Data / Rankings / NAEP average score, reading, grade 4 / US states

US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4

Massachusetts had the highest NAEP average score, reading, grade 4 of 51 states in 2005, at 231 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). District of Columbia had the lowest, at 191 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). The median was 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) and the figure for the United States was 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). Source: National Center for Education Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest231Massachusetts
Lowest191District of Columbia
Median22051 states
United States217History

Map of states, 2005

Alabama: 208 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska: 211 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia: 191 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii: 210 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois: 216 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts: 231 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi: 204 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island: 216 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)
  • Under 210
  • 210 to 220
  • 220 and over
NAEP scale score (0 to 500), 2005. Source: NCES, NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2005

Massachusetts: 231 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts231New Hampshire: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire227Vermont: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont227Delaware: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware226Virginia: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia226Connecticut: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut226Minnesota: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota225North Dakota: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota225Maine: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine225Montana: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana225Colorado: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado224Washington: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington223New Jersey: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey223Wyoming: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming223Pennsylvania: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania223New York: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York223Ohio: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio223South Dakota: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota222Idaho: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho222Nebraska: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska221Utah: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah221Missouri: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri221Wisconsin: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin221Iowa: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa221Kansas: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas220Maryland: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland220Kentucky: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky220Florida: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida219Texas: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas219Michigan: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan218Indiana: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana218North Carolina: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina217Arkansas: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas217Oregon: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon217Illinois: 216 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois216Rhode Island: 216 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island216West Virginia: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia215Georgia: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia214Tennessee: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee214Oklahoma: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma214South Carolina: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina213Alaska: 211 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska211Hawaii: 210 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii210Louisiana: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana209Alabama: 208 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alabama208Nevada: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada207Arizona: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona207New Mexico: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico207California: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California207Mississippi: 204 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi204District of Columbia: 191 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia191Massachusetts: 231 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts231New Hampshire: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire227Vermont: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont227Delaware: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware226Virginia: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia226Connecticut: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut226Minnesota: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota225North Dakota: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota225Maine: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine225Montana: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana225Colorado: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado224Washington: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington223New Jersey: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey223Wyoming: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming223Pennsylvania: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania223New York: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York223Ohio: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio223South Dakota: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota222Idaho: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho222Nebraska: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska221Utah: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah221Missouri: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri221Wisconsin: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin221Iowa: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa221Kansas: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas220Maryland: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland220Kentucky: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky220Florida: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida219Texas: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas219Michigan: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan218Indiana: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana218North Carolina: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina217Arkansas: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas217Oregon: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon217Illinois: 216 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois216Rhode Island: 216 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island216West Virginia: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia215Georgia: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia214Tennessee: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee214Oklahoma: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma214South Carolina: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina213Alaska: 211 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska211Hawaii: 210 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii210Louisiana: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana209Alabama: 208 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alabama208Nevada: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada207Arizona: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona207New Mexico: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico207California: 207 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California207Mississippi: 204 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi204District of Columbia: 191 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia191
NAEP scale score (0 to 500). Source: NCES, NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2005
NAEP scale score (0 to 500)
1Massachusetts231
2New Hampshire227
3Vermont227
4Delaware226
5Virginia226
6Connecticut226
7Minnesota225
8North Dakota225
9Maine225
10Montana225
11Colorado224
12Washington223
13New Jersey223
14Wyoming223
15Pennsylvania223
16New York223
17Ohio223
18South Dakota222
19Idaho222
20Nebraska221
21Utah221
22Missouri221
23Wisconsin221
24Iowa221
25Kansas220
26Maryland220
27Kentucky220
28Florida219
29Texas219
30Michigan218
31Indiana218
32North Carolina217
33Arkansas217
34Oregon217
35Illinois216
36Rhode Island216
37West Virginia215
38Georgia214
39Tennessee214
40Oklahoma214
41South Carolina213
42Alaska211
43Hawaii210
44Louisiana209
45Alabama208
46Nevada207
47Arizona207
48New Mexico207
49California207
50Mississippi204
51District of Columbia191

Other periods

About this ranking

Average scale score of public school students in reading, grade 4 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, the Nation's Report Card), on a scale of 0 to 500, from the National Center for Education Statistics. The year is the year of the assessment, given from January to March.

NAEP tests a sample of students, so each score has a margin of error and a difference of a few points between states or years is often not statistically significant. States are tested every two years (2003 to 2019, then 2022 and 2024). The national value is for public schools only, the group NCES compares states with. Scores are on the same scale across years and states but cannot be compared with state test results.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

National Center for Education Statistics. (2026). NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation (US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4, 2005) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE

MLA 9

NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation, US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4, 2005. National Center for Education Statistics, 12 Oct. 2026, https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-4/us-states?period=2005. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

National Center for Education Statistics. 2026. NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation. US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4, 2005. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-4/us-states?period=2005.

Harvard

National Center for Education Statistics (2026) NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation, US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4, 2005 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-4/us-states?period=2005 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_us_states_by_naep_2005,
  author = {{National Center for Education Statistics}},
  title = {{NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation: US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4, 2005}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-4/us-states?period=2005. Publisher attribution: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - National Center for Education Statistics
TI  - NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation: US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4, 2005
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/12
PB  - National Center for Education Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-4/us-states?period=2005
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-4/us-states?period=2005.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4 using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"naep_reading_grade4_average_score","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=naep_reading_grade4_average_score&level=region&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which state has the highest NAEP average score, reading, grade 4?

Massachusetts, with 231 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) in 2005, according to National Center for Education Statistics.

Which state has the lowest NAEP average score, reading, grade 4?

District of Columbia, with 191 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) in 2005.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 4, all students, public schools, states and nation. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings