Dumbest States

Penn Stakes
High School Completion Rate
College Enrollment Per Capita
Penn Stakesℹ️
1.West VirginiaWest Virginia12.6
2.MississippiMississippi13.3
3.LouisianaLouisiana15.2
4.ArkansasArkansas19.1
5.NevadaNevada20.0
6.New MexicoNew Mexico20.4
7.AlabamaAlabama22.4
8.OklahomaOklahoma22.4
9.TexasTexas23.9
10.South CarolinaSouth Carolina28.0
11.KentuckyKentucky30.5
12.FloridaFlorida32.4
13.TennesseeTennessee34.2
14.ArizonaArizona35.9
15.IdahoIdaho36.8
16.IndianaIndiana36.8
17.CaliforniaCalifornia40.0
18.GeorgiaGeorgia40.2
19.North CarolinaNorth Carolina40.7
20.AlaskaAlaska43.1
21.HawaiiHawaii43.1
22.South DakotaSouth Dakota43.1
23.MichiganMichigan43.8
24.MissouriMissouri45.0
25.IowaIowa46.2
26.OhioOhio46.7
27.DelawareDelaware46.8
28.North DakotaNorth Dakota48.4
29.WisconsinWisconsin48.5
30.WyomingWyoming49.3
31.Rhode IslandRhode Island50.5
32.IllinoisIllinois51.4
33.MontanaMontana51.9
34.OregonOregon52.0
35.PennsylvaniaPennsylvania52.4
36.KansasKansas55.5
37.UtahUtah55.5
38.MaineMaine55.8
39.NebraskaNebraska57.8
40.New YorkNew York57.8
41.WashingtonWashington60.3
42.MinnesotaMinnesota67.0
43.ColoradoColorado69.4
44.New JerseyNew Jersey69.5
45.New HampshireNew Hampshire70.5
46.VermontVermont72.2
47.VirginiaVirginia72.5
48.MarylandMaryland72.8
49.ConnecticutConnecticut73.8
50.MassachusettsMassachusetts93.9

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, the 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, Maryland, are at the top of the list, demonstrating high levels of intelligence.
  • States like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas that have 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, hinting at more robust educational practices in those areas.

10 Dumbest States

Falling at 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:

  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
  8. Oklahoma - 22.4
  9. Texas - 23.9
  10. South Carolina - 28.0

By Region

Alabama

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Alabama

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

22.4

#7

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,797

#21

Alaska

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Alaska

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

43.1

#20

College Enrollment Per Capita

3,017

#51

Arizona

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Arizona

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

35.9

#14

College Enrollment Per Capita

8,247

#4

Arkansas

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Arkansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

19.1

#4

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,934

#39

California

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California

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

40.0

#17

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,575

#12

Colorado

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Colorado

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

69.4

#43

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,233

#16

Connecticut

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Connecticut

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

73.8

#49

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,179

#35

Delaware

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Delaware

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

46.8

#27

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,848

#20

Florida

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Florida

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

32.4

#12

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,717

#43

Georgia

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Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

40.2

#18

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,069

#38

Hawaii

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Hawaii

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

43.1

#21

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,141

#48

Idaho

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Idaho

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

36.8

#15

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,470

#14

Illinois

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Illinois

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

51.4

#32

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,382

#30

Indiana

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Indiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

36.8

#16

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,038

#18

Iowa

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Iowa

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

46.2

#25

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,521

#13

Kansas

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Kansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

55.5

#36

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,581

#11

Kentucky

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Kentucky

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

30.5

#11

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,797

#22

Louisiana

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Louisiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

15.2

#3

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,266

#33

Maine

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Maine

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

55.8

#38

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,089

#37

Maryland

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Maryland

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

72.8

#48

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,646

#24

Massachusetts

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Massachusetts

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

93.9

#50

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,782

#9

Michigan

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Michigan

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

43.8

#23

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,876

#40

Minnesota

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Minnesota

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

67.0

#42

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,933

#7

Mississippi

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Mississippi

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

13.3

#2

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,527

#27

Missouri

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Missouri

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

45.0

#24

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,555

#26

Montana

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Montana

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

51.9

#33

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,117

#49

Nebraska

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Nebraska

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

57.8

#39

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,876

#8

Nevada

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Nevada

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

20.0

#5

College Enrollment Per Capita

3,711

#50

New Hampshire

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New Hampshire

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

70.5

#45

College Enrollment Per Capita

13,574

#2

New Jersey

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New Jersey

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

69.5

#44

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,234

#47

New Mexico

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New Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

20.4

#6

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,203

#34

New York

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New York

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

57.8

#40

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,961

#19

North Carolina

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North Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

40.7

#19

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,285

#32

North Dakota

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North Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

48.4

#28

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,621

#10

Ohio

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Ohio

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

46.7

#26

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,556

#25

Oklahoma

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Oklahoma

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

22.4

#8

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,746

#42

Oregon

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Oregon

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

52.0

#34

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,799

#41

Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvania

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

52.4

#35

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,149

#36

Rhode Island

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Rhode Island

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

50.5

#31

College Enrollment Per Capita

7,036

#6

South Carolina

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South Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

28.0

#10

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,527

#45

South Dakota

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South Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

43.1

#22

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,679

#23

Tennessee

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Tennessee

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

34.2

#13

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,534

#44

Texas

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Texas

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

23.9

#9

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,423

#28

Utah

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Utah

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

55.5

#37

College Enrollment Per Capita

11,851

#3

Vermont

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Vermont

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

72.2

#46

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,141

#17

Virginia

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Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

72.5

#47

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,431

#15

Washington

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Washington

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

60.3

#41

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,317

#46

West Virginia

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West Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

12.6

#1

College Enrollment Per Capita

7,725

#5

Wisconsin

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Wisconsin

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

48.5

#29

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,408

#29

Wyoming

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Wyoming

Metric

Value

Rank

Penn Stakes

49.3

#30

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,346

#31

Table

Region ↕Penn Stakes ↕High School Completion Rate ↕College Enrollment Per Capita ↕
Alabama iconAlabama22.486.9%5,797
Alaska iconAlaska43.193.1%3,017
Arizona iconArizona35.987.9%8,247
Arkansas iconArkansas19.187.2%4,934
California iconCalifornia40.083.9%6,575
Colorado iconColorado69.492.1%6,233
Connecticut iconConnecticut73.890.9%5,179
Delaware iconDelaware46.890.6%5,848
Florida iconFlorida32.488.5%4,717
Georgia iconGeorgia40.287.9%5,069
Hawaii iconHawaii43.192.5%4,141
Idaho iconIdaho36.891.3%6,470
Illinois iconIllinois51.489.7%5,382
Indiana iconIndiana36.889.3%6,038
Iowa iconIowa46.292.5%6,521
Kansas iconKansas55.591.4%6,581
Kentucky iconKentucky30.587.2%5,797
Louisiana iconLouisiana15.285.9%5,266
Maine iconMaine55.893.2%5,089
Maryland iconMaryland72.890.6%5,646
Massachusetts iconMassachusetts93.991.1%6,782
Michigan iconMichigan43.891.3%4,876
Minnesota iconMinnesota67.093.4%6,933
Mississippi iconMississippi13.385.3%5,527
Missouri iconMissouri45.090.6%5,555
Montana iconMontana51.994.0%4,117
Nebraska iconNebraska57.891.6%6,876
Nevada iconNevada20.086.9%3,711
New Hampshire iconNew Hampshire70.593.3%13,574
New Jersey iconNew Jersey69.590.3%4,234
New Mexico iconNew Mexico20.486.5%5,203
New York iconNew York57.887.2%5,961
North Carolina iconNorth Carolina40.788.5%5,285
North Dakota iconNorth Dakota48.493.1%6,621
Ohio iconOhio46.790.8%5,556
Oklahoma iconOklahoma22.488.6%4,746
Oregon iconOregon52.091.1%4,799
Pennsylvania iconPennsylvania52.491.0%5,149
Rhode Island iconRhode Island50.589.2%7,036
South Carolina iconSouth Carolina28.088.3%4,527
South Dakota iconSouth Dakota43.192.2%5,679
Tennessee iconTennessee34.288.2%4,534
Texas iconTexas23.984.4%5,423
Utah iconUtah55.593.0%11,851
Vermont iconVermont72.293.5%6,141
Virginia iconVirginia72.590.3%6,431
Washington iconWashington60.391.7%4,317
West Virginia iconWest Virginia12.687.6%7,725
Wisconsin iconWisconsin48.592.6%5,408
Wyoming iconWyoming49.393.6%5,346
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