Our society is in a constant state of evolution and seems like the established education system is unable to meet its needs leaving, as a result, a high percentage of uneducated people, and that’s why we decided to find out which are the 25 dumbest cities in the US in 2018.
First of all let’s say that when we talk about the dumbest cities in the US in 2018, we are considering the cities, according to the most recent data, with the least amount of people holding high school diplomas, college or any higher type of education. As per the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a country’s adult education level is estimated by the percentage of people between the ages of 25 and 64 who have completed some kind of tertiary education in the form of a two-year degree, four-year degree or vocational program. Despite having 8 out of the 10 best universities of the world, the USA was ranked 6th by the OECD for adult education levels. Not bad you might say, but unfortunately there are parts of the country where higher education is at a much lower level and where the percentages of people with bachelor degrees and even high school diplomas are very low.
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The USA has an average percentage of high school graduates of 87%, finding the lowest amount of graduates in the state of California with 82% which gives a valid reason for considering it the dumbest state in America. On the other hand, the state of Montana holds the highest with 93% of graduates as per the Census Bureau. Recently released data from international math and science assessments indicates that U.S. students continue to rank around the middle of the pack and behind many other advanced industrial nations. We can see that reflected on the SAT results, as we all know it tests students on their math, reading, and writing aptitude, although the writing section is becoming optional. If you were interested in knowing which states scored the least, we suggest you read the article 20 Dumbest States in America by SAT Scores. Many might say those scores are not determinant, and we have to agree that education is more than the grades you get, it’s the tool that helps us develop the perspective on the world around us, building our opinions about things and situations in life. But, let’s face it, the current global economic climate requires well-prepared professionals. In search of becoming competitive professionals many college applicants plan to continue their education abroad, specifically in Europe; but if you thought that European school system guarantees a higher educational level, well, you then will be surprised reading about the 20 dumbest countries in Europe.
Knowledge is power, as a proof of the veracity of this quote we can mention Canada, Australia, and Japan as a few countries with very high literacy rates. These countries are extremely advanced in technology and living standards which allows their citizens to have a high per capita income. A country that invests in education is definitively a prosperous country. In the USA the average investment in public education per student is $11,392. Significant variation exists across states; New York and Alaska spend more than $20,000 per student, while states like Utah and Idaho only spend about a third as much.
Without any doubt, the benefits of a university education remain high. University graduates are more likely to be employed, and according to the World Economic Forum they earn 56% more than those without a degree, and they are less likely to suffer from depression.
In order to present you the ranking of the dumbest cities in U.S. 2018, we have collected the most recent data from WalletHub and compared with the data shown in Open Data Network, choosing cities with a population above 50 000 people in the country. We ranked them according to the percentage of adult residents with a high school diploma, associate’s degree, graduate or professional degree. So keep on reading to find the cities with the lowest percentage of people educated people with bachelor’s and high school diplomas in the U.S., or in simple words the 25 dumbest cities in the US in 2018.
25. Canton, Ohio
This is a city with 72 163 inhabitants. It is known for being home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which honors National Football League players, William McKinley Presidential Library and the First Ladies’ National Library. There is a fair amount of high schools both public and private in the city of Canton. However, the closest colleges and universities are located 15 miles or so away from Canton, for example, the Malone University, Stark State College, and Walsh University. Even though it is a relatively small city Canton has an under the average percentage of high school graduates of 82.7%, the college graduation rate is 13.80%, and the percentage of people with a graduate or professional degree is a low 4.10%.
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