Diversity News

Dallas makes top 10 list of most diverse large cities in America

Dallas skyline against a setting sun

Photo by Lance Asper on Unsplash

Dallas-Fort Worth has always been a diverse place, and now a new survey proves it to be true. Called Most Diverse Cities in the U.S., it's a new ranking by WalletHub and it puts Dallas as the 6th the most diverse large American city for 2025.

The rankings compared 501 U.S. cities in categories such as age, religion, marital status, and income. Cities were also ranked by population size: Large cities with more than 300,000 residents; midsize cities with 100,000 to 300,000 residents; and small cities with fewer than 100,000 residents.

A Dallas neighbor did the best: The city of Arlington came in at No. 1 on the list of large cities. Houston was No. 2, and Fort Worth was No. 12.

On an accompanying list that ranked cities regardless of their size, Dallas was No. 11. The three top cities on that list were all located in Maryland: Gaithersburg (No. 1), Silver Spring (No. 2), and Germantown (No. 3).

Embracing diversity is not only good for local communities, it's also beneficial for the economy, the report says.

"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," the report's author wrote. "Economies generally fare better when they openly embrace and capitalize on new ideas. Conversely, those relying on old ways and specialized industries tend to be hurt more by changes in the market."

Arlington is a repeat performer: It moved up one spot from its 2024 ranking, and previously ranked eighth in 2021 — showing that the suburb has consistently increased in diversity over the years.

Fort Worth came in at No. 25 overall The city performed the best in the overall categories for socioeconomic and cultural diversity, earning a respective No. 58 and No. 61.

Plano fell out of the top 100 this year and ranked 102nd.

The top 10 most diverse cities in America in 2025 are:

No. 1 – Gaithersburg, Maryland
No. 2 – Silver Spring, Maryland
No. 3 – Germantown, Maryland
No. 4 – Arlington, Texas
No. 5 – Houston, Texas
No. 6 – New York, New York
No. 7 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 8 – Jersey City, New Jersey
No. 9 – Danbury, Connecticut
No. 10 – Los Angeles, California

rankings wallethub diversity lists

income news

What it takes to be a middle class earner in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2025

Photo by J King on Unsplash

Being a middle class earner in Dallas is harder than it used to be.

Maintaining a middle class status in Dallas-Fort Worth only gets harder as the years go on, and the income ceiling to even be labeled as such has just risen even higher. So says SmartAsset's annual "What It Takes to Be Middle Class in America" report for 2025.

According to the latest findings, middle-class income in big cities has a wide range: Depending on where the city is located, it it can be as low as $49,478 or as high as $71,359. This is up from 2024, when middle-class incomes started at $47,568.

Among Texas cities, Plano holds the No. 1 spot on the list with the highest middle-class income ranges.

A household in Plano would need to make a minimum of $72,389 but no more than $217,188 to be considered "middle class" in 2025. Last year, the necessary salary range to maintain a middle class designation in Plano was between $63,651 and $190,004 a year.

The report used a variation of Pew Research's definition of a middle class household, stating the salary range is "two-thirds to double the median U.S. salary." To determine income limits, the report analyzed data from the Census Bureau's 2023 one-year American Community Survey, where the most recent data was available.

New to the 2025 edition, SmartAsset also determined the middle class income thresholds for all 50 states.

Arlington, Virginia has the highest middle class income range in the country, with households needing to make between $93,470 and $280,438 a year to be labeled "middle class."

Middle class earners across Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas households will also have a hard time maintaining a "middle class" designation, as the city climbed from No. 213 last year to No. 59 this year. Earners would have to make between $46,743 and $140,242 annually to be considered middle class in 2025. Last year, they would have needed to make between $43,596 and $130,800 a year.

In a shift from the 2024 report, SmartAsset decided to analyze only the top 100 most populous U.S. cities, after previously ranking 345 cities. That means Dallas-area suburbs like Allen and McKinney – which were among the top 40 cities with the highest middle class income threshold nationwide in 2024 – were left out of this year's analysis.

Here’s what it takes to be middle class in other DFW cities:

No. 43 – Irving: $52,885 to $158,670 yearly
No. 46 – Fort Worth: $51,383 to $154,164 yearly
No. 55 – Garland: $47,815 to $143,458 yearly
No. 61 – Arlington: $46,134 to $138,416 yearly

Elsewhere in Texas
On the opposite end of the scale, middle class earners in Lubbock have one of the smallest income ranges necessary to be labeled middle class in Texas: Between $36,297 and $108,902 a year. The city ranked 92nd nationwide.

The study says cost of living changes, rising inflation rates, and shifting wages nationwide have made it more difficult for Americans to maintain their "middle class" status.

"For middle-class Americans, the dream has long been a life of reasonable comfort — a stable home, the ability to save enough money to retire, and enough left over for periodic splurges like family vacations, updated cars, or home improvements," the report's author wrote. "But with living costs surging over the past few years, that dream is getting pricier."

Here’s what it takes to be a middle class earner in other Texas cities:

No. 18 – Austin: $60,995 to $183,002 yearly
No. 73 – Corpus Christi: $43,421 to $130,276 yearly
No. 75 – Houston: $41,754 to $125,274 yearly
No. 78 – San Antonio: $41,544 to $124,644 yearly
No. 82 – Laredo: $40,476 to $121,440 yearly
No. 86 – El Paso: $38,208 to $114,634 yearly

In SmartAsset's state-by-state analysis, Texas has the 23rd largest middle class income range. Texas households would need to make between $50,515 and $151,560 to be labeled "middle class" this year. The median income for a Texas household in 2023 came out to $75,780.

The No. 1 state with the highest income range required is Massachusetts, with middle class households needing to make between $66,565 and $199,716 yearly in 2025.

income middle class status reports smartasset dallas plano fort worth

Diversity News

Dallas makes top 10 list of most diverse large cities in America

Best ways to celebrate Mardi Gras 2025 in Dallas

Dallas leaders rally to save downtown Neiman Marcus from closing

New Dallas restaurant Mr Habanero brings haute touch to Mexican food

income news

What it takes to be a middle class earner in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2025