Huntsville Ranked 15th Most Educated City in U.S. by WalletHub
Rocket City placed 8th for education quality
WalletHub, a leading personal finance site, recently placed Huntsville at No. 15 on its list of the 150 most educated U.S. metro areas . The ranking reflects how the city’s residents continue to achieve high levels of education and support quality learning throughout life.
The study measured cities across 11 key areas. These included the share of adults over 25 with Bachelor’s and advanced degrees, public school quality, and gender gaps in educational attainment.
Huntsville scored especially well in educational attainment. In fact, the city ranked 22nd nationally for the number of degree-holders, and it placed 8th for education quality and closing the attainment gap.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted,
“The most educated cities provide good learning opportunities from childhood all the way through the graduate level. In addition to overall education, it’s also important to look at how well cities promote educational equality when it comes to race and gender.”
Dr. Brett S. Sharp, professor of political science and public administration, added:
“Innovation is more likely to occur when one’s mindset is expanded by exposure to classic and new ideas. Highly educated cities enjoy a natural resilience as the workforce is better equipped to ride the waves of change.”
For comparison, other Alabama cities ranked much lower: Birmingham came in 79th, Montgomery at 103rd, and Mobile at 127th. That makes Huntsville a standout in the state for education and opportunity.
This recognition isn’t surprising. Huntsville is known locally as The Rocket City, home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Redstone Arsenal. It also hosts the University of Alabama in Huntsville, which produces many engineers and scientists. These institutions help fuel Huntsville’s educated workforce and attract smart people from across the country.
Experts say a well-educated population attracts new business, boosts innovation, and helps a city stay strong in a changing economy. Huntsville’s top‑15 spot highlights its growing reputation—not just in aerospace and tech, but in education and workforce strength.
