The MOST Educated Cities In America (PHOTOS)

Where do the country's most educated citizens live? In a recent report, the Brookings Institute analyzed 2008 American Community Survey data against 1990 Census data to find out. The verdict? Washington, D.C. remains the most-educated metro area in the country -- 46.8 percent of its populace over the age of 25 has a bachelor's degree (see an interactive map of Brookings' data here.)

In June, John Carrol University graduate student Rob Pitingolo's ranking of cities by "educational attainment density" determined that San Francisco was the best-educated city.

See where other metro areas ranked below -- and let us know how yours did in the comments section.

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Washington D.C. Metro Area: 46.8%

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Comments

[Woody Brown]

08:07 AM on 07/22/2010

This is sad...we live in a G.E.D. nation.

[bleubunny]

02:19 PM on 07/25/2010

You're surprised?

[frazcr]

03:29 PM on 07/21/2010

where's Iowa City, IA? about 45% of the population has a degree

[otop016]

09:41 AM on 07/23/2010

I'm sorry...where is that exactly? I've never even heard of it and I have a graduate degree...

signed: a snark living in the NE

[maggiee]

03:27 PM on 07/29/2010

I suspect there was some sort of population cut-off. The smallst city on that list is Bridgeport, CT which is still twice as big as Iowa City. I couldn't find this in the article but if I had to guess, I'd say they cut the population off at 100,000

[arthurb3]

01:33 PM on 07/21/2010

I am not surprised Raleigh, NC is on the list. With three major universities near here and many smaller ones we have a lot of educated folks.
www.raleigh-nc.org

[John Swanson]

11:21 AM on 07/21/2010

So these must also be the areas of highest unemployment as well I'm assuming. Citing the previous slideshow about the highest rate of unemployed, recent graduates, being at a 25 year high. So how does this qualify us as intelligent? Who's to say that the rancher in Colorado or the farmer in Iowa isn't more intelligent at this point? Who is to say that anyone in America is smart anymore when we consistantly vote officials into office purely for financial benefit, they turn around and screw us all, send our boys off to war while looting the public education fund so that the future keeps spending money on worthless college educations? - Out of work teacher

[vitaminc47]

08:29 PM on 07/21/2010

You assume wrong. Madison, WI as an example boasts the #22 lowest unemployment rate in the country. It stands at 5.5% in May 2010.

Also, education is probably the factor for intelligence. The more you have, the smarter you are.

[Just Capital]

08:13 PM on 07/20/2010

As a Connecticut native I have to scratch my head that Bridgeport is on this list. Like Hartford, save for a tiny area where my law school was located, I wouldn't get out of my car or get off the freeway in that city.

[Majorbob53]

08:58 AM on 07/27/2010

I hear ya. My family lives in Fairfield and B'Port is a world away. However, look at the schools there: Sacred Heart U. Bridgeport U; Fairfield U plus several technical/community colleges.

[ThaGovna]

05:01 PM on 07/20/2010

No Jacksonville, FL?

Aw shucks!

Must be all the rednecks here bringing down our average...

[John Swanson]

11:22 AM on 07/21/2010

It's not the rednecks. It's the cutoff jeanshortsssssss.......

[ThaGovna]

11:27 AM on 07/21/2010

Hahaha!

[frazcr]

03:28 PM on 07/21/2010

or the mullets!

[ThaGovna]

03:54 PM on 07/21/2010

Lol! It's scientifically proven mullets sap brain power, so I think you're on to something there.

[progressivewithaP]

03:08 AM on 07/20/2010

What about Seattle and Portland? I'm surprised they are not on the list.

[promcheth]

01:32 AM on 07/20/2010

There are lots of university in Cambodia and there are many different subjects and different teaching skill.it is depend on the strategy of other university.Why do we need to study? we need to have quality and the real knowledge to support our life,family, and specially to develope my country also.All coutries in the world need the best human resource that have the best quality to do something well in their country.they no need quantity.because if we have lots of quantity of students who finish college but they have not enough quality so how can we do? we can do nothing.so all colleges in cambodia must be strick with quality to improve their knowlege or all human resource in Cambodia.

[spyguy68]

12:54 AM on 07/20/2010

All wealthy areas.

A highly educated workforce leads to wealth.

[TrekBear]

09:03 AM on 07/20/2010

You'd think so - but in Austin, one of the most educated cities above, there is a fair degree of stratification - very rich to very poor all within 10-15 miles of one another.

[Commie]

11:34 PM on 07/19/2010

We ain't no fools here in Silicon Valley.

[CabinAgue]

10:11 PM on 07/19/2010

Let's see. I went to school in Cambridge. I lived years in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, and now I live in a suburb of St. Paul.

I'll take it!

[DoinMyHomework]

09:52 PM on 07/19/2010

How come all the most educated cities are liberal?
Can a conservative explain that to me?

[AZProfessor]

11:40 PM on 07/19/2010

My thoughts exactly. LOL

[Commie]

11:43 PM on 07/19/2010

Because empathy is something you learn.

[BoshSpong]

08:43 PM on 07/19/2010

Its and interesting side note that all of the most educated cities tend to be more liberal; darned "edumecation" makes "pinko commies" out of those inflicted by it!

[willowreed]

12:52 PM on 07/20/2010

Well there. Since you brought it up, how are you helping me and my family these days? If you are a liberal, you should be all about helping everyone. I haven't gotten any gummint aid or even gummint cheese because I make too much for food stamps. I don't have a degree, but yet there are plenty that are more educated than I, feasting on whatever they can suck down from the government (and from your tax dollars...assuming you even 1: have a job and 2: pay taxes). So, say what you like, the real world will still exist.
I do not think that this list is correct as far as the most educated cities. It seems that the numbers might have been skewed somehow. We don't even know the sample size. I want to see the method that this guy used to come up with this list.

[BoshSpong]

10:45 AM on 07/21/2010

Its good to know that edumecation has not damaged your thinking processes, if you make too much for food stamps, I recon' you enjoy Ronald Reagan's American way and that you will remain an abused but faithful Republican and that you will keep on votin' for them thats got you where you is.

[Left on Red]

10:13 PM on 07/21/2010

Sounds like you come from one of the least educated areas of the country. Most likely an accident of choice on your part.

[The Red Phone is Ringing]

08:33 PM on 07/19/2010

Is Austin still nice or is it too crowded?

[joyfulartist]

06:50 PM on 07/21/2010

Yes and yes. :~) It's still nice, but it's getting crowded. It's tougher getting around during rush hours than it used to be. But it's still pretty and a fun place to live.

[Margo Arrowsmith]

08:29 PM on 07/19/2010

I was told that Raleigh (actually the whole triangle with Durham and Chapel Hill) has the most PhD's per capita. Nice place to live, but they should have stopped letting Yankees come down right after I moved here. lol

[KristinNoelle]

11:25 PM on 07/20/2010

Nope, Madison, WI is #1 in PhDs per capita.