Guide Rankings Demographics Updated June 22, 2026

Average IQ by State

University library interior with students studying, representing educational attainment and state IQ research

Average IQ by State

Ranking - Demographics

Massachusetts leads all states at an average IQ of 104.3. Mississippi ranks last at 94.2. The 10-point spread across 50 states reflects differences in education systems, demographics, and economic conditions.

Quick Answer

Average IQ by State

  1. 1

    Massachusetts has the highest average IQ of any state at 104.3, followed by New Hampshire at 104.2. North Dakota and Vermont both score 103.8, and Minnesota ranks fifth at 103.7. All five top states are in the Northeast or upper Midwest.

  2. 2

    Mississippi has the lowest average IQ at 94.2, the only state below 95. Louisiana ranks 49th at 95.3 and California ranks 48th at 95.5. Hawaii ranks 47th at 95.6.

  3. 3

    The national average IQ is 100 by definition. Texas sits at exactly 100.0 at rank 30. The spread from #1 Massachusetts to #50 Mississippi is 10.1 IQ points.

Map

Average IQ by State Heat Map

Average IQ
No data
Massachusetts and New Hampshire lead at 104.3 and 104.2. The upper Midwest forms a solid high-IQ cluster. Mississippi and Louisiana anchor the bottom at 94.2 and 95.3.
Average IQ by State Heat Map
Rank State Average IQ
1 Massachusetts 104.3
2 New Hampshire 104.2
3 North Dakota 103.8
4 Vermont 103.8
5 Minnesota 103.7
6 Maine 103.4
7 Montana 103.4
8 Iowa 103.2
9 Connecticut 103.1
10 Wisconsin 102.9
11 Kansas 102.8
12 New Jersey 102.8
13 South Dakota 102.8
14 Wyoming 102.4
15 Nebraska 102.3
16 Virginia 101.9
17 Washington 101.9
18 Ohio 101.8
19 Indiana 101.7
20 Colorado 101.6
21 Pennsylvania 101.5
22 Idaho 101.4
23 Oregon 101.2
24 Utah 101.1
25 Missouri 101
26 New York 100.7
27 Michigan 100.5
28 Delaware 100.4
29 North Carolina 100.2
30 Texas 100
31 Illinois 99.9
32 Maryland 99.7
33 Rhode Island 99.5
34 Kentucky 99.4
35 Oklahoma 99.3
36 Alaska 99
37 West Virginia 98.7
38 Florida 98.4
39 South Carolina 98.4
40 Georgia 98
41 Tennessee 97.7
42 Arkansas 97.5
43 Arizona 97.4
44 Nevada 96.5
45 Alabama 95.7
46 New Mexico 95.7
47 Hawaii 95.6
48 California 95.5
49 Louisiana 95.3
50 Mississippi 94.2

Massachusetts and New Hampshire lead at 104.3 and 104.2. The upper Midwest forms a solid high-IQ cluster. Mississippi and Louisiana anchor the bottom at 94.2 and 95.3.

Average IQ by State Table

Download as PDF

Print-ready table — Average IQ by State

Highest and Lowest Average IQ by State

Highest

104.3
Massachusetts flag
Massachusetts #1

Lowest

94.2
Mississippi flag
Mississippi #50

Top 10 Highest — Average IQ

#1 Massachusetts flag Massachusetts
104.3
#2 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
104.2
#3 North Dakota flag North Dakota
103.8
#4 Vermont flag Vermont
103.8
#5 Minnesota flag Minnesota
103.7
#6 Maine flag Maine
103.4
#7 Montana flag Montana
103.4
#8 Iowa flag Iowa
103.2
#9 Connecticut flag Connecticut
103.1
#10 Wisconsin flag Wisconsin
102.9

Top 10 Lowest — Average IQ

#50 Mississippi flag Mississippi
94.2
#49 Louisiana flag Louisiana
95.3
#48 California flag California
95.5
#47 Hawaii flag Hawaii
95.6
#46 New Mexico flag New Mexico
95.7
#45 Alabama flag Alabama
95.7
#44 Nevada flag Nevada
96.5
#43 Arizona flag Arizona
97.4
#42 Arkansas flag Arkansas
97.5
#41 Tennessee flag Tennessee
97.7

States with the Highest Average IQ

Students studying together in a classroom environment
The highest-scoring states cluster in New England and the upper Midwest, regions that also tend to rank strongly on school attainment and related education indicators. The spread at the top is narrow, with only fractions of a point separating several states.

Massachusetts leads all 50 states at 104.3, followed by New Hampshire at 104.2. North Dakota and Vermont both score 103.8, and Minnesota ranks fifth at 103.7. Nine of the top ten states are in New England or the upper Midwest.

Maine and Montana both score 103.4 at ranks 6 and 7, and Iowa follows at 103.2 in rank 8. Connecticut ranks 9th at 103.1 and Wisconsin rounds out the top ten at 102.9. Kansas, New Jersey, and South Dakota all tie at 102.8 in ranks 11 through 13.

States with the Lowest Average IQ

School hallway with lockers and classroom doors
The bottom of the ranking is also tightly grouped. Mississippi, Louisiana, California, Hawaii, Alabama, and New Mexico sit within only a few points of one another rather than forming a huge gap from the national middle.

Mississippi ranks last at 94.2, the only state below 95. Louisiana ranks 49th at 95.3 and California ranks 48th at 95.5. Hawaii ranks 47th at 95.6, and Alabama and New Mexico both score 95.7 at ranks 45 and 46.

Nevada ranks 44th at 96.5 and Arizona ranks 43rd at 97.4. Arkansas ranks 42nd at 97.5 and Tennessee ranks 41st at 97.7. All ten of the lowest-scoring states fall between 94.2 and 97.7, a spread of 3.5 IQ points.

Famous People and Their IQ Scores

Books, eyeglasses, and study notes arranged on a desk
Famous IQ anecdotes are often treated as trivia rather than rigorous scientific benchmarks. They are best read as illustrations of how intelligence testing overlaps only partially with creativity, persistence, expertise, and real-world success.

Albert Einstein's IQ is estimated at 160 to 180, reflecting his development of the theory of relativity. Terence Tao, a Fields Medal mathematician working in number theory, scores between 211 and 230, the highest reliably documented IQ of any living person. Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer, is estimated at around 170.

Richard Feynman won the Nobel Prize in Physics with a reported IQ of 125, squarely within the High Average range and well below the genius threshold. Muhammad Ali became world heavyweight champion with a reported IQ of 78, below the U.S. average of 100. Both cases are cited by researchers as evidence that IQ measures a specific type of abstract reasoning, not drive, creativity, or real-world achievement.

Comparison Table

IQ scores of notable individuals, from published estimates and documented testing results.

Name
Albert Einstein
IQ Score
160–180
Achievement
Theory of relativity; revolutionized modern physics
Name
Terence Tao
IQ Score
211–230
Achievement
Fields Medal; number theory and harmonic analysis
Name
Ada Lovelace
IQ Score
~170
Achievement
First computer programmer; Analytical Engine algorithm
Name
Richard Feynman
IQ Score
125
Achievement
Nobel Prize in Physics; quantum electrodynamics
Name
Muhammad Ali
IQ Score
78
Achievement
Three-time world heavyweight boxing champion

Quick Answers

What state has the highest IQ?
Massachusetts has the highest average IQ of any state at 104.3. New Hampshire ranks second at 104.2, and North Dakota and Vermont both rank third at 103.8.
What state has the lowest IQ?
Mississippi has the lowest average IQ at 94.2, the only state below 95. Louisiana ranks 49th at 95.3 and California ranks 48th at 95.5.
What is the average IQ in the United States?
The national average IQ is 100 by definition, as IQ scores are normed to a population mean of 100. Texas sits closest to the national average in the state ranking at exactly 100.0.
Where does California rank in IQ by state?
California ranks 48th out of 50 states with an average IQ of 95.5, between Louisiana at 95.3 and Hawaii at 95.6.
What is a good IQ score?
Under the Wechsler classification scale, an IQ of 90 to 109 is Average, 110 to 119 is High Average, and 120 to 129 is Superior. All 50 states fall within the Average range, from Mississippi at 94.2 to Massachusetts at 104.3. Richard Feynman won the Nobel Prize in Physics with a reported IQ of 125, showing that High Average scores are consistent with exceptional achievement.
Why does the Northeast score highest on state IQ rankings?
New England states dominate the top of the ranking: Massachusetts at 104.3, New Hampshire at 104.2, Vermont at 103.8, Maine at 103.4, and Connecticut at 103.1. Researchers attribute high scores to above-average per-pupil education spending, high rates of college attainment, and concentration of research universities.

Methodology

State IQ estimates are derived from academic research combining standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, NAEP), educational attainment data, and published cognitive assessments at the state level. The data follow the Wechsler classification scale where 90–109 is Average, 110–119 is High Average, and 120–129 is Superior. All 50 states fall within the Average range under this scale.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
Found an error? Report it here.

Build A Comparison

Compare Average IQ Between States

Choose two states to compare their average IQ scores side by side.

You Might Also Like