melting pots

Dallas deemed one of the country's 5 most diverse cities by new report

Dallas ranks as one of the most diverse cities in America.

Photo by Joe Daniel Price

The largest cities in Texas continue to be among the most diverse in the nation. Houston, Dallas, and Arlington all rank among America's 10 diverse cities for 2019, according to personal finance site WalletHub.

Dallas, specifically, takes the fifth spot on the list, with a total score of 71.12. The site compared 501 of the most populated cities in America across five key dimensions: socioeconomic diversity, cultural diversity, economic diversity, household diversity, and religious diversity. The report drills down into metrics such as industry diversity, income, age, religious affiliation, education, language, worker class, and marital status.

"By 2050, many shifts will happen. For example, while non-Hispanic whites are expected to remain the largest ethnic group, they will no longer make up a majority of the population," the report says. "But America’s transformation is more than skin-deep — it’s economic, too. Not only have waves of immigration changed the face of the nation, they’ve also brought in fresh perspectives, skills and technologies to help the U.S. develop a strong adaptability to change."

While Dallas doesn't stand out in any one category, Big D scores best in industry diversity (No. 22), educational-attainment diversity (No. 30), and racial and ethnic diversity (No. 37). In socioeconomic diversity, Dallas ranks 107th. Its lowest score is in worker-class diversity (No. 423).

Houston, with a total score of 71.6, is the most diverse city in the country, says WalletHub, moving up from the No. 2 spot, behind Jersey City, New Jersey, in 2018.

Not far behind Dallas, Arlington ranks No. 9, with 70.87 points. Dallas' neighbor scores best in racial and ethnic diversity (No. 17), industry diversity (No. 37), and cultural diversity (No. 41). In socioeconomic diversity, Arlington ranks 133rd. Its lowest score is in age diversity (No. 405).

Fort Worth comes in at No. 25, and further down the list are Austin (No. 42), Plano (No. 57), San Antonio (No. 62), Corpus Christi (No. 71), El Paso (No. 214), and Laredo (No. 463).

The least diverse city in America? The scenery apparently doesn’t change much in Provo, Utah, which comes in last on WalletHub’s list.

lists rankings reports wallethub

Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

politics