What’s the smartest state in the good ol’ U.S. of A? Well, the folks at the web platform Freename have done their research to map out the answer.
The winner? Massachusetts, which boasts both the highest average IQ in the survey and the highest proportion of people with either graduate or bachelor’s degrees.
Connecticut comes in second, with Washington, Vermont and Virginia rounding out the top five.
New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maryland, Colorado and Minnesota finish out the top 10.
If you’re struck by how many of the smartest folks seem to be in the Northeast, there may be a reason for that.
“Education in America varies widely from state to state, creating a landscape where some regions consistently outperform others in academic achievement and resources,” Freename CEO Davide Vicini says. “States often ranked as the ‘smartest’ … benefit from a combination of well-funded school systems, highly qualified teachers, and a strong emphasis on higher education access.”
“These states tend to have higher graduation rates, standardized test scores, and college enrollment numbers,” he continues, referencing several of the factors the ranking considered.