This article identifies the 10 least educated cities in the United States, based upon data culled from the 2010 U.S. Census. For purposes of this article, cities comprise the 100 largest municipalities in the United States, and least educated is defined as the percentage of adult inhabitants 25 years and over who have not earned high school diplomas.
The dubious distinction of being the least educated city in the United States belongs to Santa Ana, California, where 47.2% of adult inhabitants have failed to earn high school diplomas; what’s more, a stunning 28.7% have less than a 9th grade education.
The second least educated city in the United States is Miami, Florida: 31.8% of inhabitants from the so-called “Magic City” have not earned high school diplomas.
Just behind Miami is the neighboring city of Hialeah, Florida, America’s third least educated city. In Hialeah, 31.4% of adult inhabitants have not received high school diplomas.
Consistent with its much maligned reputation, Newark, the largest city in New Jersey, is the fourth least educated city in the U.S., with 30.7% of adult inhabitants failing to earn high school diplomas.
The “Big D,” Dallas, Texas, comes up small where high school diplomas are concerned: 26.5% of its adult inhabitants have not earned diplomas.
Home to Disneyland, Anaheim, California, is the sixth least educated city in the U.S. Located just 10 miles northwest of Santa Ana, America’s least educated city, Anaheim is no “Magic Kingdom” — 26.2% of its adult inhabitants are without high school diplomas.
Hidden behind its glitz and glamour, Los Angeles, California, is the seventh least educated city in the United States, with 26.1% of adult inhabitants failing to receive high school diplomas.
Houston may be the largest city in Texas and fourth largest city in America, but it is the eighth least educated: 25.7% of adult Houstonians are without high school diplomas.
Fresno, the fifth largest city in California, is the ninth least educated city in the United States, with 25.5% of adult inhabitants failing to earn high school diplomas.
Rounding out the list and adding to California’s woes is the city of Stockton, the tenth least educated city in the U.S.: 25% of Stockton’s adult inhabitants have not earned high school diplomas.
Source:
“Educational Attainment,” 2010 U.S. Census