So I was interested in what kind of real statistics there are in relation to the recent hoaxed data indicating states voting for Gore or Kerry had higher average IQs than states voting for Bush. These are my findings.
Bush won all but two of the less educated 25 states. Evaluating only the top performing 25 states, Kerry wins 17 to 8 states, with 83% (238/288) of the electoral votes.
For more information on the debunking of the hoaxed data, take a look at Steve Sailer's article at The American Conservative on Bush's Brain (see also his vdare.com posting); essentially, he argues there is no conclusive state-by-state IQ data, but Democrats and Republicans are of the same intelligence.
Blue states voted for John Kerry, Red states voted for George W. Bush. Purple states were attributed to Bush after Kerry's concession.
| State | Overall Score | Benefits | Completion | Participation | Preparation | Affordability | Electoral Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 3.266 | A | B+ | A | B+ | C- | 10 | |
| Massachusetts | 3.200 | A | A | A | A | F | 12 | |
| New Jersey | 3.133 | A | B | A- | A | D | 15 | |
| Connecticut | 3.000 | A | B | A | A | F | 7 | |
| California | 3.000 | A | C | A | C | B | 55 | |
| Maryland | 2.866 | A | B- | A | A- | F | 10 | |
| Utah | 2.866 | B | B | C+ | A | C | 5 | |
| Colorado | 2.800 | A | B- | B | A- | C- | 9 | |
| Illinois | 2.800 | B- | B | A | B+ | D | 21 | |
| Rhode Island | 2.733 | B+ | A | A | C+ | F | 4 | |
| New Hampshire | 2.666 | A- | A | C+ | B+ | F | 4 | |
| Virginia | 2.666 | A- | B | B- | B+ | C- | 13 | |
| Kansas | 2.666 | B+ | B | A | B | F | 6 | |
| Nebraska | 2.666 | B | B | A | B+ | F | 5 | |
| Wisconsin | 2.666 | C+ | A- | B | B+ | D | 10 | |
| Pennsylvania | 2.533 | B | A | B | B- | F | 21 | |
| New York | 2.533 | B | B+ | C+ | A | F | 31 | |
| Iowa | 2.533 | C | A | B+ | B+ | F | 7 | |
| Delaware | 2.400 | A- | A- | C+ | C+ | F | 3 | |
| Washington | 2.400 | A- | A- | C | B- | F | 11 | |
| Missouri | 2.333 | B | B | B | B- | F | 11 | |
| Maine | 2.333 | B | B | B- | B | F | 4 | |
| North Dakota | 2.333 | C | B | A- | B | F | 3 | |
| Michigan | 2.266 | A- | C+ | B+ | C | F | 17 | |
| Vermont | 2.200 | B- | A | C | C+ | F | 3 | |
| North Carolina | 2.200 | C | B | C+ | B | C- | 15 | |
| South Dakota | 2.200 | C- | B | B+ | B | F | 3 | |
| Hawaii | 2.133 | B | C | B- | C | D | 4 | |
| Florida | 2.066 | B- | A- | C | C | F | 27 | |
| Ohio | 2.066 | B- | B | C+ | C+ | F | 20 | |
| Indiana | 2.066 | C | B | C+ | C | D | 11 | |
| Kentucky | 2.000 | B | C | B- | C- | C- | 8 | |
| Texas | 2.000 | B- | C | C | C+ | D | 34 | |
| Arizona | 1.933 | B | C+ | B+ | D | F | 10 | |
| Oregon | 1.933 | B | C | B- | C | F | 7 | |
| Wyoming | 1.933 | D | B+ | B | C+ | F | 3 | |
| Montana | 1.866 | C | C | C | B+ | F | 3 | |
| Georgia | 1.800 | B | B | D | C | F | 15 | |
| South Carolina | 1.733 | C | B | C- | C | F | 8 | |
| Idaho | 1.733 | C | C+ | C- | C | C- | 4 | |
| Alaska | 1.533 | B | F | C | B- | F | 3 | |
| Alabama | 1.533 | C+ | B- | C | C- | F | 9 | |
| Oklahoma | 1.533 | C+ | C- | C | C- | F | 7 | |
| Tennessee | 1.533 | C | C+ | C- | C- | F | 11 | |
| New Mexico | 1.400 | C+ | D | A- | F | F | 5 | |
| Mississippi | 1.400 | C | B- | D | D+ | F | 6 | |
| West Virginia | 1.400 | D | C | C- | C+ | F | 5 | |
| Arkansas | 1.400 | D+ | C | C- | C | F | 6 | |
| Louisiana | 1.066 | C | C | D+ | F | F | 9 | |
| Nevada | 0.933 | C- | F | C | D | F | 5 |
| A | 4.000 |
| A- | 3.666 |
| B+ | 3.333 |
| B | 3.000 |
| B- | 2.666 |
| C+ | 2.333 |
| C | 2.000 |
| C- | 1.666 |
| D+ | 1.333 |
| D | 1.000 |
| D- | 0.666 |
| F | 0.000 |
Original data: http://measuringup.highereducation.org. The survey describes itself as: "Measuring Up consists of the national report card for higher education and fifty state report cards. Its purpose is to provide the public and policymakers with information to assess and improve postsecondary education in each state."
Ordering was calculated by the average of grades each state received on a 4 point scale, A being a 4, F being a 0 (subtract 1/3 for a minus, add 1/3 for a plus, see the table to the right or WikiPedia:Grade (education) for further information).