IQ Score Lookup
Is 81 a Good IQ Score?
81
Low Average · higher than 10.3% of the population
70100160
A score of 81 falls in the Low Average range, modestly below the population mean of 100. This result is more common than scores in the Very Low range, and on its own does not indicate a cognitive impairment; a wide range of factors, from test conditions to the specific test used, can influence a single sitting’s result.
The Statistics Behind This Number
This page uses the standard normal distribution model (mean 100, standard deviation 15) applied to a general population, the same convention used across most published cognitive assessments. It is a statistical model of population-level distribution, not a measurement of any specific individual or group. Your own result from our free IQ test is calculated the same way; see the full methodology for the formula.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 81 a good IQ score?
A score of 81 falls in the Low Average range on the standard scale (mean 100, standard deviation 15). This is below the population average.
What percentage of people score 81 or higher?
On the standard normal distribution model, approximately 89.7% of the population is estimated to score 81 or higher.
What percentage of people score below 81?
Approximately 10.3% of the population is estimated to score below 81 on this scale.
How is this percentage calculated?
Using the standard normal (bell curve) distribution with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, the convention used across most published cognitive assessments. See our methodology page for the full formula.