#1
The darker red states are “smarter,” and the paler beige states are “dumber.” As the Post points out, those insulted Iowans actually fare very well. It should be noted here again that the scores are a composite. According to the Post, the rankings were compiled by:
1. IQ, as estimated by Virginia Commonwealth’s Michael McDaniel in 2006
2. 2015 SAT scores, compiled by The Post
3. 2015 ACT scores, via the company that administers the tests
4. The percentage of college graduates in the state, compiled by the Census Bureau
By total score, Hawaii comes out as the “dumbest” state, and Massachusetts is the “smartest.” You can rank the states by the individual categories, however; by IQ, Mississippi ends up at the bottom, although Massachusetts again comes out on top—perhaps due to the large number of world-class research institutions there resulting in a bunch of eggheads crammed into the area around Boston. That said, the total spread was a mere 9.8 points. But let’s cut to the chase. Here are the 10 “Smartest” and 10 “Dumbest” states:
#2 The Smartest
#3 The Dumbest
Don’t see your state here? Head over to the Washington Post to see where your home ranks in the great middling 30 states not listed here, and find out more about what the research reveals.
