WalletHub study ranks Texas cities among least educated in the US

HOUSTON — A recent study by WalletHub revealed a concerning trend in Texas: four of its metropolitan areas rank among the 10 least educated in the United States.

The report, released this week, compared the 150 largest U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) using 11 key metrics. These included the percentage of adults age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher, the quality of public schools, and disparities in education by race and gender.

According to the study, the following Texas cities placed near the bottom:

• Brownsville-Harlingen (Rank: 149 | Score: 13.09)
• McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (Rank: 148 | Score: 14.10)
• Beaumont-Port Arthur (Rank: 141 | Score: 27.39)
• Corpus Christi (Rank: 140 | Score: 30.02)

Brownsville-Harlingen was ranked the second least educated metro area in the nation. Both McAllen and Brownsville were among the lowest in the percentage of adults with associate degrees, some college experience, or a high school diploma, highlighting a need for improvement in basic education levels.

On a more positive note, the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown metro area ranked eighth overall, making it the highest-ranked Texas city in the report. Austin scored well in both educational attainment and quality of education infrastructure.

Other Texas cities ranked more moderately:

• Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington ranked 71st
• Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land placed 85th
• San Antonio-New Braunfels came in at 100th

1. Ann Arbor, MI
2. Durham, NC
3. Madison, WI
4. San Jose, CA
5. Washington, DC
6. Raleigh, NC
7. San Francisco, CA
8. Austin, TX
9. Seattle, WA
10. Boston, MA

• 141. Beaumont, TX
• 142. Hickory, NC
• 143. Salinas, CA
• 144. Stockton, CA
• 145. Fresno, CA
• 146. Modesto, CA
• 147. Bakersfield, CA
• 148. McAllen, TX
• 149. Brownsville, TX
• 150. Visalia, CA

The study highlights deep disparities in education across the state. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted that while higher education does not guarantee financial success, “it certainly correlates with it.”

“The most educated cities provide good learning opportunities from childhood all the way through the graduate level,” Lupo said.

He also emphasized the importance of educational equity by race and gender. For example, nationally, only 15.66% of Black adults have a bachelor’s degree, compared to 23.89% of white adults — a gap that continues to reflect systemic inequality.

Addressing these disparities, experts say, will require long-term, multifaceted strategies.

“We should devote much more attention to developing reading skills at the elementary level,” said Dr. Brett S. Sharp, MPA director and professor at the University of Central Oklahoma. “Reading is perhaps the most efficient way to absorb new information.”

He warned that post-pandemic challenges and digital distractions have made instilling a love of reading more difficult.

“Investing in K–12 sets the predicate for a highly educated workforce,” Sharp added.

Dr. Daniel Katz, assistant professor at Seton Hall University, said local governments must be intentional in their development strategies.

“An array of policies that include anti-displacement initiatives and requiring mixed-income housing as a basis for development are positive starting places,” Katz said. “There are examples of this in Toronto, East Palo Alto and Gowanus, but you must be intentional.”

Cities are increasingly working to attract highly educated workers to drive economic growth and increase tax revenues. According to the Economic Policy Institute, higher levels of education generally lead to higher salaries, and the more graduates earn, the more tax dollars they contribute over time.

As Texas cities continue to grow rapidly — particularly urban centers like Austin and Dallas — closing the education gap will be key to supporting economic development and ensuring equitable opportunities across the state.

Investing in education from early childhood through higher education, experts agree, is vital to building a workforce prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

To identify the most and least educated cities in the U.S., WalletHub compared the 150 most populated metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) across two key dimensions: Educational Attainment and Quality of Education & Attainment Gap.

The study evaluated 11 metrics within those categories, including:

• The percentage of adults age 25 and older with a high school diploma, some college, a bachelor’s degree, or a graduate/professional degree
• The quality of the local public school system, based on GreatSchools.org ratings
• The average quality of nearby universities, from WalletHub’s College & University rankings
• The enrollment rate at top-ranked universities per capita
• The availability of summer learning opportunities
• Racial and gender education gaps, measuring degree disparities by race and gender
• An Education Equality Index score, which evaluates achievement gaps between low-income students and their peers

Each metric was scored on a 100-point scale, and WalletHub calculated a weighted average to determine each city’s final ranking.

Data sources included the U.S. Census Bureau, GreatSchools.org, Yelp, and WalletHub research, with data collected as of June 2, 2025.