Lifestyle

What is the smartest state? And no, it isn’t NY

By
Lauren Elkies Schram
Published Aug. 24, 2024, 1:08 p.m. ET

New Yorkers are smarter than the average American, but the state only ranks No. 26 in the country for IQ, or Intelligence Quotient.

Empire State residents have an average intelligence test score of 100.7, better than the country average of 98, according to rankings from analytics company Data Pandas, which analyzed public data from IQ tests, SAT and ACT scores, along with educational attainment levels.

The smartest state is Massachusetts, home to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which claims an average IQ of 104.3. That is followed by New Hampshire, home to the Ivy League’s Dartmouth College, which has an average IQ of 104.2.

North Dakota and Vermont tie for the third spot with an average IQ of 103.8.

NYC skyline.
New Yorkers have an average IQ of 100.7, scoring higher than the 98 average IQ in the country. Jason – stock.adobe.com
A map of the United States highlighting the average IQ in each state, with New York's 100.7 average highlighted.
New York trumps a lot of states with its 100.7 average IQ, but still doesn’t make it into the top 25 smartest states. Data Panda

The dumbest state is Mississippi with an average IQ of 94.2.

“This ranking may reflect socioeconomic factors that affect residents’ access to quality education, a significant aspect contributing to IQ levels,” the study said. Mississippi has the highest poverty rate in the nation at 19.6%.

Louisiana, which is right behind its neighbor for poverty rankings with 18.7%, holds the second-worst average IQ of 95.3. California, which falls in the middle of state poverty rankings, was the third-worst state for IQ, with an average of 95.5.

One theory is that the country is getting dumber due to its reliance on technology. A report from 2023 showed that the average intelligence test score fell from 100 to 98, after a previously uninterrupted 30-point rise starting in 1905.