According to a recent research, West Virginia is among the “least intelligent” states in the country, which has put the Mountain State at the top of yet another list that its citizens would prefer not to be on.
According to research from the online learning platform Guru99, which was originally reported by OnFocus News, West Virginia is the 47th most intelligent state in the union out of the 50 states. Guru99 used data on GDP (gross domestic product) per capita, graduation rates, SAT scores, literacy rates, average IQ, and the proportion of citizens without a high school diploma or its equivalent to determine ranks.
West Virginia has the lowest average SAT score in the nation, 938, which is about 100 points lower than the 2023 national average, according to the College Board report. According to the study, the state’s overall high school graduation rate for the same period, which was 88.82%, was lower than the national average. However, it should be mentioned that West Virginia’s high school graduation rate for the 2021–2022 academic year was reported by the National Center for Education Statistics to be 91%, which is almost four points higher than the national average. The center has not yet made available the academic year 2022–2023 statistics.
Mississippi, Texas, and New Mexico rank 48th, 49th, and 50th, respectively, when the same six criteria are applied. The survey ranks the top three states in the US for intelligence: New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Wyoming.
The statistics of overdose deaths, murder, and firearm deaths present an equally dismal picture of the Mountain State according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).
With 311 firearm deaths in West Virginia in 2022, the state’s per capita rate was 16.2 per 100,000. With greater firearm fatality rates than New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Texas, and Florida, this puts West Virginia in the bottom half of the nation. The murder rate was somewhat lower in West Virginia, where there were 105 homicides in 2022 (or 6.2 per 100,000 people), more than in Illinois or Pennsylvania, but not in New York. Finally, as has been the case for a regrettable period of time, West Virginia remains the state with the highest rate of overdose deaths per capita in the US (80.9).
Rubby Cordelia is a finance journalist for WVPrepBB.com, bringing expertise and clarity to her reporting on financial news. With a passion for demystifying complex economic issues, Rubby delivers insightful analysis and up-to-date information on the latest market trends, financial policies, and economic developments. Her work on WVPrepBB.com is essential reading for anyone looking to stay informed about the ever-changing world of finance.
