States ranked by IQ - how does YOURS stack up? (suburbs, health)

[thatguy1]

Originally Posted by ainulinale

I don't get why people care so much. This says nothing about individuals. You can still be an idiot from Massachusetts and a genius from Mississippi.

It speaks volumes for regions across the US. I guess people could just remain uninformed as to what areas of the US need improvement in their school systems.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by burgerflipper

Ok, I'll address the white elephant in the room...What's up with the southern states? Sh*t!

In a nutshell, it's because the rural non-metropolitan counties are REALLY bad. They drag down the numbers for entire States.

It's all about funding. Wealthy suburban & urban districts have a huge advantage over the rural Counties.

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by burgerflipper

It speaks volumes for regions across the US. I guess people could just remain uninformed as to what areas of the US need improvement in their school systems.

Well, considering that no state is even close to below average, I'm not sure this is matters. Additionally, IQ tests are rather controversial.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by johnatl

In a nutshell, it's because the rural non-metropolitan counties are REALLY bad. They drag down the numbers for entire States.

It's all about funding. Wealthy suburban & urban districts have a huge advantage over the rural Counties.

I'm very curious as to how the numbers were calculated and where exactly the data came from...and actually, where the list came from...

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I love how people try to reason why their states ranked so low. "It wouldn't be this way if..."

It is what it is people.

The problem is we don't know what it is...people. You didn't give a link so we could tell how they came up with the locations. I took my IQ test in NY when I was 12. I'm 57. No one has ever asked me for my IQ score in the subsequent 45 years when I lived in DC or MD or TN. I live in Tennessee with a different name than when I took my test in NY. Where am I being counted, in Tennessee or NY? If I took my test in NY and I'm being counted there, how does that make my state, Tennessee, have a higher or lower average IQ? Or maybe it's just "People Who Took An IQ Test in 2008" that gets averaged meaning probably none of the people who are posting in this thread contributed to the ranking of their states.

[radiodude84]

What I'm saying is this....


Mass is mostly urban/suburban. It's tiny in that way.

Cal and Tex and IL have urban but also huge areas of rural. It's different dynamics.

If you don't see how this makes a difference, you must be from one of those bottom states...jk! But seriously, if you just looked at Dallas/Houston/Austin, or LA/SD/SF, the numbers would be much different!!!

[radiodude84]

Originally Posted by ainulinale

Well, considering that no state is even close to below average, I'm not sure this is matters. Additionally, IQ tests are rather controversial.

Average IQ is by definition 100 dude.

[Rachael84]

Originally Posted by radiodude84

What I'm saying is this....


Mass is mostly urban/suburban. It's tiny in that way.

Cal and Tex and IL have urban but also huge areas of rural. It's different dynamics.

If you don't see how this makes a difference, you must be from one of those bottom states...jk! But seriously, if you just looked at Dallas/Houston/Austin, or LA/SD/SF, the numbers would be much different!!!

Mass is pretty rural once you get to the central/western region. At least to someone who's from a city.

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by radiodude84

Average IQ is by definition 100 dude.

The absolute average is 100, but average IQ is the range 85-115. It's called a standard deviation dude.

Thought I'd add this to reinforce the idea that everyone's state is average:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_reference_chart

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by burgerflipper

It speaks volumes for regions across the US. I guess people could just remain uninformed as to what areas of the US need improvement in their school systems.

the IQ rankings seem to mirror the states educational rankings.