Dumbest States 2025

Penn Stakes

High School Completion Rate

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Penn Stakes 2022

1	West Virginia	12.6
2	Mississippi	13.3
3	Louisiana	15.2
4	Arkansas	19.1
5	Nevada	20.0
6	New Mexico	20.4
7	Alabama	22.4
7	Oklahoma	22.4
9	Texas	23.9
10	South Carolina	28.0
11	Kentucky	30.5
12	Florida	32.4
13	Tennessee	34.2
14	Arizona	35.9
15	Indiana	36.8
15	Idaho	36.8
17	California	40.0
18	Georgia	40.2
19	North Carolina	40.7
20	Hawaii	43.1
20	South Dakota	43.1
20	Alaska	43.1
23	Michigan	43.8
24	Missouri	45.0
25	Iowa	46.2
26	Ohio	46.7
27	Delaware	46.8
28	North Dakota	48.4
29	Wisconsin	48.5
30	Wyoming	49.3
31	Rhode Island	50.5
32	Illinois	51.4
33	Montana	51.9
34	Oregon	52.0
35	Pennsylvania	52.4
36	Utah	55.5
36	Kansas	55.5
38	Maine	55.8
39	New York	57.8
39	Nebraska	57.8
41	Washington	60.3
42	Minnesota	67.0
43	Colorado	69.4
44	New Jersey	69.5
45	New Hampshire	70.5
46	Vermont	72.2
47	Virginia	72.5
48	Maryland	72.8
49	Connecticut	73.8
50	Massachusetts	93.9

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Introduction
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Introduction

Assessing a state's intelligence is an intricate task considering the numerous factors that contribute to education and smartness. While some states demonstrate a high level of intelligence due to favorable circumstances, others significantly lag behind due to various underlying issues. A significant role is attributed to the state's GDP, access to quality education, family income, educational standards, and even societal attitudes towards learning.

By taking a closer look at the data collected by 'Penn Stakes', we assess each state based on IQ scores, SAT scores, ACT scores, and the percentage of college graduates, crucial factors that provide a snapshot of the intelligence levels.

Higher-income states, such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maryland, are at the top of the list, demonstrating high levels of intelligence.
States like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas, with higher proportions of lower-income families, rank lower on our list, alluding to the impact of income on educational outcomes.
The states that rank near the bottom, including West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, are generally located in the South, suggesting potential regional disparities in educational policy and resources. Conversely, most North-Eastern states display significantly higher scores, indicating more robust educational practices in those areas.

Region ↕	Penn Stakes 2022↕	High School Completion Rate↕
Massachusetts	93.9	91.1%
Connecticut	73.8	90.9%
Maryland	72.8	90.6%
Virginia	72.5	90.3%
Vermont	72.2	93.5%
New Hampshire	70.5	93.3%
New Jersey	69.5	90.3%
Colorado	69.4	92.1%
Minnesota	67.0	93.4%
Washington	60.3	91.7%
New York	57.8	87.2%
Nebraska	57.8	91.6%
Maine	55.8	93.2%
Utah	55.5	93.0%
Kansas	55.5	91.4%
Pennsylvania	52.4	91.0%
Oregon	52.0	91.1%
Montana	51.9	94.0%
Illinois	51.4	89.7%
Rhode Island	50.5	89.2%
Wyoming	49.3	93.6%
Wisconsin	48.5	92.6%
North Dakota	48.4	93.1%
Delaware	46.8	90.6%
Ohio	46.7	90.8%
Iowa	46.2	92.5%
Missouri	45.0	90.6%
Michigan	43.8	91.3%
Hawaii	43.1	92.5%
South Dakota	43.1	92.2%
Alaska	43.1	93.1%
North Carolina	40.7	88.5%
Georgia	40.2	87.9%
California	40.0	83.9%
Indiana	36.8	89.3%
Idaho	36.8	91.3%
Arizona	35.9	87.9%
Tennessee	34.2	88.2%
Florida	32.4	88.5%
Kentucky	30.5	87.2%
South Carolina	28.0	88.3%
Texas	23.9	84.4%
Alabama	22.4	86.9%
Oklahoma	22.4	88.6%
New Mexico	20.4	86.5%
Nevada	20.0	86.9%
Arkansas	19.1	87.2%
Louisiana	15.2	85.9%
Mississippi	13.3	85.3%
West Virginia	12.6	87.6%

10 Dumbest States

Falling at the bottom place is West Virginia, with an intelligence index of 12.6, followed by Mississippi at 13.3. Louisiana, with an intelligence index of 15.2, takes the third rank from the bottom.

Arkansas and Nevada follow suit, with indexes being 19.1 and 20.0, respectively. The southwestern state of New Mexico ranks sixth from the bottom, with an index of 20.4. Alabama and Oklahoma have comparable indexes at 22.4. Texas, with its large and diverse population, has an index of 23.9. Finally, South Carolina lands a spot in the ten 'dumbest' states with an index of 28.0.

10 Dumbest States: