across Vermont
If you’re looking for a scientific breakdown of diversity across Vermont, this is an accurate list.
The most diverse cities in Vermont are Winooski, Essex Junction, South Burlington, Burlington, Montpelier, St. Albans, Barre, and Rutland.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least diverse places in Vermont:
- Rutland
- Barre
- St. Albans
For more Vermont reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Vermont
- Cheapest Places To Live In Vermont
- Most Dangerous Cities In Vermont
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Vermont
- Safest Places In Vermont
- Worst Places To Live In Vermont
Race By City In Vermont For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | HHI | % White | % Black | % Hispanic | % Asian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winooski, VT | 8,122 | 6,533 | 79.8% | 4.9% | 2.7% | 11.3% |
| 2 | Essex Junction, VT | 10,646 | 6,567 | 80.3% | 3.4% | 1.9% | 7.8% |
| 3 | South Burlington, VT | 20,241 | 6,636 | 80.7% | 1.8% | 3.0% | 9.1% |
| 4 | Burlington, VT | 44,646 | 7,433 | 85.9% | 3.6% | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| 5 | Montpelier, VT | 8,030 | 8,102 | 89.8% | 0.6% | 2.9% | 2.1% |
| 6 | St. Albans, VT | 6,891 | 8,140 | 90.0% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.0% |
| 7 | Barre, VT | 8,488 | 8,708 | 93.2% | 0.4% | 1.8% | 0.9% |
| 8 | Rutland, VT | 15,819 | 8,784 | 93.7% | 0.6% | 2.1% | 1.1% |