St. Petersburg Named 3rd Smartest City In America
This might come as a shock to a lot of people, but Forbes just named St. Petersburg, Florida as the third smartest city in the nation. Coming in at #1 was Atlanta, Georgia when comparing people with higher levels of education. If someone have a higher level of education, it normally means they will earn a higher salary. Statistically, workers with a bachelor’s degree will average a higher salary. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, making $594 more than those with only a high school diploma.
Why Is St. Petersburg Named 3rd Smartest City?
The more educated the city, the more likely they usually produce more innovation and tax revenue. Those two reasons usually attract companies who intentionally seek educated workers, which in turn leads to an even higher concentration of highly educated individuals. So, in return, the smartest city will have high levels of education including bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
St. Petersburg ranked in at #3 for several reasons including their Bachelor’s completion rate and age with graduate degrees. This complied list does not just have the highest concentrations of college graduates, it also considers other aspects such as high school dropout rates and racial gaps in degree completion rates. Let’s take a look at some of the most educated cities the U.S. has to offer. Let’s breakdown why St. Pete was named the smartest city.
According to Forbes, “St. Petersburg, Florida has a bachelor’s completion rate for ages 25+: 65.37%, ages 25+ with graduate degrees 38.94% and racial gap in bachelor’s degree attainment: -27.37%. More than 65% (65.37%) of adults in St. Pete hold bachelor’s degrees, and nearly 39% (38.94%) boast graduate degrees, ranking #2 for highest graduate degree completion rate in our survey behind Arlington.” Even though St. Pete is known for its beautiful beaches this means it’s also known for being one of the smartest cities in America. Just another reason why so many companies are moving to the area.
Underrated Florida Beaches That Are Filled with Beauty
Fort Myers Beach
Fort Myers Beach still has a good amount of damage from the hurricane, but Margaritaville is open, so you’ll find plenty to do there. Situated on Estero Island, Fort Myers Beach is one of the state’s most underrated beaches. At Fort Myers Beach, you’ll find beautiful, white-sand beaches and gorgeous sunsets.
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Sarasota
Make sure to visit Siesta Key here, as well as Sarasota Gay Beach and Crescent Beach. Just south of Tampa Bay, Sarasota is a lovely beach town that is especially popular during the holidays. You’ll find lots of local shopping opportunities here.
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St. George Island State Park
St. George Island State Park is located on a barrier island fronting the legendary Apalachicola Bay. It’s a great place to gaze at the stars. Note that starting March 1, 2025, the campground at Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park will be closed for an expansion project.
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Santa Rosa Beach
If you head to Santa Rosa Beach and want to find some really special, and secret, beaches, try Blue Mountain Beach and Grayton Beach State Park. This beach town is less crowded than most, which makes it a low-key getaway.
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Pensacola Beach
Pensacola Beach is located on a 40-mile barrier island, Pensacola Beach, and has beautiful, translucent waters. It’s a really small town, so it’s much less crowded than other beaches. It’s a hidden gem.
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Discover Your Own New Favorite
If you don’t want to go too far, do some digging and visit one of the closest beaches to you, that you haven’t visited yet. This is one of my favorite things to do. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite beach super close to home.
Getty Images / Sergey Dementyev
