Key figures from the map
- State averages on the map run from 94.2 in Mississippi to 104.3 in Massachusetts, a spread of about 10 points.
- New Hampshire (104.2), North Dakota (103.8) and Vermont (103.8) follow Massachusetts.
- Louisiana (95.3), California (95.5) and Hawaii (95.6) are next lowest after Mississippi.
- Every state falls in the 90 to 109 range that the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale classifies as Average.
- The map cites Pesta (2022) in the Journal of Intelligence, accessed via Data Pandas. See the notes below on how its figures compare with that paper.
Average IQ by state in text
Title: Average IQ by State. A map of the 50 states shaded from dark purple (lower scores) to light blue (higher scores), with a legend scale from 94 to 105. Alaska and Hawaii are shown as insets; Washington DC is not included. Each state carries its postal code and value. Logo: a small Voronoi emblem in the corner.
| State | Average IQ on the map |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 95.7 |
| Alaska | 99.0 |
| Arizona | 97.4 |
| Arkansas | 97.5 |
| California | 95.5 |
| Colorado | 101.6 |
| Connecticut | 103.1 |
| Delaware | 100.4 |
| Florida | 98.4 |
| Georgia | 98.0 |
| Hawaii | 95.6 |
| Idaho | 101.4 |
| Illinois | 99.9 |
| Indiana | 101.7 |
| Iowa | 103.2 |
| Kansas | 102.8 |
| Kentucky | 99.4 |
| Louisiana | 95.3 |
| Maine | 103.4 |
| Maryland | 99.7 |
| Massachusetts | 104.3 |
| Michigan | 100.5 |
| Minnesota | 103.7 |
| Mississippi | 94.2 |
| Missouri | 101.0 |
| Montana | 103.4 |
| Nebraska | 102.3 |
| Nevada | 96.5 |
| New Hampshire | 104.2 |
| New Jersey | 102.8 |
| New Mexico | 95.7 |
| New York | 100.7 |
| North Carolina | 100.2 |
| North Dakota | 103.8 |
| Ohio | 101.8 |
| Oklahoma | 99.3 |
| Oregon | 101.2 |
| Pennsylvania | 101.5 |
| Rhode Island | 99.5 |
| South Carolina | 98.4 |
| South Dakota | 102.8 |
| Tennessee | 97.7 |
| Texas | 100.0 |
| Utah | 101.1 |
| Vermont | 103.8 |
| Virginia | 101.9 |
| Washington | 101.9 |
| West Virginia | 98.7 |
| Wisconsin | 102.9 |
| Wyoming | 102.4 |
IQ range classification on the map
Below the map, the graphic prints the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale classification of IQ score ranges. Wikipedia’s article on IQ classification gives the same bands for the current Wechsler tests (WAIS-IV) [4].
| Classification (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) | IQ score range |
|---|---|
| Very Superior | 130 and above |
| Superior | 120 to 129 |
| High Average | 110 to 119 |
| Average | 90 to 109 |
| Low Average | 80 to 89 |
| Borderline | 70 to 79 |
| Extremely Low | 69 and below |
Wechsler tests report a “deviation IQ”: the average score of the sample used to norm the test is defined as 100, and one standard deviation above or below it as 115 or 85 [4]. All the state averages on the map fall inside the Average band.
How the state estimates were made
Bryan J. Pesta’s 2022 paper, which the map cites, derived state IQ estimates from two sets of test results: PIAAC literacy and numeracy scores for adults (2012 to 2017) and NAEP reading and maths scores for fourth and eighth graders (2015, 2017 and 2019). Each state’s IQ is the mean of the PIAAC-based and NAEP-based estimates [3]. The paper’s main aim was to compare state IQ with measures of well-being, including crime, education, health and income [3].
Visual Capitalist, which published the map, notes that IQ scores have limitations and do not capture all aspects of intelligence, such as creativity or emotional intelligence [2].
Notes on this infographic
- The values differ from the cited paper. The state IQ table in Pesta (2022) gives different numbers from the map. In the paper New Hampshire is first (103.2) and Massachusetts second (103.1), while New Mexico is last (95.0), with Louisiana at 95.2 and Mississippi at 95.8. California is 97.1 in the paper against 95.5 on the map [3]. Visual Capitalist and Voronoi publish the same values as the map [1][2]. We could not trace where the map’s figures differ from the paper.
- Estimates, not test results. No state’s population sat an IQ test. The figures are derived from achievement test scores [3].
- Creator. The map was published by Voronoi on 24 September 2024 [1] and in a Visual Capitalist article by Marcus Lu, with graphics by Anna Diederichs, on 28 September 2024 [2]. This copy is cropped above the Voronoi footer.
Questions about IQ by state
What state has the lowest average IQ?
On this map, Mississippi, at 94.2. In the table of the paper the map cites, New Mexico is lowest at 95.0 [3].
Which state has the highest average IQ?
On this map, Massachusetts, at 104.3. In the paper’s table, New Hampshire is highest at 103.2, just ahead of Massachusetts at 103.1 [3].
What is a good IQ score?
On the Wechsler scale shown on the map, scores from 90 to 109 are Average, 110 to 119 High Average, 120 to 129 Superior and 130 and above Very Superior [4].
What is the average IQ in California?
The map gives California 95.5. Pesta’s 2022 table gives 97.1 [3].
Sources
- Voronoi, Which States Have the Highest Average IQ?, 24 September 2024.
- Visual Capitalist, Mapped: Average IQ Score by State, by Marcus Lu, graphics by Anna Diederichs, 28 September 2024 (archived copy; the live page blocks automated access).
- Pesta, B. J. (2022), Updated IQ and Well-Being Scores for the 50 U.S. States, Journal of Intelligence.
- Wikipedia, IQ classification.
Last reviewed 29 October 2026
