South Dakota is a long way from the Ivy League, but we've got plenty of smart people in the Mount Rushmore State.

The Washington Post is reporting the results of a study done by Michael McDaniel, formerly a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, estimating the average IQ rates for residents of each U.S. state, and South Dakota ranks in the top third in the nation:

  1. Massachusetts 104.3
  2. New Hampshire 104.2
  3. North Dakota 103.8
  4. Vermont 103.8
  5. Minnesota 103.7
  6. Maine 103.4
  7. Montana 103.4
  8. Iowa 103.2
  9. Connecticut 103.1
  10. Wisconsin 102.9
  11. Kansas 102.8
  12. New Jersey 102.8
  13. South Dakota 102.8

Bringing up the rear on the IQ charts (from 46 to 50) are: New Mexico (95.7), Hawaii (95.6), California (95.5), Louisiana (95.3), and Mississippi (94.2)

South Dakota's top 13 ranking is no doubt good news for residents of the Mount Rushmore State, considering we are often looked down upon by the rest of the country. But there's some bad news as well.

As a planet, we're all getting dumber.

Inc.com reports that across the board, overall IQ scores are down to historic lows. So what's to blame for the intelligence slip? The experts point to poor diets, a glut of mind-numbing entertainment options, and a reliance on technology as the main culprits.


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