Census data gives us the power to pick apart our community and look at individual racial and ethnic populations. What's a little more difficult is expressing in simple terms just how diverse or homogenous are our communities.

There's a trick for that, it's called the Diversity Index. The idea is simple, even if the calculation is a bit complicated (we've handled that part). Here's how its creators over at USA TODAY explain it: The Diversity Index (a number between zero and 100) "represents the probablility that two people chosen randomly from an area with have different racial or ethnic (Hispanic or non-Hispanic) backgrounds."

Put simply: A score of 45 means there is a 45 percent probability that two people will have different racial or ethnic (Hispanic or non-Hispanic) backgrounds.

To give you a point of reference, Minnesota has a Diversity Index of 31 (up from 22 in 2000).

To really get a feel for the new diversity in the state, check out the interactive map we've posted. OK, here goes...

Five largest Minnesota counties

Five largest Minnesota cities

Five largest Minnesota school districts

Note: Many thanks to Anthony DeBarros and Paul Overberg at USA TODAY who, in partnership with Investigative Reporters and Editors, prepared the data files used to calculate Minnesota's Diversity Index scores.