The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelyhood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different race or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
| County | Diversity Index | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Highland County | 5.1 |
| 2. | Craig County | 5.7 |
| 3. | Dickenson County | 6.1 |
| 4. | Russell County | 8.4 |
| 5. | Scott County | 8.5 |
| 6. | Buchanan County | 10.6 |
| 7. | Washington County | 11.2 |
| 8. | Giles County | 12.2 |
| 9. | Lee County | 12.3 |
| 10. | Bland County | 12.5 |
| 11. | Tazewell County | 13.0 |
| 12. | Wythe County | 14.0 |
| 13. | Page County | 14.3 |
| 14. | Smyth County | 15.0 |
| 15. | Botetourt County | 15.7 |
| 16. | Carroll County | 16.4 |
| 17. | Floyd County | 16.7 |
| 18. | Wise County | 16.8 |
| 19. | Alleghany County | 17.7 |
| 20. | Bath County | 17.9 |
