Alexandria Among Most Educated Midsize U.S. Cities: Report

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Education is as important as ever. People with more advanced degrees tend to be employed more than those without, and they often see more money in their bank accounts. But a report shows which cities are the most — and least — brainy in America. The folks at HeyTutor crunched education, financial and demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017 American Community Survey to determine the most educated cities.

Given its location near the nation's capital, it's no surprise Alexandria fared well. With an average of 15.77 years of education, Alexandria ranked as the fifth most educated mid size city in the country. In Alexandria, 31 percent of adults have a bachelor's degree and 31 percent have a graduate degree or higher. Neighboring Arlington County earned the top spot among mid size cities.

Cambridge, Massachusetts — home to both Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology — topped the list to claim the prestigious honor of most educated large city in America. Residents in the city have an average of 17.22 years of education under their belts. The national average: 13.9 years, or roughly the equivalent of an associate's degree.

Here are the 10 most educated cities and the average years of education residents have attained.

1. Cambridge, MA — 17.22
2. Ann Arbor, MI — 16.92
3. Boulder, CO — 16.77
4. Arlington, VA — 16.63
5. Berkeley, CA — 16.56
6. Naperville, IL — 16.15
7. Cary Town, NC — 16.10
8. Bellevue, WA — 16.09
9. Irvine, CA — 15.93
10. Carlsbad, CA — 15.85

According to the College Board, the typical four-year degree holder who worked full-time earned $24,600 more than those of high school graduates. Bachelor's degree-holders paid nearly $7,000 more in taxes and brought home $17,700 more after taxes were taken out.

Furthermore, the unemployment rate for bachelor's degree-holders ages 25 and older is about half that of high school graduates, College Board said, and young adults with a college degree are more likely to move up the socioeconomic ladder. They're also less likely to rely on public assistance.

Indeed, the study found that the most educated cities tended to see higher wages, home values, employment rates and labor force participation rates among married couples. These places tended to be located on the coasts, were more likely to have a strong tech presence and had a healthy number of universities in the area.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.