These three California cities are the most racially diverse in the US, study says

Stockton, Oakland and Sacramento are the most racially and ethnically diverse cities in the country, according to a new study by U.S. News & World Report.

To reach its findings, U.S. News says it used a diversity index and census data to evaluate the 66 most-populated cities that had a population of more than 300,000 people.

Overall, the highest diversity ranking went to the central California city of Stockton followed by Oakland and Sacramento, U.S. News says. The city with the biggest jump in diversity was Detroit, while Miami saw the biggest decrease, according to the study.

Other California cities that ranked in the top 10 include Long Beach, San Jose, Los Angeles and Fresno.

The state has immigrants from more than 60 countries and became a “majority-minority” from 1980 to 2000, according to U.S. News & World Report.

“California is America, just sooner,” Manuel Pastor, a sociology professor at the University of Southern California and director of the school’s Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, told U.S. News & World Report.

Long Beach, which came in fifth on the diversity report, has racial segregation and high rates of poverty for black and Hispanic residents.

Despite being diverse, California struggles with racial and class inequality with housing, education and income gaps.

“Long Beach is a very different city depending on where you’re at geographically — the city continues to be very divided,” said Marlene Montañez, a community organizer with LAANE.

This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 10:56 AM with the headline "These three California cities are the most racially diverse in the US, study says."