Most diverse counties in Iowa

The United States has a longstanding reputation as being a melting pot (or salad bowl), with its diversity manifesting itself across many different demographics. However, some places across the country are notably more heterogeneous than others.

Stacker compiled a list of the most diverse counties in Iowa using data from using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest Simpson's diversity index score. Simpson's diversity index measures community diversity on a scale of 0 (least diverse) to 1 (most diverse), more on the calculation can be read here.

Think you know which counties in your home state might be the most diverse? Keep reading to see if your predictions are correct.

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#50. Boone County

- Index: 0.083
- Total population: 26,370
- White: 95.7% (25,246)
- Black or African American: 0.6% (168)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.4% (107)
- Asian: 0.3% (82)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.4% (112)
- 2 or more races: 1.7% (449)
- Some other Race: 0.8% (206)

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#49. Calhoun County

- Index: 0.085
- Total population: 9,744
- White: 95.6% (9,317)
- Black or African American: 1.5% (150)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.4% (36)
- Asian: 0.4% (35)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.7% (165)
- Some other Race: 0.4% (41)

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#48. Clarke County

- Index: 0.086
- Total population: 9,360
- White: 95.6% (8,946)
- Black or African American: 0.1% (6)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.4% (40)
- Asian: 0.7% (69)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.9% (177)
- Some other Race: 1.3% (122)

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#47. Jones County

- Index: 0.088
- Total population: 20,559
- White: 95.4% (19,621)
- Black or African American: 2.1% (435)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.1% (27)
- Asian: 1.0% (196)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.4% (280)
- Some other Race: 0.0% (0)

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#46. Fayette County

- Index: 0.089
- Total population: 19,803
- White: 95.4% (18,890)
- Black or African American: 2.2% (444)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (34)
- Asian: 0.3% (50)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.7% (344)
- Some other Race: 0.2% (41)

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#45. Jasper County

- Index: 0.091
- Total population: 36,971
- White: 95.3% (35,232)
- Black or African American: 2.0% (738)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (76)
- Asian: 0.5% (172)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.7% (638)
- Some other Race: 0.3% (115)

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#44. Clay County

- Index: 0.091
- Total population: 16,211
- White: 95.3% (15,446)
- Black or African American: 0.7% (112)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.0% (7)
- Asian: 0.6% (105)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (2)
- 2 or more races: 2.5% (398)
- Some other Race: 0.9% (141)

Kevin Schuchmann // Wikimedia Commons

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#43. Mahaska County

- Index: 0.092
- Total population: 22,164
- White: 95.3% (21,112)
- Black or African American: 1.4% (312)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (57)
- Asian: 1.5% (342)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.2% (50)
- 2 or more races: 1.3% (290)
- Some other Race: 0.0% (1)

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#42. Fremont County

- Index: 0.093
- Total population: 6,946
- White: 95.2% (6,614)
- Black or African American: 0.8% (55)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.6% (42)
- Asian: 0.0% (0)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.2% (80)
- Some other Race: 2.2% (155)

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#41. Washington County

- Index: 0.093
- Total population: 22,100
- White: 95.2% (21,043)
- Black or African American: 0.8% (172)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (58)
- Asian: 0.6% (132)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (4)
- 2 or more races: 1.4% (299)
- Some other Race: 1.8% (392)

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#40. Franklin County

- Index: 0.093
- Total population: 10,162
- White: 95.1% (9,669)
- Black or African American: 0.2% (25)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.1% (11)
- Asian: 0.0% (0)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 0.3% (30)
- Some other Race: 4.2% (427)

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#39. Hardin County

- Index: 0.096
- Total population: 17,061
- White: 95.0% (16,212)
- Black or African American: 1.3% (221)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 1.6% (272)
- Asian: 0.1% (13)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (5)
- 2 or more races: 1.4% (245)
- Some other Race: 0.5% (93)

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#38. Cherokee County

- Index: 0.099
- Total population: 11,343
- White: 94.9% (10,762)
- Black or African American: 2.0% (228)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (39)
- Asian: 0.8% (90)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.9% (218)
- Some other Race: 0.1% (6)

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#37. Winnebago County

- Index: 0.099
- Total population: 10,534
- White: 94.9% (9,993)
- Black or African American: 1.7% (181)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (34)
- Asian: 1.3% (134)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.1% (116)
- Some other Race: 0.7% (76)

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#36. Decatur County

- Index: 0.103
- Total population: 7,979
- White: 94.6% (7,552)
- Black or African American: 1.8% (141)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (24)
- Asian: 0.7% (59)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.3% (25)
- 2 or more races: 1.8% (141)
- Some other Race: 0.5% (37)

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#35. Emmet County

- Index: 0.104
- Total population: 9,438
- White: 94.6% (8,929)
- Black or African American: 2.1% (199)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (16)
- Asian: 0.3% (24)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.7% (158)
- Some other Race: 1.2% (112)

Judd Furlong // Wikimedia Commons

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#34. Montgomery County

- Index: 0.104
- Total population: 10,053
- White: 94.6% (9,509)
- Black or African American: 0.1% (11)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.9% (86)
- Asian: 0.2% (17)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.8% (185)
- Some other Race: 2.4% (245)

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#33. Taylor County

- Index: 0.104
- Total population: 6,167
- White: 94.6% (5,833)
- Black or African American: 0.0% (1)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (14)
- Asian: 1.0% (63)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.6% (99)
- Some other Race: 2.5% (157)

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#32. Sioux County

- Index: 0.105
- Total population: 34,827
- White: 94.6% (32,930)
- Black or African American: 0.4% (122)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (94)
- Asian: 0.7% (257)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (16)
- 2 or more races: 1.7% (595)
- Some other Race: 2.3% (813)

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#31. Plymouth County

- Index: 0.106
- Total population: 25,068
- White: 94.5% (23,694)
- Black or African American: 1.0% (244)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.5% (117)
- Asian: 0.7% (163)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.1% (268)
- Some other Race: 2.3% (582)

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#30. Osceola County

- Index: 0.107
- Total population: 6,052
- White: 94.5% (5,717)
- Black or African American: 1.3% (76)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (21)
- Asian: 0.1% (8)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (3)
- 2 or more races: 1.7% (100)
- Some other Race: 2.1% (127)

Dan Breyfogle // Wikimedia Commons

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#29. Cerro Gordo County

- Index: 0.115
- Total population: 42,834
- White: 94.1% (40,288)
- Black or African American: 1.7% (747)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.5% (215)
- Asian: 1.1% (491)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.1% (51)
- 2 or more races: 1.9% (793)
- Some other Race: 0.6% (249)

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#28. Floyd County

- Index: 0.116
- Total population: 15,786
- White: 94.0% (14,832)
- Black or African American: 1.7% (271)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.6% (97)
- Asian: 1.5% (237)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.2% (24)
- 2 or more races: 1.8% (283)
- Some other Race: 0.3% (42)

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#27. Hamilton County

- Index: 0.118
- Total population: 14,997
- White: 93.9% (14,077)
- Black or African American: 1.3% (202)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.1% (8)
- Asian: 3.0% (455)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.2% (32)
- 2 or more races: 0.1% (22)
- Some other Race: 1.3% (201)

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#26. Poweshiek County

- Index: 0.118
- Total population: 18,388
- White: 93.9% (17,261)
- Black or African American: 1.9% (354)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.0% (2)
- Asian: 2.1% (391)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.6% (286)
- Some other Race: 0.5% (94)

Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons

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#25. Page County

- Index: 0.120
- Total population: 15,268
- White: 93.7% (14,313)
- Black or African American: 2.0% (305)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.5% (79)
- Asian: 1.0% (152)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.1% (19)
- 2 or more races: 2.2% (335)
- Some other Race: 0.4% (65)

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#24. Lee County

- Index: 0.122
- Total population: 34,227
- White: 93.7% (32,054)
- Black or African American: 2.8% (946)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (83)
- Asian: 0.6% (213)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (6)
- 2 or more races: 2.2% (744)
- Some other Race: 0.5% (181)

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#23. Clinton County

- Index: 0.122
- Total population: 46,909
- White: 93.6% (43,921)
- Black or African American: 2.8% (1,320)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (141)
- Asian: 0.7% (326)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (2)
- 2 or more races: 2.3% (1,087)
- Some other Race: 0.2% (112)

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#22. Wright County

- Index: 0.125
- Total population: 12,739
- White: 93.4% (11,901)
- Black or African American: 0.4% (49)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.0% (3)
- Asian: 0.5% (67)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 1.6% (201)
- Some other Race: 4.1% (518)

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#21. Pottawattamie County

- Index: 0.135
- Total population: 93,393
- White: 93.0% (86,816)
- Black or African American: 1.8% (1,638)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.4% (355)
- Asian: 0.8% (728)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (10)
- 2 or more races: 1.9% (1,804)
- Some other Race: 2.2% (2,042)

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#20. Dubuque County

- Index: 0.141
- Total population: 96,982
- White: 92.6% (89,785)
- Black or African American: 3.5% (3,440)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (250)
- Asian: 1.1% (1,050)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.5% (509)
- 2 or more races: 1.5% (1,471)
- Some other Race: 0.5% (477)

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#19. Henry County

- Index: 0.158
- Total population: 19,941
- White: 91.6% (18,273)
- Black or African American: 2.2% (444)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (35)
- Asian: 2.6% (526)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (9)
- 2 or more races: 2.6% (519)
- Some other Race: 0.7% (135)

Bill Whittaker // Wikimedia Commons

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#18. Webster County

- Index: 0.176
- Total population: 36,545
- White: 90.6% (33,123)
- Black or African American: 4.7% (1,727)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (119)
- Asian: 1.4% (501)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (5)
- 2 or more races: 1.8% (649)
- Some other Race: 1.2% (421)

Stephen Matthew Milligan // Wikimedia Commons

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#17. Dallas County

- Index: 0.177
- Total population: 87,099
- White: 90.6% (78,883)
- Black or African American: 1.9% (1,654)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.1% (98)
- Asian: 4.5% (3,928)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.1% (83)
- 2 or more races: 2.0% (1,773)
- Some other Race: 0.8% (680)

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#16. Muscatine County

- Index: 0.181
- Total population: 42,889
- White: 90.4% (38,753)
- Black or African American: 2.5% (1,065)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (87)
- Asian: 0.9% (388)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (11)
- 2 or more races: 2.9% (1,225)
- Some other Race: 3.2% (1,360)

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#15. Louisa County

- Index: 0.181
- Total population: 11,178
- White: 90.3% (10,097)
- Black or African American: 1.1% (126)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.9% (96)
- Asian: 3.4% (377)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 0.9% (100)
- Some other Race: 3.4% (382)

Ian Poellet // Wikimedia Commons

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#14. Des Moines County

- Index: 0.183
- Total population: 39,386
- White: 90.1% (35,502)
- Black or African American: 5.7% (2,258)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (78)
- Asian: 0.8% (302)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 2.9% (1,150)
- Some other Race: 0.2% (96)

Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons

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#13. Linn County

- Index: 0.221
- Total population: 223,861
- White: 88.0% (197,046)
- Black or African American: 5.5% (12,389)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (493)
- Asian: 2.3% (5,086)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.1% (313)
- 2 or more races: 3.1% (6,828)
- Some other Race: 0.8% (1,706)

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#12. Tama County

- Index: 0.222
- Total population: 17,032
- White: 87.8% (14,952)
- Black or African American: 0.9% (157)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 8.4% (1,438)
- Asian: 0.5% (78)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (4)
- 2 or more races: 1.0% (178)
- Some other Race: 1.3% (225)

en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons

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#11. Wapello County

- Index: 0.233
- Total population: 35,141
- White: 87.3% (30,687)
- Black or African American: 3.6% (1,248)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.1% (36)
- Asian: 1.2% (432)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.7% (240)
- 2 or more races: 2.0% (704)
- Some other Race: 5.1% (1,794)

Carl Wycoff // Wikimedia Commons

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#10. Story County

- Index: 0.252
- Total population: 96,941
- White: 86.1% (83,428)
- Black or African American: 2.3% (2,213)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (223)
- Asian: 8.0% (7,795)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 2.5% (2,421)
- Some other Race: 0.9% (861)

Daniel Hartwig // Wikimedia Commons

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#9. Marshall County

- Index: 0.257
- Total population: 39,964
- White: 85.8% (34,303)
- Black or African American: 1.3% (502)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (105)
- Asian: 3.7% (1,474)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (15)
- 2 or more races: 2.3% (913)
- Some other Race: 6.6% (2,652)

Joe Elliott // Wikimedia Commons

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#8. Crawford County

- Index: 0.258
- Total population: 17,034
- White: 85.8% (14,619)
- Black or African American: 2.8% (477)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.6% (107)
- Asian: 2.1% (353)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.2% (27)
- 2 or more races: 2.1% (364)
- Some other Race: 6.4% (1,087)

formulanone // Wikimedia Commons

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#7. Scott County

- Index: 0.260
- Total population: 172,446
- White: 85.6% (147,646)
- Black or African American: 7.5% (12,954)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (543)
- Asian: 2.7% (4,698)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (39)
- 2 or more races: 3.1% (5,276)
- Some other Race: 0.7% (1,290)

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#6. Woodbury County

- Index: 0.261
- Total population: 102,586
- White: 85.7% (87,959)
- Black or African American: 3.6% (3,706)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 2.0% (2,010)
- Asian: 2.8% (2,908)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.3% (326)
- 2 or more races: 3.5% (3,565)
- Some other Race: 2.1% (2,112)

Katie Haugland Bowen // Flickr

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#5. Polk County

- Index: 0.286
- Total population: 479,612
- White: 84.0% (402,987)
- Black or African American: 6.8% (32,518)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% (1,530)
- Asian: 4.6% (21,909)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.1% (438)
- 2 or more races: 2.9% (13,774)
- Some other Race: 1.3% (6,456)

David Wilson // Wikimedia

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#4. Black Hawk County

- Index: 0.289
- Total population: 132,393
- White: 83.7% (110,821)
- Black or African American: 9.5% (12,534)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.4% (557)
- Asian: 2.4% (3,145)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.3% (352)
- 2 or more races: 2.3% (3,040)
- Some other Race: 1.5% (1,944)

en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons

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#3. Jefferson County

- Index: 0.299
- Total population: 18,148
- White: 83.2% (15,104)
- Black or African American: 7.2% (1,305)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.0% (3)
- Asian: 4.4% (790)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0% (0)
- 2 or more races: 3.8% (694)
- Some other Race: 1.4% (252)

Billwhittaker // Wikimedia Commons

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#2. Johnson County

- Index: 0.322
- Total population: 148,577
- White: 81.7% (121,408)
- Black or African American: 7.3% (10,815)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2% (288)
- Asian: 6.2% (9,271)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.1% (102)
- 2 or more races: 2.3% (3,454)
- Some other Race: 2.2% (3,239)

Scott A. Miller // Wikimedia Commons

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#1. Buena Vista County

- Index: 0.390
- Total population: 20,058
- White: 77.0% (15,451)
- Black or African American: 2.5% (505)
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.0% (5)
- Asian: 10.1% (2,020)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 1.5% (299)
- 2 or more races: 1.4% (285)
- Some other Race: 7.4% (1,493)

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Most diverse counties in Iowa

#50. Boone County

#49. Calhoun County

#48. Clarke County

#47. Jones County

#46. Fayette County

#45. Jasper County

#44. Clay County

#43. Mahaska County

#42. Fremont County

#41. Washington County

#40. Franklin County

#39. Hardin County

#38. Cherokee County

#37. Winnebago County

#36. Decatur County

#35. Emmet County

#34. Montgomery County

#33. Taylor County

#32. Sioux County

#31. Plymouth County

#30. Osceola County

#29. Cerro Gordo County

#28. Floyd County

#27. Hamilton County

#26. Poweshiek County

#25. Page County

#24. Lee County

#23. Clinton County

#22. Wright County

#21. Pottawattamie County

#20. Dubuque County

#19. Henry County

#18. Webster County

#17. Dallas County

#16. Muscatine County

#15. Louisa County

#14. Des Moines County

#13. Linn County

#12. Tama County

#11. Wapello County

#10. Story County

#9. Marshall County

#8. Crawford County

#7. Scott County

#6. Woodbury County

#5. Polk County

#4. Black Hawk County

#3. Jefferson County

#2. Johnson County

#1. Buena Vista County

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