Data
IQ Score Distribution
Data analysis · 5 min read
IQ scores follow a normal (bell curve) distribution in the general population. The average is set at 100, with a standard deviation of 15. Here is exactly how the population is distributed across IQ ranges.
Below 70
Extremely Low
2.2%
of population
70–84
Below Average
13.6%
of population
85–99
Low Average
34.1%
of population
100–114
Average
34.1%
of population
115–129
Above Average
13.6%
of population
130–144
Gifted
2.2%
of population
145+
Genius
0.1%
of population
What Does This Mean For You?
If you score 115, you score higher than approximately 84% of the population. A score of 130 puts you in the top 2.2% — roughly 1 in 45 people. A score of 145 or above is exceptionally rare, occurring in fewer than 1 in 1000 people.
Why Does IQ Follow a Bell Curve?
Intelligence results from thousands of genetic and environmental factors that each contribute small effects. When many independent factors combine, the result naturally approximates a normal distribution — this is the Central Limit Theorem in action.