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 2013, at 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). District of Columbia had the lowest, at 206 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). The median was 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) and the figure for the United States was 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). Source: National Center for Education Statistics.

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Highest232Massachusetts
Lowest206District of Columbia
Median22351 states
United States221History

Map of states, 2013

Alabama: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut: 230 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia: 206 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana: 210 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey: 229 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico: 206 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont: 228 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia: 229 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)
  • Under 210
  • 210 to 220
  • 220 to 230
  • 230 and over
NAEP scale score (0 to 500), 2013. 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, 2013

Massachusetts: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts232Maryland: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland232New Hampshire: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire232Connecticut: 230 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut230New Jersey: 229 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey229Virginia: 229 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia229Vermont: 228 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont228Florida: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida227Minnesota: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota227Colorado: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado227Pennsylvania: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania226Wyoming: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming226Delaware: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware226Indiana: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana225Washington: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington225Maine: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine225Kentucky: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky224North Dakota: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota224Ohio: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio224Iowa: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa224New York: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York224Kansas: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas223Nebraska: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska223Montana: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana223Rhode Island: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island223Utah: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah223Missouri: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri222North Carolina: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina222Georgia: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia222Wisconsin: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin221Tennessee: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee220Idaho: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho219Oregon: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon219Alabama: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alabama219Illinois: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois219Arkansas: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas219South Dakota: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota218Michigan: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan217Oklahoma: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma217Texas: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas217Hawaii: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii215West Virginia: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia215Nevada: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada214South Carolina: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina214Arizona: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona213California: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California213Louisiana: 210 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana210Alaska: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska209Mississippi: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi209New Mexico: 206 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico206District of Columbia: 206 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia206Massachusetts: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts232Maryland: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland232New Hampshire: 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire232Connecticut: 230 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut230New Jersey: 229 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey229Virginia: 229 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia229Vermont: 228 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont228Florida: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida227Minnesota: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota227Colorado: 227 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado227Pennsylvania: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania226Wyoming: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming226Delaware: 226 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware226Indiana: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana225Washington: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington225Maine: 225 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine225Kentucky: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky224North Dakota: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota224Ohio: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio224Iowa: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa224New York: 224 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York224Kansas: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas223Nebraska: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska223Montana: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana223Rhode Island: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island223Utah: 223 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah223Missouri: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri222North Carolina: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina222Georgia: 222 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia222Wisconsin: 221 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin221Tennessee: 220 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee220Idaho: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho219Oregon: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon219Alabama: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alabama219Illinois: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois219Arkansas: 219 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas219South Dakota: 218 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota218Michigan: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan217Oklahoma: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma217Texas: 217 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas217Hawaii: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii215West Virginia: 215 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia215Nevada: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada214South Carolina: 214 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina214Arizona: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona213California: 213 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California213Louisiana: 210 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana210Alaska: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska209Mississippi: 209 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi209New Mexico: 206 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico206District of Columbia: 206 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia206
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

RankStates2013
NAEP scale score (0 to 500)
1Massachusetts232
2Maryland232
3New Hampshire232
4Connecticut230
5New Jersey229
6Virginia229
7Vermont228
8Florida227
9Minnesota227
10Colorado227
11Pennsylvania226
12Wyoming226
13Delaware226
14Indiana225
15Washington225
16Maine225
17Kentucky224
18North Dakota224
19Ohio224
20Iowa224
21New York224
22Kansas223
23Nebraska223
24Montana223
25Rhode Island223
26Utah223
27Missouri222
28North Carolina222
29Georgia222
30Wisconsin221
31Tennessee220
32Idaho219
33Oregon219
34Alabama219
35Illinois219
36Arkansas219
37South Dakota218
38Michigan217
39Oklahoma217
40Texas217
41Hawaii215
42West Virginia215
43Nevada214
44South Carolina214
45Arizona213
46California213
47Louisiana210
48Alaska209
49Mississippi209
50New Mexico206
51District of Columbia206

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, 2013) [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, 2013. 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=2013. 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, 2013. 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=2013.

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, 2013 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-4/us-states?period=2013 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_us_states_by_naep_2013,
  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, 2013}},
  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=2013. 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, 2013
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=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-4/us-states?period=2013.
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  -
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Rank US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 4 using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

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

Massachusetts, with 232 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) in 2013, according to National Center for Education Statistics.

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

District of Columbia, with 206 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) in 2013.

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