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.
| Name | County | Diversity Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Town of Indian Beach | Carteret | 1.8 |
| 2. | Harkers Island Census Designated Place | Carteret | 4.0 |
| 3. | Gloucester Census Designated Place | Carteret | 5.5 |
| 4. | Town of Wrightsville Beach | New Hanover | 6.9 |
| 5. | Marshallberg Census Designated Place | Carteret | 7.3 |
| 6. | Davis Census Designated Place | Carteret | 7.8 |
| 7. | Town of Hot Springs | Madison | 8.5 |
| 8. | Atlantic Census Designated Place | Carteret | 8.8 |
| 9. | Town of Biltmore Forest | Buncombe | 9.0 |
| 10. | Town of Duck | Dare | 9.3 |
| 11. | Town of Southern Shores | Dare | 9.6 |
| 12. | Town of Denton | Davidson | 9.7 |
| 13. | Hatteras Census Designated Place | Dare | 9.9 |
| 14. | Valle Crucis Census Designated Place | Watauga | 9.9 |
| 15. | Town of Kure Beach | New Hanover | 10.1 |
| 16. | Town of Saint James | Brunswick | 10.4 |
| 17. | West Canton Census Designated Place | Haywood | 10.4 |
| 18. | Town of Beech Mountain | Avery | 10.5 |
| 19. | City of Saluda | Polk | 10.7 |
| 20. | Town of Casar | Cleveland | 10.8 |
