Average IQ In Virginia Is Higher Than Most U.S. States: Ranking

VIRGINIA — The average IQ in Virginia is higher than most U.S. states, according to a new ranking that measures the cognitive abilities of residents across the nation.

The ranking by analytics company Data Pandas analyzed public data from IQ tests, SAT and ACT scores, and educational attainment levels to determine which U.S. states had higher average IQs than others.

According to the ranking, Virginia has the 16th-highest IQ in the nation at 101.9. That's considered average intelligence, according to most IQ scales.

The state with the highest IQ is Massachusetts, ranking first with an average of 104.3. Massachusetts is home to renowned educational institutions like Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, possibly contributing to its elevated IQ level, the study states.

The second and third highest-ranking states are New Hampshire and North Dakota with average IQ scores of 104.2 and 103.8, respectively.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Mississippi had the lowest IQ in the nation with an average of 94.2.

"This ranking may reflect socio-economic factors that affect residents' access to quality education, a significant aspect contributing to IQ levels," the study states.

Rounding out the bottom three states were Louisiana and California with IQs of 95.3 and 95.5, respectively.

In conclusion, researchers said racial, educational, and economic disparities likely factor into each state's average IQ, highlighting the "complex matrix of conditions that influence intellectual development and testing outcomes."

See the full ranking online.