New Research Finds the 10 Dumbest Places in Iowa

Before you freak out, know that intelligence is measured in many ways.  As a big dummy, I know these things. And, just because you live somewhere that does not have those of basic or higher education, that's ok.  Plus, I'm not saying these places are dumb, RoadSnacks is saying that.

Iowans' Trouble with High School and Beyond

Basically, the issue in Iowa is that a significant number of people haven’t finished high school. While there's a lot of pressure to go to college, the truth is, not graduating high school can really put someone at a disadvantage in the long run, especially when it comes to jobs and earning potential.

Of course, education isn’t the only way to measure someone’s intelligence, but it does say something about the overall state of things. It’s an issue that stands out when looking at how the state is doing overall.

What Does BLS Have to Say About It?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,  in 2022, people over 25 without a high school diploma made about $682 a week, while those with a diploma earned $853 a week—about 25% more. The more education you have, the higher your potential earnings.

The data also shows that education affects unemployment. People without a diploma had the highest unemployment rate (5.5%), and that number got lower as education levels went up.

Of course, everyone's experience is different depending on what job you have or what field you're in, but getting more education can help you build the skills needed for higher-paying positions. Plus, employers often see education as proof that you can plan, meet deadlines, and follow through on tasks.

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This info comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and you can learn more about different careers and what education they typically require by checking out the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

How Does RoadSnack Figure All This Out?

Basically, the authors are ranking the "dumbest" cities in Iowa based on education levels. They admit that intelligence isn’t just about formal education, but they point out that knowing basic grammar, like the difference between "they’re," "their," and "there," is important and can affect how people see you.

To figure out their rankings, they focused on two things:

1. The percentage of people (ages 25 and older) in a city who didn’t finish high school.
2. The percentage of people (ages 25 and older) with a college degree.

They pulled this data from the U.S. Census 2018-2022 American Community Survey, and then used an algorithm to rank the cities based on these factors. After running the numbers, they created a list of Iowa cities, ranked from the "dumbest" to the "brightest."

They included every city in Iowa with at least 5,000 residents and updated this article for 2024. This is actually the tenth time they’ve done this ranking.

What are The 10 Dumbest Places in Iowa?

According to RoadSnacks, it's these:

The 10 Dumbest Places In Iowa

1. Osceola
2. Perry
3. Denison
4. Estherville
5. Storm Lake
6. Marshalltown
7. Ottumwa
8. Oelwein
9. Red Oak
10. Clarinda