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Massachusetts is the “most educated” state in the nation, according to a new report from WalletHub.
It is the second year in a row that the Bay State has claimed the top spot in the rankings from the personal finance website.
“The state has the highest percentage of adults ages 25 and older with at least a Bachelor’s degree, at nearly 46%, and the highest share who have a graduate or professional degree, at nearly 21%,” the website said in a statement on the 2024 report.
To put together the rankings, WalletHub considered factors related to educational attainment and quality of education, including number of residents with higher degrees and high school diplomas, the presence of free community college education, and blue ribbon schools per capita, among other metrics.
Massachusetts isn’t the only New England state that fared well in the report. Vermont was ranked second in the nation.
According to WalletHub, nearly 42% of Vermont residents over the age of 25 have at least a Bachelor’s degree and more than 94% of those older than 25 have at least a high school diploma — “the second-highest rate in the country.”
“The Green Mountain State also provides equitable education, with the fifth-smallest racial gap in Bachelor’s degree attainment,” the website said. “In addition, Vermont’s universities collectively rank as the third-best in the nation.”
Meanwhile, Connecticut came in at No. 4 and New Hampshire at No. 8.
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CHELMSFORD, MASS. (WHDH) – A wrong-way driver crashed into another vehicle on I-495 in Chelmsford Tuesday night, shutting down the soundbound lanes in that area, according to Massachusetts State Police and The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
State police said Troopers from the Concord Barracks responded to a two-car crash on I-495 at the Hunt Road overpass shortly before 10 p.m. They said preliminary information indicates the crash happened as a result of a wrong-way driver striking a vehicle traveling in the correct direction.
Chelmsford Fire and EMS responded to the scene, and the driver was taken to the hospital by MedFlight. State police said they suffered life-threatening injuries.
MassDOT said the highway southbound is currently closed at exit 88 due to the crash, and is expected to remain closed for several hours.
Drivers are asked to seek alternate routes at this time.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Two people were seriously injured in a stabbing at the Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods manufacturing facility in Haverhill, Massachusetts, on Tuesday morning.
Haverhill police said they responded to the Cedar’s plan on Foundation Avenue around 10:30 a.m. for a report of a disturbance involving a weapon. When they arrived, they found two people suffering from apparent stab wounds.
Both people were provided with medical assistance on scene and taken to area hospitals with what police described as serious injuries. Their names have not been released, and no update on their conditions was immediately available.
Preliminary investigation determined that the two people knew each other, and police said there is no ongoing threat to the public. They said their investigation into the incident remains active.
Two Plymouth, Massachusetts teens were saved from the summit of Mount Washington after a leg injury stranded them.
Khang Nguyen,17, said he and his friend, 18-year-old Vaughn Webb, thought they were well prepared for their hike on Saturday. They brought trekking poles, layers, microspikes for their boots and more.
But halfway up the trail, Nguyen feared the worst when his leg began to hurt.
“It was just incredibly painful to lift up my right leg,” he explained. “I told [Vaughn] to leave me behind so I could go on my own pace and for him to reach the summit to get help at first.”
The pair managed to reach the top of the mountain but had to seek shelter next to a building as wind gusts increased, and the air temperature reached 38 degrees. Nguyen said they also ran out of food and water. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department received the 911 call around 7:30 p.m. and quickly alerted a State Park employee who began to search for the two teens.
“Conservation Officers then began responding in four-wheel-drive pickup trucks to try and get to the summit and back ahead of incoming snow,” the game department said in a statement.
After around 30 minutes of reaching both Webb and Nguyen were found. They were taken inside a building and Nguyen was being treated for his injury.
“The worker that was up there, [said] that they came in record time, and we appreciate their help a lot. It saved our lives potentially,” Nguyen explained.
The pair was successfully taken off the mountain by 10 p.m. The two teens are now safely back in Massachusetts and are incredibly grateful to their rescuers.
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