Kentucky Lands Near the Bottom in 2025 Diversity Rankings

When you hear the word diversity, your first thought might be “variety” - and you’d be right. But these days, the word carries a lot more weight than just having a mix of things. We tend to think of it in terms of people - bringing together folks from different cultural, social, and economic backgrounds, as well as different genders, beliefs, and lifestyles.

How a State's Diversity is Measured

WalletHub recently dug into this topic in its annual Most & Least Diverse States in 2025 study, and the results were eye-opening. Instead of looking only at race or ethnicity, WalletHub compared all 50 states across six categories: socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household, religious, and political diversity. That gave them a broader picture of how much variety each state really has.

The States Leading the Way in Diversity

The states that scored the highest shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. California, Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and Hawaii took the top five spots - places you probably picture as being cultural melting pots already.

Kentucky's Diversity Ranking in 2025

But the news wasn’t so great for Kentucky. According to the study, Kentucky ranks 45th out of 50 when it comes to diversity. That means only five states landed lower on the list, putting the Bluegrass State among the least diverse in the country.

Breaking Down Kentucky’s Diversity Scores

Here’s how Kentucky measured up in each category:

• Socioeconomic Diversity: 44th
• Cultural Diversity: 45th
• Economic Diversity: 28th
• Household Diversity: 13th
• Religious Diversity: 29th
• Political Diversity: 38th

While Kentucky did a little better in household diversity, most of the other categories kept it near the bottom.

ALSO READ: This KY City Ranks Among the Top 10 Most Pet-Friendly Cities in 2025

So what does that mean for us here in the Tri-State? It’s a reminder that while Indiana and Illinois scored higher in some areas, our neighbor to the south still has a long way to go when it comes to representing a wide variety of voices and experiences.

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You can scroll over the map below to see how the rest of the country is ranked, but that number is only part of the story. You really should take a look at the FULL REPORT to get a better idea of where and how your state can become more diverse.