Yesterday we arrived in Silver Spring, Md, a suburb of Washington, DC. to visit friends. They love Silver Spring for its diversity and proximity to Washington DC. They live very near Rock Creek Park, an 1,754 acre national park that stretches from Silver Spring into Washington DC. Matt, who works for the State Dept., has an 11 mile bike ride in to work.

In 2024, Fortune magazine rated Silver Spring, Md as number one on its list of the 50 best places to live for families in the United States,“Silver Spring’s top ranking as a family-friendly home speaks volumes about the quality of life we offer,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. Elrich highlighted aspects of Silver Spring- the Recreation and Aquatic Center, Silver Spring Jazz Festival, the Silver Spring Blues Festival, numerous international festivals, robust public transportation and diversity.  Silver Spring residents echoed many of Elrich’s comments–it’s close enough to Washington, D.C., to enjoy the city, while having its own amenities, tight-knit community and excellent schools.  (Bethesdamagazine.com)

And it is true that Silver Spring ( and the whole of Montgomery County) could not be more diverse. According to the 2020 census (and our observation) Silver Spring is, in fact, a very diverse community. Thirty three percent are White (non-Hispanic), 28% are Black, 28% identified as Hispanic and 7% were Asian. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, present-day Silver Spring was inhabited by various Indigenous people for approximately 10,000 years, including the Piscataway, an Algonquian-speaking people. Now the Native American population in Silver Spring is less than 1%.

Thirty-six percent of the 81,000 residents were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.9%. Most of the foreign born hail from El Salvador, Ethiopia, India, and China.

One of the reasons that Silver Spring is so ethnically diverse is the presence of the International Rescue Committee, that works in 40 countries worldwide and 28 cities in the U.S. to help people affected by humanitarian crisis to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. (IRS website).

With discussions on racial and ethnic equality taking center stage in recent years, WalletHub analyzed America’s current cultural makeup. This study compared over 500 of the largest U.S. cities across three key indicators of ethnic diversity, focusing on factors such as residents’ ethnicity and race, language usage, and birthplace. Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Silver Spring, all in Montgomery County, MD are in the top five of WalletHub’s “Most Diverse Cities 2024”.

“People who live in ethnically diverse cities have the opportunity to experience new cultures, languages, foods and viewpoints, allowing them to learn more about the world,” WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said. “People who grow up in diverse cities also are less likely to develop prejudiced views of people who are different from them. In addition, cities benefit from the unique skill sets that people of different cultures and national origins bring to the table.”

My impression is that Silver Spring is truely a good place to live. We are looking forward to going back for a visit.