Dumbest States

Last updated November 24, 2024

Penn Stakes
High School Completion Rate
College Enrollment Per Capita
Top
Last
Penn StakesQuestion Mark
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, 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.

Dumbest States

Region ↕Penn Stakes↕High School Completion Rate↕College Enrollment Per Capita 2020↕
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

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:

  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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Ranked in U.S.

#7

Ranked in U.S.

#44

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,797

Alaska

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Ranked in U.S.

#20

Ranked in U.S.

#7

College Enrollment Per Capita

3,017

Arizona

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Ranked in U.S.

#14

Ranked in U.S.

#38

College Enrollment Per Capita

8,247

Arkansas

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Ranked in U.S.

#4

Ranked in U.S.

#41

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,934

California

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Ranked in U.S.

#17

Ranked in U.S.

#50

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,575

Colorado

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Ranked in U.S.

#43

Ranked in U.S.

#14

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,233

Connecticut

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Ranked in U.S.

#49

Ranked in U.S.

#23

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,179

Delaware

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Ranked in U.S.

#27

Ranked in U.S.

#25

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,848

Florida

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Ranked in U.S.

#12

Ranked in U.S.

#34

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,717

Georgia

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Ranked in U.S.

#18

Ranked in U.S.

#39

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,069

Hawaii

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Ranked in U.S.

#21

Ranked in U.S.

#11

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,141

Idaho

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Ranked in U.S.

#15

Ranked in U.S.

#18

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,470

Illinois

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Ranked in U.S.

#32

Ranked in U.S.

#30

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,382

Indiana

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Ranked in U.S.

#16

Ranked in U.S.

#31

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,038

Iowa

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Ranked in U.S.

#25

Ranked in U.S.

#12

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,521

Kansas

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Ranked in U.S.

#36

Ranked in U.S.

#17

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,581

Kentucky

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Ranked in U.S.

#11

Ranked in U.S.

#42

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,797

Louisiana

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Ranked in U.S.

#3

Ranked in U.S.

#47

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,266

Maine

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Ranked in U.S.

#38

Ranked in U.S.

#6

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,089

Maryland

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Ranked in U.S.

#48

Ranked in U.S.

#26

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,646

Massachusetts

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Ranked in U.S.

#50

Ranked in U.S.

#20

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,782

Michigan

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Ranked in U.S.

#23

Ranked in U.S.

#19

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,876

Minnesota

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Ranked in U.S.

#42

Ranked in U.S.

#4

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,933

Mississippi

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Ranked in U.S.

#2

Ranked in U.S.

#48

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,527

Missouri

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Ranked in U.S.

#24

Ranked in U.S.

#27

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,555

Montana

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Ranked in U.S.

#33

Ranked in U.S.

#1

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,117

Nebraska

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Ranked in U.S.

#39

Ranked in U.S.

#16

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,876

Nevada

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Ranked in U.S.

#5

Ranked in U.S.

#45

College Enrollment Per Capita

3,711

New Hampshire

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Ranked in U.S.

#45

Ranked in U.S.

#5

College Enrollment Per Capita

13,574

New Jersey

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Ranked in U.S.

#44

Ranked in U.S.

#28

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,234

New Mexico

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Ranked in U.S.

#6

Ranked in U.S.

#46

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,203

New York

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Ranked in U.S.

#40

Ranked in U.S.

#43

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,961

North Carolina

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Ranked in U.S.

#19

Ranked in U.S.

#35

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,285

North Dakota

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Ranked in U.S.

#28

Ranked in U.S.

#8

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,621

Ohio

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Ranked in U.S.

#26

Ranked in U.S.

#24

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,556

Oklahoma

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Ranked in U.S.

#8

Ranked in U.S.

#33

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,746

Oregon

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Ranked in U.S.

#34

Ranked in U.S.

#21

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,799

Pennsylvania

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Ranked in U.S.

#35

Ranked in U.S.

#22

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,149

Rhode Island

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Ranked in U.S.

#31

Ranked in U.S.

#32

College Enrollment Per Capita

7,036

South Carolina

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Ranked in U.S.

#10

Ranked in U.S.

#36

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,527

South Dakota

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Ranked in U.S.

#22

Ranked in U.S.

#13

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,679

Tennessee

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Ranked in U.S.

#13

Ranked in U.S.

#37

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,534

Texas

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Ranked in U.S.

#9

Ranked in U.S.

#49

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,423

Utah

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Ranked in U.S.

#37

Ranked in U.S.

#9

College Enrollment Per Capita

11,851

Vermont

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Ranked in U.S.

#46

Ranked in U.S.

#3

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,141

Virginia

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Ranked in U.S.

#47

Ranked in U.S.

#29

College Enrollment Per Capita

6,431

Washington

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Ranked in U.S.

#41

Ranked in U.S.

#15

College Enrollment Per Capita

4,317

West Virginia

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Ranked in U.S.

#1

Ranked in U.S.

#40

College Enrollment Per Capita

7,725

Wisconsin

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Ranked in U.S.

#29

Ranked in U.S.

#10

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,408

Wyoming

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Ranked in U.S.

#30

Ranked in U.S.

#2

College Enrollment Per Capita

5,346

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Education Rankings by Country

Education Rankings by Country

Educational Attainment By State

Educational Attainment By State

High School Graduation Rates By State

High School Graduation Rates By State

Least Educated States

Least Educated States

Literacy Rate By Country

Literacy Rate By Country

Literacy Rate By State

Literacy Rate By State