According to the results of a recent study, Kentucky is ranked as one of the least educated states in America. Let me say, first and foremost, that I don't believe that means Kentucky is one of the dumbest states in the country - I think there is a difference between those two statements.

WOMI-AM logo
Get our free mobile app

This study, conducted by the financial website WalletHub.com, is less about the results (grades, etc) of each state's education, and more about the level of schooling attained and the quality of education available in each state. Here's what WalletHub says...

Some states are able to provide better quality education than others, though. In this study, WalletHub compared all 50 states across 18 metrics that examined the key factors of a well-educated population: educational attainment, school quality, and achievement gaps between genders and races.
Photo by Nik Shuliahin 💛💙 on Unsplash
Photo by Nik Shuliahin 💛💙 on Unsplash
loading...

Where Does Kentucky Rank?

After the experts pulled all of the data and did all of their expert calculations, Kentucky ended up with a total score of 35.70, which puts them at #43 on the list. In the individual categories mentioned above, Kentucky ranked 46th in Education Attainment and 19th in Quality of Education. One other metric worth noting is that Kentucky ranked 46th in the percentage of Bachelor's degree holders.

Indiana Isn't Much Better

Kentucky's neighbor to the north landed just a few places higher on the list, ranking 38th with a total score of 42.60. The Hoosier state ranked 41st when it comes to Educational Attainment, but interestingly ranked 9th in the country in the category of Quality of Education.

Illinois is Doing Just Fine

I recently wrote an article about the results of another study, which says Illinois is one of the most sinful states in the country, but I guess that doesn't really affect their education system. Illinois scored 57.20 in this study, which puts them at #16 in the country. In the individual categories, the Land of Lincoln ranked 17th in Educational Attainment and 18th in Quality of Education.

Scroll over the map below to see how the rest of the country is ranked, and if you want your eyes to go crossed by all of the expert's data, you can see the full WalletHub report here.

Source: WalletHub

Oddball Kentucky Attractions

Kentucky can be mighty quirky, as evidenced by these oddball attractions that are all a quick drive from Owensboro.

Can You Solve These Kentucky 'Jeopardy!' Clues?

Kentucky has made quite a few "appearances" on Jeopardy! in the form of contestants AND clues. Can you solve these from the iconic quiz show? Answers appear below the gallery.

The 25 Most Common Last Names in Kentucky RANKED

Americansurnames.us breaks down the most common last names nationwide and state by state. Here are the top 25 most common surnames in Kentucky.

More From WOMI-AM