The research, carried out by BrainManager, a website that tests IQ through various quizzes online, examined a range of factors that reflect both formal education and intellectual curiosity. Looking at 60 of England’s largest towns and cities, the study considered the percentage of residents with degrees, GCSE attainment, vocational and Level 3 qualification rates, and access to public libraries. But it didn’t stop there – it also explored how eager people are to learn outside the classroom, using data on Google searches related to online reading and the number of public lectures and academic events held per 10,000 people.
By analysing these eight metrics and assigning each a weighted value based on its educational significance, BrainManager created an overall score to rank England’s largest towns and cities.
Wokingham is something of a stealthy genius, ranking seventh in the study. It boasts some of the highest qualification rates in the country, placing second for Level 3 achievements (81%) and third for degrees (36.5%). GCSE results are also strong, with a 54.8% attainment rate that places it third overall.
But here’s the catch – Wokingham only has one public library. That’s right, one. The city also ranks poorly for public academic events and comes 39th for schools rated 'Outstanding'. So while its academic results shine on paper, access to community learning resources lags behind. Maybe it’s time they built a few more libraries to match all those clever clogs living there.
Oxford tops the list thanks to its world-renowned academic culture and off-the-chart performance in public lectures and qualifications. Reading isn’t far behind, landing in second with high GCSE and Level 3 qualification rates. Slough, in third, makes its mark with top-tier vocational training and plenty of academic events to engage the community.
Brighton and Hove ranks fourth with a strong university-educated population and good GCSE outcomes. London, in fifth, impresses with its massive public library network and top-rated schools, though it’s less engaged in public academic events. York places sixth with consistent strengths across qualifications and school standards. Stafford, in eighth, impresses with public engagement and a high rate of 'Outstanding' schools. Southend-on-Sea leads the GCSE rankings in ninth, while Bournemouth’s seaside charm is matched by solid academic performance in tenth.
On the flip side, Blackpool, Doncaster, Sunderland, Barnsley, and Hull ranked in the bottom 5.
List of the top 10 smartest cities in the study:
| Rank | City | % of people who have a degree | GCSE attainment rate | Access to public libraries | Vocational qualification rate | Level 3 qualification rate | % of schools rated outstanding at last Ofsted inspection | Google Searches per online reading per 10,000 people | Public lectures and academic events per 10,000 people | Total Score |
| 1 | Oxford | 41.06 | 49.7 | 47 | 1.98 | 85.1 | 6.59 | 390.63 | 641.25 | 71.87 |
| 2 | Reading | 33.00 | 52 | 30 | 2.46 | 76.3 | 5.00 | 387.41 | 302.54 | 59.53 |
| 3 | Slough | 26.17 | 56 | 11 | 3.32 | 60.7 | 7.27 | 128.87 | 457.36 | 53.94 |
| 4 | Brighton and Hove | 37.93 | 51.6 | 15 | 1.93 | 73.5 | 3.60 | 289.18 | 271.44 | 52.09 |
| 5 | London | 33.70 | 52.81 | 89 | 2.21 | 76 | 10.73 | 182.79 | 6.32 | 52.08 |
| 6 | York | 33.09 | 53 | 22 | 1.78 | 77 | 7.02 | 118.49 | 181.46 | 49.82 |
| 7 | Wokingham | 36.50 | 54.8 | 1 | 1.79 | 81 | 4.83 | 98.77 | 23.57 | 49.00 |
| 8 | Stafford | 29.05 | 47.3 | 22 | 2.20 | 64.5 | 11.11 | 189.50 | 380.47 | 47.46 |
| 9 | Southend-on-Sea | 22.06 | 56.3 | 6 | 2.37 | 63.1 | 7.30 | 219.82 | 426.36 | 46.05 |
| 10 | Bournemouth | 26.85 | 52.7 | 7 | 2.44 | 66.7 | 10.08 | 148.71 | 149.46 | 45.29 |