Mississippi Ranks 33rd in WalletHub’s Most Diverse States Study

Mississippi ranks 33rd in the nation for diversity, according to WalletHub’s 2026 Most Diverse States in America report, released as Hispanic Heritage Month gets underway.

The personal-finance company compared all 50 states across six key categories: socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household, religious and political diversity. California, Texas and New Mexico topped the list; West Virginia ranked last.

Mississippi’s showing was a study in contrasts. The state ranked first in the nation for occupational diversity and first for marital-status diversity, and placed in the top 10 for economic and household diversity. But it ranked 49th for socioeconomic diversity and last — 50th — for political diversity.

WalletHub’s analysts note that diversity spans far more than racial lines, encompassing ages, birthplaces, languages, jobs and family structures. The most diverse states, the report says, show above-average variety across all of those measures.

The full report is available at wallethub.com.