We’re the smartest: Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches make up Florida’s brainiest region
October 20th, 2009 by TCPalm.comThe West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce-Vero Beach metro area is the smartest in Florida, but tied with Cleveland for brain power on a nationwide scale, according to The Daily Beast Web site.
The Daily Beast, an Internet-only news outlet, ranked the 55 most populated metro areas in the nation and placed the Treasure Coast and West Palm Beach region 31st on the list, with Tampa-St. Petersburg at 33, Jacksonville at 37, Miami at 39 and Orlando 46.
The Daily Beast based its rankings on the number of residents with bachelor’s degrees and graduate degrees, according to the U.S. Census; political engagement; available institutions of higher learning; and nonfiction book sales, as tracked by Nielsen BookScan.
Out of a score of 200, with average considered 100, the local region scored 97.
Atop the list was Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, primarily for hosting Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, along with the technology incubators in the Research Triangle.
Second was San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif.
At the bottom end, Las Vegas and Fresno, Calif.
U.S. SMARTEST LIST
1. Raleigh-Durham
2. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
3. Boston
4. Minneapolis-St. Paul
5. Denver
6. Hartford-New Haven
7. Tacoma
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Portland
10. Baltimore
FLORIDA’S SMARTEST REGIONS
31. West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce-Vero Beach
33. Tampa-St. Petersburg
37. Jacksonville
39. Miami
46. Orlando
Source: The Daily Beast
Jim Turner
Tags: book sales, brain power, census, degrees, higher learning, political engagement, smart
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October 20th, 2009 at 10:14 am
If this area is the smartest area in FL, god help us all!
October 20th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Hahaha….no kidding. I’m scared too. I’m wondering what “control group” they compared it to. Perhaps it was a group of fire hydrants?
October 20th, 2009 at 11:37 am
I suspect that The Daily “Beast” compared our pets (aka, “Beasts”) to the people in other states. I would agree our beasts in Florida are smarter than the people and that would put us in the top!!!!!!!!
October 20th, 2009 at 11:37 am
MENSA WE AINT!!
October 20th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
How could we be tied with Cleveland? That place is a dump up there
October 20th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
All of those smart people are certainly not driving on I-95.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Dear Z…
Cleveland may not be Fla…but it does have its special place … still the BEST location in the nation. We have best medical facilities in world, great institutions of higher learning, arts and culture through the roof, and the smartest and best tough population that can survive NE Ohio constantly changing winters. But Cleveland is NOT a dump. Try it, you just might like it.
karen
October 20th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Oh, please don’t make me laugh!! I lived in Palm Beach County for 15 yrs and I could tell you plenty! One day I went into a store and they were having a sale on donuts. I said to the young man behind the counter who was about 18 yrs old, “I would like a dozen donuts please.” His reply was “sorry I can’t sell you a dozen we are only allowed to sell you 12″! So much for being the brainiest! Glad in those 15 yrs I lived there I did not have any children going to your Top #1 rated schools!