Mental Floss

The 20 Most Educated Cities in America

By Michele Debczak

tiny-al/Getty Images
tiny-al/Getty Images / tiny-al/Getty Images
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Whether you've been out of school for two years or 20, it's easy to miss the atmosphere of the academic world (the actual work is a different story). One way to recreate this feeling in your post-grad life is to surround yourself with peers from similar educational backgrounds. The most educated people in America flock to certain parts of the country for the job opportunities, social connections, and culture. If you're interested in seeking out the same things, here are the top cities to move to.

WalletHub compiled this list of the 20 most educated cities in the U.S. by comparing 150 major metro areas across nearly a dozen criteria. By looking at data from sources like the U.S. Census Bureau, they determined which places performed highest in terms of the local education system and the number of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher. How well each city did at closing the gender and racial education gaps was also taken into consideration.

Coming in at No. 1 is Ann Arbor, Michigan—home to the University of Michigan. It received top marks in both its number of educated residents and the quality of education that's offered locally. Filling the second slot on the list is the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area of California where Santa Clara University is located. The Washington, D.C., and San Francisco metro areas also make the top five. You can view the full list of 20 below.

Moving to an educated city is one way to keep up the good habits you developed as a student. But no matter where you live, it is possible to continue your education after collecting your degree without draining your bank account. Here are some affordable educational opportunities for students of any age.

  1. Ann Arbor, MI
  2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
  3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
  4. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
  5. Madison, WI
  6. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
  7. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
  8. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
  9. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
  10. Provo-Orem, UT
  11. Raleigh-Cary, NC
  12. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
  13. Colorado Springs, CO
  14. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
  15. Trenton-Princeton, NJ
  16. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
  17. Portland-South Portland, ME
  18. Tallahassee, FL
  19. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
  20. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
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