Minneapolis ranked most literate city

Move over Washington, D.C. Minneapolis is the nation's "Most Literate City," according to an annual survey.

Washington, which held the ranking for four straight years, drops to No. 2 in a ranking of the nation's 77 largest cities using data from 2014. Minneapolis was No. 3 in last year's survey.

The study, conducted by Dr. Jack Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University, measures "citizens' use of literacy" through criteria including local bookstores, educational levels, Internet and library resources, and newspaper circulation.

This is the 12th annual survey ranking America's Most Literate Cities.

The top 10:

1. Minneapolis

2. Washington, D.C.

3. Seattle

4. St. Paul, Minn.

5. Atlanta

6. Pittsburgh

7. Denver

8. San Francisco

9. Boston

10. St. Louis, MO

Among Miller's findings this year:

-- Although Minneapolis bumps Washington from the top spot, the city rankings do not change much from year to year. None of the top three cities, Minneapolis, Washington, and Seattle, has ever ranked lower than fifth.

-- Technology is having a large impact on reading, with libraries changing dramatically in the usage and accessibility of materials; newspapers losing circulation; and the number of independent and chain bookstores shrinking.

- Americans are becoming more and more educated, but less and less literate.

- Cities such as Cleveland, Kansas City, and Tulsa have all invested in their library systems, which is reflected in their rankings. Most California cities have seen a disinvestment in their public libraries, and their rankings show it.

Here is the rest of the list:

11. Portland, OR

12. Cincinnati

13. Raleigh, N.C.

14. Kansas City, MO

15. Baltimore, MD

16. Honolulu

17. Cleveland

18. Orlando, FL

19. Virginia Beach, VA

20. New York

21. Columbus, OH

22. Austin, TX

23. Oakland, CA

24. Tulsa, OK

25. Omaha, NE

26. Nashville-Davidson, TN

27. (tie) Lexington-Fayette, KY

27. (tie) New Orleans

29. Tampa, FL

29. Lincoln, NE

31. San Diego

32. Colorado Springs, CO

33. Chicago

34. Buffalo, NY

35. Philadelphia

37. (tie) Newark, NJ

37. (tie) Indianapolis

37. (tie) Sacramento, CA

39. San Jose, CA

40. Greensboro, NC

41. Plano, TX

42. Milwaukee

43. Miami

44. Dallas

45. Albuquerque, NM

46. Louisville-Jefferson Co., KY

47. Detroit

48. Fort Wayne, IN

49. Tucson, AZ

50. Oklahoma City, OK

51. Charlotte, NC

52. Santa Ana, CA

53. (tie) Fort Worth, TX

53. (tie) Las Vegas

55. Toledo, OH

56. Jacksonville, FL

57. Jersey City, NJ

58. Anchorage, AK

59. Henderson, NV

60. Houston

61. Wichita, KS

62. Arlington, TX

63. Los Angeles

64. Memphis

65. Phoenix

66. Riverside, Calif.

67. Long Beach, Calif.

68. Mesa, AZ

69. Aurora, CO

70. San Antonio

71. Fresno, Calif.

72. Anaheim, Calif.

73. Stockton, Calif.

74. Chula Vista, Calif.

75. El Paso, TX

76. Corpus Christi, TX

77. Bakersfield, CA