Average IQ in San Francisco (United States): Estimates & Key Factors
Estimated Avg IQ
107
IQ Range
104–110
Region
Americas
San Francisco and its surrounding Bay Area represent perhaps the world's most extreme cognitive selection effect in any major metropolitan area. The region is home to Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UCSF, and dozens of other strong institutions, alongside the headquarters of Apple, Google, Meta, Salesforce, and hundreds of technology companies. The combination of elite university clustering and the world's densest concentration of technology industry creates a resident population with extraordinary average educational attainment. San Francisco proper has one of the highest proportions of college-educated residents of any major US city.
Important note: City-level IQ estimates are especially approximate. They reflect selection effects — cities attract educated, ambitious migrants — as well as local education quality, economic conditions, and available data. These figures do not reflect the intelligence or potential of any individual resident. For context on what IQ scores measure, see our guide to IQ.
Key Factors Shaping IQ in San Francisco
- •World's leading technology industry concentration (Apple, Google, Meta, Salesforce)
- •Stanford University and UC Berkeley create extraordinary nearby research cluster
- •Venture capital and startup ecosystem attracts the world's most ambitious technologists
- •High proportion of technology H-1B visa holders with STEM graduate degrees
To understand what IQ scores measure and how they're calculated, see our guide on what IQ is. For a breakdown of what different score levels mean, visit our IQ score ranges page.
San Francisco vs. United States National Average
San Francisco's estimate of ~107 sits above United States's national estimate of ~98, consistent with the selection effects large cities often show — educated, ambitious people migrating toward economic and cultural capitals.
Where This Number Comes From
No comprehensive IQ survey exists for San Francisco — or for almost any city. The figure above is an extrapolation: it starts from national-level estimates (compiled cross-national datasets such as Lynn & Vanhanen's, alongside PISA and TIMSS assessment data), then adjusts for the city's educational attainment and economic composition. Those national compilations are themselves debated in the academic literature, and a city-level extrapolation inherits all of that uncertainty and adds more. Treat the range shown above as an illustrative band, not a measured confidence interval.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average IQ in San Francisco?
San Francisco's estimated average IQ is around 107, among the highest of any major American city. The region's extraordinary concentration of technology companies and proximity to Stanford and UC Berkeley create one of the world's most extreme positive cognitive selection effects.
Why does Silicon Valley create such cognitive selection effects?
Silicon Valley's technology companies hire from a globally competitive pool of the best engineers, scientists, and business professionals. The salaries required to live in the Bay Area then further select for high earners with high educational attainment, concentrating cognitive ability in the resident population.
How does San Francisco compare to New York and Boston?
San Francisco (107) scores slightly higher than New York (105) and similarly to Boston (106). San Francisco's technology sector creates perhaps the world's most extreme selection for STEM-oriented cognitive ability, while New York and Boston have more diverse high-skill sectors.
Explore More Cities
See all cities on our Average IQ by City page, or take our free IQ test to see how you compare.
MyIQScores Editorial Team
Editorial team focused on cognitive testing & psychometrics research
Last updated
May 10, 2026
MyIQScores content is written and maintained by our editorial team using published research in cognitive psychology and psychometrics as its source base. We label estimates as estimates, link primary sources where available, correct errors when readers flag them, and update pages as research or feedback warrants — see our corrections policy.