These are the US states with the highest and the lowest IQ
IQ tests measure types of cognitive abilities and assess analytical intelligence. Here are the states with the highest and lowest scores in the U.S.
IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, is a standardized measure for evaluating intelligence. It’s been calculated for decades using IQ tests, which determine a person’s cognitive abilities in areas such as problem-solving, logical reasoning, mathematical skills, memory, and language.
The resulting score is intended to represent a person’s relative cognitive abilities compared to others in the same age group.
A study published in the National Library of Medicine Journal of Intelligence took a look at IQ scores through all 50 U.S. states. The study’s author, Bryan Pasta, found that state IQ could help predict multiple factors such as alcohol consumption, income inequality, and even state temperature.
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These are the US states with the highest and the lowest IQ
IQ scores are generally calculated using a bell curve, with an average score of 100. The majority of people register a score between 85 and 115, and numbers outside this range are less common.
The state which recorded the highest average IQ is Massachusetts, with a score of 104.3. One factor that could have contributed to the state’s good performance is the presence of top-ranking universities in the area. Having such prestigious schools like MIT and Harvard in the state may have promoted a focus on academics.
Massachusetts is also one of most highly ranked when it comes to median household income, which could have translated into more opportunities for education.
Here are the states with the highest IQ scores, according to the study.
- Massachusetts- 104.3
- New Hampshire- 104.2
- Vermont- 103.8
- North Dakota- 103.8
- Minnesota- 103.7
- Montana- 103.4
- Maine- 103.4
- Iowa- 103.2
- Connecticut- 103.1
- Wisconsin- 102.9
Here are the states with the lowest average scores in the country.
- Mississippi 94.2
- Louisiana 95.3
- California 95.5
- Hawaii 95.6
- Alabama 95.7
- New Mexico 95.7
- Nevada 96.5
- Arizona 97.4
- Arkansas 97.5
- Tennessee 97.7
IQ tests have been used for decades for measuring a certain type of intelligence, but they are not the only tool that can be used to measure how smart a person is. IQ scores have many uses, but they have also been found to be inconsistent when it comes to predicting a person’s future performance.