Top Educated Cities in California Mostly in Bay Area

Palo Alto has the state's highest rate of graduate or professional degrees among residents age 25 and older at 49.8 percent, and about 8 of 10 residents age 25 and older hold at least a bachelor's degree according to the 2008-10 American Community Survey.

The bay area boasts eight of the top most educated cities in California, while 9 least educated cities reside in Los Angeles County, according to an analysis by the California Department of Finance's Demographic Research Unit.

"Compared with the rest of the nation, California has slightly higher rates of bachelor's and graduate or professional degrees. But it also has more residents with less than a ninth-grade education: 10.5 percent versus 6.2 percent."