The Smartest Americans Live In Which States?

December 26, 2025 | Jesse Singer

The Smartest Americans Live In Which States?

Intelligence quotient

We’re absolutely not saying one state is smarter than another—IQ only scratches the surface of what intelligence actually is, and plenty of social and economic factors can skew those numbers anyway. That said, disclaimers firmly in place, what follows is a ranking of all 50 states based strictly on average IQ.

Iq Msn

50: Mississippi

Average IQ: 94.2

Mississippi New State Capitol Building In Jackson CHUCK KELLY, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

49: Nevada

Average IQ: 94.5

Carson City - the capital of Nevada Patrick Nouhailler's, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

48: Louisiana

Average IQ: 95.3

A landscape of Downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

47: California

Average IQ: 95.5

Los Angeles, California , Downtown Andrew Zarivny, Shutterstock

46: Hawaii

Average IQ: 95.6

Aerial view of Honolulu, Hawaii Zan Ready, Flickr

45: New Mexico

Average IQ: 95.7

Sunny day in Albuquerque, New Mexico MARELBU, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

44: Alabama

Average IQ: 95.7

Auburn Campus With Samford Hall dregsplod, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

43: Arizona

Average IQ: 97.4

Aerial view of Phoenix, Arizona Daniel Oberhaus, Flickr

42: Arkansas

Average IQ: 97.5

Little Rock Skyline in Arkansas Bob Simmons, Flickr

41: Tennessee

Average IQ: 97.7

Nashville during the night in Tennessee Domenico Convertini, Flickr

40: Georgia

Average IQ: 98

A day in Atlanta, Georgia Domenico Convertini, Flickr

39: South Carolina

Average IQ: 98.4

A busy street in Charleston, South Carolina Warren LeMay, Flickr

38: Florida

Average IQ: 98.4

Busy beach in Miami, Florida xbrchx, Shutterstock

37: West Virginia

Average IQ: 98.7

Aerial view of the West Virginia State Capitol Wirestock Creators, Shutterstock

36: Alaska

Average IQ: 99

Skyline of Anchorage in Alaska OneStopShots, Shutterstock

35: Oklahoma

Average IQ: 99.3

Downtown in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Sean Pavone, Shutterstock

34: Kentucky

Average IQ: 99.4

A skyline of Louisville, Kentucky, USA Sean Pavone, Shutterstock

33: Rhode Island

Average IQ: 99.5

Historic part of Providence, Rhode Island Sean Pavone, Shutterstock

32: Maryland

Average IQ: 99.7

A skyline of Baltimore in Maryland Sean Pavone, Shutterstock

31: Illinois

Average IQ: 99.9

A skyline of Chicago, Illinois quinntheislander, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

30: Texas

Average IQ: 100

An evening in Houston, Texas eflon, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

29: North Carolina

Average IQ: 100.2

Fayetteville Street In Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina Bz3rk, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

28: Delaware

Average IQ: 100.4

Delaware Legislative Hall in Dover, Delaware Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

27: Michigan

Average IQ: 100.5

Historic district Corktown located in Detroit, Michigan Ken Lund, Flickr

26: New York

Average IQ: 100.7

A street in Upper Manhattan - New York City Maciek Lulko, Flickr

25: Missouri

Average IQ: 101

A landscape of Kansas City, Missouri MARELBU, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

24: Utah

Average IQ: 101.1

Downtown in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Sean Pavone, Shutterstock

23: Oregon

Average IQ: 101.2

The bridges of Portland in Oregon Oregon Department of Transportation, Flickr

22: Idaho

Average IQ: 101.4

View of Idaho State Capitol in Downtown Boise, Idaho Roman Eugeniusz, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

21: Pennsylvania

Average IQ: 101.5

View of City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

20: Colorado

Average IQ: 101.6

Denver City Center from Coors Field located in Denver Ken Lund, Flickr

19: Indiana

Average IQ: 101.7

Indiana State Capitol at the end of Market St, Indianapolis - 2008 Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

18: Ohio

Average IQ: 101.8

Short North Arts District in Columbus, Ohio Jsjessee, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

17: Washington

Average IQ: 101.9

The city of Seattle, Washington in the fall Wonderlane, Flickr

16: Virginia

Average IQ: 101.9

Sunny day in Virginia Beach, Virginia Jason Pratt (FishSpeaker), CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

15: Nebraska

Average IQ: 102.3

The Downtown in Omaha, Nebraska Masrur Odinaev, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

14: Wyoming

Average IQ: 102.4

Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Celebration GPA Photo Archive, Flickr

13: South Dakota

Average IQ: 102.8

Falls Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Seabear70, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

12: New Jersey

Average IQ: 102.8

Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal Sergii Figurnyi, Shutterstock

11: Kansas

Average IQ: 102.8

Fountains in the city of Topeka in Kansas, USA Real Window Creative, Shutterstock

10: Wisconsin

Average IQ: 102.9

Milwaukee skyline along Lake Michigan in 2023 Bfkenney, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

9: Connecticut

Average IQ: 103.1

Hartford, Connecticut City Hall From Burr Mall Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

8: Iowa

Average IQ: 103.2

Morning skyline with Des Moines River in Des Moines Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

7: Montana

Average IQ: 103.4

Helena - capital city of the U.S. state of Montana 5of7, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

6: Maine

Average IQ: 103.4

Narrow alley in Portland, Maine Phillip Capper, Flickr

5: Minnesota

Average IQ: 103.7

A landscape of Minneapolis, Minnesota Jason DeRusha, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

4: Vermont

Average IQ: 103.8

Vermont State House Jonathanking, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons

3: North Dakota

Average IQ: 103.8

View of Bismarck, North Dakota Drew Tarvin, Flickr

2: New Hampshire

Average IQ: 104.2

Concord City Hall in New Hampshire Mihai_Andritoiu, Shutterstock

1: Massachusetts

Average IQ: 104.3

Aerial view of Boston cityscape, Massachusetts Bert Kaufmann, Flickr

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December 26, 2025

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Jesse Singer

Jesse Singer is a writer from Montreal who grew up obsessed with movies—and so it only makes sense that he graduated from McGill University with a degree in Political Science. He then put that degree to good use with a job at a video store (remember those?). He followed that up with months backpacking around Europe (a continent he’s returned to many times). And for the last couple decades he’s been writing online, and in print, for a number of different sites and publications covering everything from film & TV to website reviews, dating & culture, history, news, and sports. He’s worn many hats—which is ironic, because he loves wearing hats and has a rather sizable collection.

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The Smartest Americans Live In Which States?

The Smartest Americans Live In Which States?

Intelligence quotient

50: Mississippi

49: Nevada

48: Louisiana

47: California

46: Hawaii

45: New Mexico

44: Alabama

43: Arizona

42: Arkansas

41: Tennessee

40: Georgia

39: South Carolina

38: Florida

37: West Virginia

36: Alaska

35: Oklahoma

34: Kentucky

33: Rhode Island

32: Maryland

31: Illinois

30: Texas

29: North Carolina

28: Delaware

27: Michigan

26: New York

25: Missouri

24: Utah

23: Oregon

22: Idaho

21: Pennsylvania

20: Colorado

19: Indiana

18: Ohio

17: Washington

16: Virginia

15: Nebraska

14: Wyoming

13: South Dakota

12: New Jersey

11: Kansas

10: Wisconsin

9: Connecticut

8: Iowa

7: Montana

6: Maine

5: Minnesota

4: Vermont

3: North Dakota

2: New Hampshire

1: Massachusetts

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