Charlotte is the most diverse city in NC, a report says. A city official explains why
Charlotte is the most ethnically diverse city in North Carolina, according to a new report by the national personal financial institution WalletHub.
The report also found that Charlotte is the 23rd most diverse city in the nation among cities with more than 300,000 residents.
To identify the most diverse cities in the nation, the report compared more than 500 of the largest U.S. cities across three categories that included ethnoracial diversity, linguistic diversity and birthplace diversity.
Less than 1% of people who live in Charlotte identify as Native American, Pacific Islander or another ethnicity, according to the latest U.S. Census data.
Census data also show that 17.2% of Charlotte residents were born outside of the U.S. Of that population, 47% were born in Latin America, 32% in Asia, 13% in Africa and 7% in Europe. One in four children ages 5-17 lives in a home where English is not the primary language spoken.
Raleigh was the second-most ethnically diverse city in North Carolina on the list, followed by Durham, Cary, High Point and Fayetteville. Wilmington is the least diverse city in the state among those included on the list, according to the report.
Job, education opportunities fuel Charlotte’s diversity, city inclusion leader says
Steven Coker, the manager of the Charlotte Business INClusion program, said leadership positions and job opportunities in industries such as government, banking, health care and education are what has attracted diverse groups to the city.
“There’s an abundance of opportunity that I think is a magnet to people who are living in other places,” said Coker, who operates an initiative that seeks to enhance participation of minority, women and small business enterprises in city contracting.
Some also choose to start their own businesses, but minority owners in Charlotte face many challenges, including access to capital and networking shortfalls, according to Coker.
However, CBI has stepped in to offer networking opportunities and provide educational opportunities on how to obtain contracts with the city for those business owners, Coker said, adding that there are more than 1,400 MWSBEs in the city’s certified vendor pool.
City officials are also promoting diversity in other areas, like the Office of Equity, Mobility and Immigration, which led the creation of Charlotte’s Language Access Plan to improve accessibility to government services for residents who do not speak English.
Also established is the Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services, which offers several programs to help members of underserved communities purchase homes.
“These are all groups within the government where you can see the priority that the city places on diversity and inclusion,” Coker said. “We look at it as a beautiful thing, and something that we celebrate.”
