20 Smartest Cities In America (PHOTOS)

As you readers will know, we are all about lists. It appears that one of our favorite travel magazines is, too. Travel & Leisure released their America's Best issue recently and it's a gold mine for superlative lists ripe for information.

We've already brought you their list of most and least attractive cities. Today we bring you the 20 cities that visitors and residents find most intelligent.

It is interesting to compare the list of visitors vs. residents. Take a look at the slideshow and let us know what you think!

 

What do you think is the smartest city in America? Send us your photos!

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Smartest People (Tourists): #1 Portland, Oregon

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comments(91)

Total comments: 91 | Post a Comment

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City

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Um... So right!

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Comments

[Mildmannered]

12:19 AM on 11/17/2010

smartest cities are not really cities but rather university towns

[Apathy quo]

05:40 AM on 11/10/2010

Nico Perniola your comment could be interpreted as a threat against Congressman Issa. Is it?

[Tia2008]

10:21 PM on 11/09/2010

San Francisco should be #1 on the smartest and the most attractive list.

Okay, I was born and raised in San Francisco so I will admit that I am a bit bias. LOL

[marco01]

11:02 AM on 11/15/2010

I wasn't but I agree.

SF rules baby!

[tippisheadrun]

03:12 PM on 11/09/2010

The smartest city in America... Let me think about that. I have to pick one right. Okay Okay just give me a minute, I'll think of one. Uhmmm Lets see... Oh Oh Oh I got one! I thought of a smart city - Yale. Oh no wait a minute thats not a city. Okay just give me a second here. Its coming to me.. if I just think hard enough. Hmmm. Don't rush me - I'll think of something thats plausible. Nope its not coming to me. I give up.
You're putting to much pressure on me to come up with an answer to question that there is no answer to. This leads me to believe that this is all a trick. You know there is no correct answer & still you ask the question. What city do you people live in??

[pepinito]

02:27 PM on 11/09/2010

The smartest residents are those of Washington DC. They all live off the government, those who work and those who don't, (that happen to be, the majority) .

[chuck prebys]

02:54 PM on 11/09/2010

True.
Sucking off the Gvt te_at and voting for "smaller government".......Repubs in lockstep.....
There's no use for you here unless you're assisting the looting of the Treasury or helping to make the world safe for a Walmart and Starbucks on every corner of every street in the world.

Definition of insane this place is..........
Smart?
No......
Good at taking tests and knowing a very finite exploitable niche skill in the world?
Yes

[Nico Perniola]

02:04 PM on 11/09/2010

Feels good to know Seattle exists in the minds of the rest of this nation. Microsoft, sister city to Tokyo, and one of the best places on Earth to enjoy a cup of coffee with punctuated moments of both rain and shine. Also the music history, can't forget Soundgarden, Nirvana, Blue Scholars, Common Market, Atmosphere, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees, Green River, Candlebox, Mudhoney, Death Cab for Cutie (Technically Bellingham), and Modest Mouse (Technically Issaquah). Good stuff!

[MplsDem]

04:42 PM on 11/09/2010

Atmosphere? Sorry, they're from Minneapolis.

[LMPE]

01:57 PM on 11/09/2010

Woo hoo! Tourists consider my hometown the smartest!

[CubanVoice]

01:45 PM on 11/09/2010

Bunch of morons...leaving NYC out of the mix. Please!

[Eyeshaveit]

12:57 PM on 11/09/2010

If the residents in Charleston are some of the smartest in this country then we are doomed. Public schools are a farce. If you don't believe me look at the dropout rate. Unemployment is high. A small contingency of people control most of the business in the city therefore many projects routinely fail. The city has a poor public transportation system. The port has been sliding in national importance in recent years. If it weren't for fact that the 2 most powerful state politicians represent the Charleston area, even less progress would be occurring. Perhaps is it the strong military presence in the area that has boosted intelligence levels.

[SweetBabu]

12:55 PM on 11/09/2010

Apparently here in Philly we're very ug.ly (#3) and not very bright--we didn't even make the top 10. I'm insulted, I tell ya! I'd love to see the methodology behind these lists.

[deluk]

01:29 PM on 11/09/2010

very ugly and not very bright?...yet you can still rouse yourself from the depth of your depression to participate on sites like this!!

I salute you! (but please don't leave your basement)

[SweetBabu]

01:33 PM on 11/09/2010

LOL--don't let the purple face fool you, I'm hot-hot-hot!

Love your av, by the way. "London Calling" on vinyl is one of my most prized possessions.

[deluk]

01:44 PM on 11/09/2010

mine too, hottie!

fanned back.

[Angelus2007]

01:51 PM on 11/09/2010

I was cruious on the methodology as well. I live in DC, and there are some dumb people here.

[welsh91]

02:15 PM on 11/09/2010

Yes, but we elected them, sio it's our own fault

[Charlie Ham]

12:40 PM on 11/09/2010

lol more lies from washinton!!

[sma1026]

12:29 PM on 11/09/2010

DC is full of smartypants. It's interesting that smart people don't visit Boston...

[justanotherbushhater]

12:48 PM on 11/09/2010

I agree. I think Boston is one of the smartest cities in America, i.e., cities with the most intelligent people, in America.

(I have to admit I am a bit confused by this poll...what if a dumb tourist goes to a smart city or if a dumb city thinks of itself as smart?)

[latoussaint]

01:44 PM on 11/09/2010

Yup, lived in many of these cities and Boston is #1. It awes me why SF would be before for smartest people? Can't hold a candle to Boston. Dim in comparison.

[valeskas]

12:26 PM on 11/09/2010

Charleston SC was this time one of the winning cities, I hope everybody in S C is happy again.

[MamaBird62]

12:39 PM on 11/09/2010

Nor for smartest. I think they came if first for most attractive, which I found kind of funny.
Tourists spend a lot of time drunk when they're in Charleston.

[MamaBird62]

12:41 PM on 11/09/2010

OK, I see they are on the list at #9. I'm just going to add that to the comment about tourists mostly being drunk there.

[Hairbear7]

12:12 PM on 11/09/2010

Nevada should be on that list...Oh wait, Sharron Angle. Ya, better to leave them off.

[rjmtx]

11:44 AM on 11/09/2010

Related to recent lists on HP...

Why wasn't Jesus born in Louisiana?

They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.

...Yes, and I moved to LA from Austin. I can't complain, though. It's not a bad place if you look at it the right way.

[whoknew---]

02:50 PM on 11/09/2010

Ha!

Fanned for a sense of humor!

lol....

[rjmtx]

07:32 AM on 11/10/2010

Flagged as abusive? C'mon, it's a joke, people. I like Louisiana. Here's another:

How did the bleeding heart liberal prove their worthiness to the cause?

They got offended at everything possible.

In the words of Triumph, "I kid, I kid."