Wilmette Goes to the Head of the Class on Website's Most Educated List

WILMETTE, IL — Feeling a bit smarter today, Wilmette? There's a reason for that. The village and its residents earned the distinction as one of the top 10 most educated places in United States for 2016, according to a financial advice website.

Wilmette was ranked No. 8 on Nerdwallet's list, which took U.S. Census data on education levels by residents 25 and older in more than 17,000 communities with at least 25,000 people to find the spots with the most degree-holders. Here's what the site had to say about Wilmette:

"Wilmette is the smallest place on the top 10 list, with only 27,345 residents, but there’s no shortage of degrees among the population. Of Wilmette’s residents, 84% have an associate or bachelor’s degree, and 14% have a professional degree, some of the highest percentages among places measured. No colleges are within the village’s borders, but residents of this suburb north of Chicago live close to more than 100 colleges and universities in the metropolitan area."

The village earned an overall score of 85.24. That's less than 10 points behind Bethesda, MD, the list's top-ranked community. Wilmette's eighth-place standing also makes it the highest ranking town in the state and the Midwest on the list.

RELATED: Go to Nerdwallet's Website to Check Out the Complete List of U.S. Communities

Other Chicago-area communities that made the list included:

• 33. Highland Park (69.69)
• 39. Northbrook (67.01)
• 40. Oak Park (66.96)
• 42. Evanston (66.80)
• 82. Naperville (59.77)
• 94. Glenview (57.83)

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