How intellectual is San Antonio? Not very, according to a new study ranking the nation’s 50 largest cities’ intellectual life outside the classroom.
San Antonio was seventh from the bottom in a new ranking of intellectualism by Maxwell Social. San Antonio scored 37.4 out of a possible 100, placing it 43rd out of 50 cities. The Alamo City ranked below Austin but ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.
To determine its rankings, researchers collected data on museums, libraries, graduate degrees, universities, adult education and bookstores in each city. They paired the data with a survey of 905 adults to determine where they find intellectual community.
San Antonio scored highest in the graduate degrees, universities and museums categories. The city is home to more than 30 higher education institutions, including public and private universities and community colleges, as well as more than 30 museums, including the Alamo and the San Antonio Museum of Art.
It ranked lowest in the search interest category, which measured the number of online searches for intellectual events like book clubs and philosophy lectures. San Antonio received a score of 1.5 out of a possible 11.8 points in that category.
Austin was the highest-ranked Texas city, earning 56.5 points and placing 13th overall. San Antonio finished ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, which ranked 45th and 47th, respectively.
Boston took first place for the most intellectual city, followed by Hartford, Connecticut and San Francisco. Riverside, Calif. finished last.
The findings also suggest many adults are craving more intellectually stimulating ways to socialize.
About 66% of the 905 adults surveyed said they would trade a night of drinking for one centered on ideas, while 83% said the bars they visit feel “intellectually empty.”
Meanwhile, 68% said they crave smarter social environments, and nearly half said alcohol plays no role in their social lives.