The unfortunate fact of the matter is that some places in the Bay State have a larger percent of their population that never graduated from high school.
While the emphasis on going to college might be overblown, the fact is that not graduating from high school puts you at a significant disadvantage on average. Educational attainment might not be the best way to measure one person’s intelligence, but it does shine a light on the state.
We will use Saturday Night Science to determine what places in Massachusetts have the highest percentage of adults without a high school degree.
A recent study we published found that Massachusetts is the 1st smartest state in the United States, with an average IQ of 104.
But that doesn’t mean that a few cities in Massachusetts are a bit slower than others due to a lack of basic education.
#1 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Bristol County, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Fall River’s population was 88,857 at the 2010 census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#2 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Essex County, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 76,377, which had risen to an estimated 78,197 as of 2014. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. Lawrence and Salem are the county seats of Essex County. Lawrence is part of the Merrimack Valley.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#3 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. As of 2013, Chelsea had an estimated population of 36,828. It is also the second most densely populated city in Massachusetts behind Somerville. With a total area of just 2.21 square miles, Chelsea is the smallest city in Massachusetts in terms of total area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#4 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Bristol County, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts. New Bedford is nicknamed “The Whaling City” because during the 19th century, the city was one of the most important, if not the most important, whaling ports in the world, along with Nantucket, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut. The city, along with Fall River and Taunton, make up the three largest cities in the South Coast region of Massachusetts.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#5 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Hampden County, Massachusetts
Springfield is a city in western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern Mill River. As of the 2010 Census, the city’s population was 153,060. Metropolitan Springfield, as one of two metropolitan areas in Massachusetts, had a population of 692,942 as of 2010.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#6 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, 4 miles north of Boston. The population was 41,668 at the time of the 2010 United States Census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#7 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 95,314 in the 2015 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County. Brockton is the seventh largest city in Massachusetts and is sometimes referred to as the “City of Champions”, due to the success of native boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler, as well as its successful Brockton High School sports programs. Two of the villages within the city are Montello and Campello, both have the distinction of having their own MBTA Commuter Rail Stations and post offices. Campello is the smallest neighborhood in the city, but also the most populous. Brockton hosts a baseball team, the Brockton Rox. Brockton is one of the windiest cities in the United States, with an average wind speed of 14.3mph.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#8 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Essex County, Massachusetts
Lynn is the 9th largest municipality in Massachusetts and the largest city in Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 10 miles north of downtown Boston, Lynn is part of Greater Boston’s urban inner core. An early colonial settlement and industrial center, Lynn was long colloquially referred to as the “City of Sin,” owing to its historic reputation for crime and vice. Today, however, the city is known for its large international population, historic architecture, downtown cultural district, loft-style apartments, and public parks and open spaces, which include the oceanfront Lynn Shore Reservation; the 2,200-acre, Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Lynn Woods Reservation; and the High Rock Tower Reservation. The city also is home to the southernmost portion of the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, Lynn Heritage State Park, and the National Register-listed Diamond Historic District.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#9 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Bristol County, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located approximately 40 miles south of Boston, 18 miles east of Providence, 10 miles north of Fall River, 20 miles north of New Bedford, and 25 miles west of Plymouth. It is the seat of Bristol County. Taunton is situated on the Taunton River which winds its way through the city on its way to Mount Hope Bay, 10 miles to the south. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 55,874. Thomas Hoye Jr. is the current mayor of Taunton, and has held the position since 2012.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#10 dumbest in Massachusetts
Located in
Hampden County, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 39,880. As of 2016, the estimated population was 40,280. Sitting 8 miles north of Springfield, Holyoke is part of the Springfield Metropolitan Area, one of the two distinct metropolitan areas in Massachusetts.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Massachusetts’s statewide median.
On the map
Where Massachusetts’s dumbest cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the dumbest cities in the Bay State
We realize that formal education is only part of it when it comes to being intelligent, but on the other hand, knowing the difference between they’re, their, and there is always going to make you look pretty stupid.
So, we used Saturday Night Science to narrow down our criteria to focus on a city’s educational opportunities and what percentage of the population takes advantage of those opportunities.
In short, we came up with these criteria to determine the dumbest cities in Massachusetts:
- % of the city’s population with less than a high school education (Age 25+)
- % of city’s population with a college degree (Age 25+)
We got the data from the U.S. Census 2020-2024 American Community Survey.
Then, our algorithm generates a rank for each place in these categories. After crunching all the numbers, a ranking of the cities in Massachusetts from dumbest to brightest.
For this ranking, we used every Massachusetts city with at least 12,000 residents. We updated this article for 2026, and it’s our eleventh time ranking the dumbest cities in Massachusetts.
The full plate
Dumbest Cities In Massachusetts For 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | % Adult High School Dropout | % Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fall River | 94,082 | 24.0% | 16.0% |
| 2 | Lawrence | 88,736 | 27.0% | 17.0% |
| 3 | Chelsea | 39,908 | 30.0% | 21.0% |
| 4 | New Bedford | 100,998 | 23.0% | 17.0% |
| 5 | Springfield | 154,749 | 21.0% | 20.0% |
| 6 | Everett | 50,045 | 23.0% | 24.0% |
| 7 | Brockton | 105,386 | 19.0% | 22.0% |
| 8 | Lynn | 101,709 | 22.0% | 24.0% |
| 9 | Taunton | 60,433 | 15.0% | 23.0% |
| 10 | Holyoke | 37,813 | 22.0% | 25.0% |
| 11 | Revere | 60,012 | 19.0% | 24.0% |
| 12 | Chicopee | 55,295 | 14.0% | 23.0% |
| 13 | Lowell | 118,368 | 17.0% | 30.0% |
| 14 | Gardner | 21,148 | 12.0% | 24.0% |
| 15 | Fitchburg | 41,798 | 13.0% | 25.0% |
| 16 | Worcester | 207,055 | 15.0% | 34.0% |
| 17 | Haverhill | 67,698 | 10.0% | 32.0% |
| 18 | Leominster | 43,909 | 10.0% | 33.0% |
| 19 | Malden | 65,906 | 14.0% | 45.0% |
| 20 | North Adams | 12,606 | 8.0% | 29.0% |
| 21 | Marlborough | 41,647 | 13.0% | 40.0% |
| 22 | Attleboro | 46,762 | 10.0% | 34.0% |
| 23 | Westfield | 40,378 | 7.0% | 33.0% |
| 24 | Peabody | 54,695 | 8.0% | 36.0% |
| 25 | Pittsfield | 43,457 | 7.0% | 35.0% |
| 26 | Boston | 666,442 | 11.0% | 55.0% |
| 27 | Quincy | 102,114 | 10.0% | 50.0% |
| 28 | Salem | 44,795 | 9.0% | 47.0% |
| 29 | Gloucester | 30,075 | 6.0% | 40.0% |
| 30 | Woburn | 41,939 | 6.0% | 46.0% |
| 31 | Waltham | 64,902 | 7.0% | 57.0% |
| 32 | Medford | 59,354 | 6.0% | 60.0% |
| 33 | Beverly | 42,665 | 3.0% | 53.0% |
| 34 | Somerville | 81,036 | 6.0% | 70.0% |
| 35 | Melrose | 29,650 | 4.0% | 63.0% |
| 36 | Northampton | 30,962 | 6.0% | 63.0% |
| 37 | Newburyport | 18,652 | 3.0% | 67.0% |
| 38 | Newton | 89,044 | 3.0% | 81.0% |
| 39 | Cambridge | 118,796 | 3.0% | 81.0% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 39 cities with more than 12,000 residents.
Summary
There You Have It – Now That You’re Asleep
If you’re measuring the locations in Massachusetts where there are a high number of dropouts and adults who never received a formal education, this is an accurate ranking.
The dumbest cities in Massachusetts are Fall River, Lawrence, Chelsea, New Bedford, Springfield, Everett, Brockton, Lynn, Taunton, and Holyoke. Not sold on Massachusetts? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
