Mapping Average IQ Score By State

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores are a measure used to assess human intelligence through standardized tests. These scores compare a person’s cognitive abilities to the average population, with the average score typically falling around 100.

To see how IQ varies across the United States, Visual Capitalist’s Marcus Lu visualized data from a 2022 report published in the National Library of Medicine (Journal of Intelligence) by Bryan J. Pesta titled Updated IQ and Well-Being Scores for the 50 U.S. States.

This data can also be easily accessed via Data Pandas or through the scientific research paper itself.

Data and Methodology

IQ estimates are based on an analysis of exam scores from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competency (PIAAC) for adults, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for fourth and eighth grade children.

The PIAAC is a large-scale international study of key cognitive and workplace skills of adults, while the NAEP is the largest nationally representative assessment of student capabilities in public and private schools in the U.S.

Note that IQ scores have their limitations, and do not capture all aspects of intelligence such as creativity or emotional intelligence. The numbers we used to create this graphic are listed in the table below.

Rank	State	Average IQ
1	Alabama	95.7
2	Alaska	99.0
3	Arizona	97.4
4	Arkansas	97.5
5	California	95.5
6	Colorado	101.6
7	Connecticut	103.1
8	Delaware	100.4
9	Florida	98.4
10	Georgia	98.0
11	Hawaii	95.6
12	Idaho	101.4
13	Illinois	99.9
14	Indiana	101.7
15	Iowa	103.2
16	Kansas	102.8
17	Kentucky	99.4
18	Louisiana	95.3
19	Maine	103.4
20	Maryland	99.7
21	Massachusetts	104.3
22	Michigan	100.5
23	Minnesota	103.7
24	Mississippi	94.2
25	Missouri	101.0
26	Montana	103.4
27	Nebraska	102.3
28	Nevada	96.5
29	New Hampshire	104.2
30	New Jersey	102.8
31	New Mexico	95.7
32	New York	100.7
33	North Carolina	100.2
34	North Dakota	103.8
35	Ohio	101.8
36	Oklahoma	99.3
37	Oregon	101.2
38	Pennsylvania	101.5
39	Rhode Island	99.5
40	South Carolina	98.4
41	South Dakota	102.8
42	Tennessee	97.7
43	Texas	100.0
44	Utah	101.1
45	Vermont	103.8
46	Virginia	101.9
47	Washington	101.9
48	West Virginia	98.7
49	Wisconsin	102.9
50	Wyoming	102.4

From this dataset, we can see that the average IQ score by state ranges between 94.2 and 104.3. These scores are all considered “average intelligence” by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.

The top three states are Massachusetts (104.3), New Hampshire (104.2), and North Dakota (103.8).

Massachusetts’ higher score average could be due to several factors. For starters, the state is home to prestigious universities like Harvard and MIT, which may contribute to a more academically focused culture. It also has a relatively high median household income, meaning families could have greater access to educational tools.

If you enjoyed this graphic, check out this ranking of U.S. universities by their number of startup founders on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.