Move over Washington, D.C. Minneapolis is the nation's "Most Literate City," according to an annual survey.
Washington, which held the ranking for four straight years, drops to No. 2 in a ranking of the nation's 77 largest cities using data from 2014. Minneapolis was No. 3 in last year's survey.
The study, conducted by Dr. Jack Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University, measures "citizens' use of literacy" through criteria including local bookstores, educational levels, Internet and library resources, and newspaper circulation.
This is the 12th annual survey ranking America's Most Literate Cities.
The top 10:
1. Minneapolis
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Seattle
4. St. Paul, Minn.
5. Atlanta
6. Pittsburgh
7. Denver
8. San Francisco
9. Boston
10. St. Louis, MO
Among Miller's findings this year:
-- Although Minneapolis bumps Washington from the top spot, the city rankings do not change much from year to year. None of the top three cities, Minneapolis, Washington, and Seattle, has ever ranked lower than fifth.
-- Technology is having a large impact on reading, with libraries changing dramatically in the usage and accessibility of materials; newspapers losing circulation; and the number of independent and chain bookstores shrinking.
- Americans are becoming more and more educated, but less and less literate.
- Cities such as Cleveland, Kansas City, and Tulsa have all invested in their library systems, which is reflected in their rankings. Most California cities have seen a disinvestment in their public libraries, and their rankings show it.
Here is the rest of the list:
11. Portland, OR
12. Cincinnati
13. Raleigh, N.C.
14. Kansas City, MO
15. Baltimore, MD
16. Honolulu
17. Cleveland
18. Orlando, FL
19. Virginia Beach, VA
20. New York
21. Columbus, OH
22. Austin, TX
23. Oakland, CA
24. Tulsa, OK
25. Omaha, NE
26. Nashville-Davidson, TN
27. (tie) Lexington-Fayette, KY
27. (tie) New Orleans
29. Tampa, FL
29. Lincoln, NE
31. San Diego
32. Colorado Springs, CO
33. Chicago
34. Buffalo, NY
35. Philadelphia
37. (tie) Newark, NJ
37. (tie) Indianapolis
37. (tie) Sacramento, CA
39. San Jose, CA
40. Greensboro, NC
41. Plano, TX
42. Milwaukee
43. Miami
44. Dallas
45. Albuquerque, NM
46. Louisville-Jefferson Co., KY
47. Detroit
48. Fort Wayne, IN
49. Tucson, AZ
50. Oklahoma City, OK
51. Charlotte, NC
52. Santa Ana, CA
53. (tie) Fort Worth, TX
53. (tie) Las Vegas
55. Toledo, OH
56. Jacksonville, FL
57. Jersey City, NJ
58. Anchorage, AK
59. Henderson, NV
60. Houston
61. Wichita, KS
62. Arlington, TX
63. Los Angeles
64. Memphis
65. Phoenix
66. Riverside, Calif.
67. Long Beach, Calif.
68. Mesa, AZ
69. Aurora, CO
70. San Antonio
71. Fresno, Calif.
72. Anaheim, Calif.
73. Stockton, Calif.
74. Chula Vista, Calif.
75. El Paso, TX
76. Corpus Christi, TX
77. Bakersfield, CA
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