When it comes to your intelligence quotient (IQ), the state you live in might play a factor.
A new study from Web3 platform Freename ranked the top 10 smartest states according to business and professional indicators, educational attainment and achievement, IQ, lifelong learning and intellectual engagement, standardized test scores and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) focus and innovation.
The top brainiest states were the following:
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- Washington
- Vermont
- Virginia
- New Jersey
- New Hampshire
- Maryland
- Colorado
- Minnesota
Massachusetts claimed the top spot in part because it had the highest average IQ (104.3) and highest proportion of residents holding graduate or bachelor's degrees.
The top state is also home to some of the top colleges like Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The variety and quality of education in the area is likely correlated with the stronger performance on the smartest state metrics Freename looked at.
Connecticut, meanwhile, was just a little behind Massachusetts, with an average IQ of 103.1 and far higher standardized test scores for both reading and math.
Across the country in the Pacific Northwest, Washington claimed third place, with higher average SAT scores and the highest percentage of residents employed in STEM fields at 9.5 percent.
The other top 10 states, Vermont, Virginia, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maryland, Colorado and Minnesota also boasted high average IQ scores, standardized test readings and educational attainment.
Vermont saw an average IQ of 103.8, the third highest and America, and 44.37 percent of residents had a bachelor's degree or higher.
In Virginia, 8.9 percent of the population was employed in STEM fields. New Jersey, on the other hand, had the lowest dropout rate among students aged 16 to 24 at 3.25 percent and saw a high average IQ of 102.8.
The states follow a larger nationwide trend where higher incomes often correlate with higher education attainment, and the culture within each state might also contribute or de-emphasize the importance of education or intelligence.
Children who raised where education is culturally seen as a necessity are more likely to attain higher degrees themselves.
The vast majority of the smartest states had higher median household incomes than the national median of $80,610.
"Education in America varies widely from state to state, creating a landscape where some regions consistently outperform others in academic achievement and resources," Freename CEO Davide Vicini said in a statement.
He added: "States often ranked as the 'smartest,' like Massachusetts, Connecticut and Washington benefit from a combination of well-funded school systems, highly qualified teachers, and a strong emphasis on higher education access. These states tend to have higher graduation rates, standardized test scores, and college enrolment numbers."
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