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IQ 250 — What It Means & Famous People With This Score

Updated 2026-04-18 · Based on historical estimates and psychometric research
250
Unmeasurable / Profoundly Gifted
Top 0.0001% · approximately 1 in 999,999

What Does an IQ of 250 Mean?

An IQ of 250 is extraordinarily rare — approximately 1 in 999,999 of the world's population. At this level, individuals demonstrate cognitive capabilities so far beyond the norm that standard IQ tests may not accurately measure their abilities. Many testing instruments have a ceiling around 160-170, making scores above this range estimates based on exceptional achievement.

People at this level have historically been responsible for paradigm-shifting discoveries, revolutionary theories, and works of profound creative genius. The gap between an IQ of 250 and the average of 100 represents a cognitive difference roughly equivalent to 10.0 standard deviations above the mean.

Classification
Unmeasurable
Percentile
100.00%
Std. Deviations
+10.0σ
Rarity
~1 in 999,999

Where IQ 250 Falls on the Bell Curve

IQ 250 7085100115130145160175190

The highlighted area shows the percentage of the population scoring at or above IQ 250. The dashed line marks the exact position of this score on the normal distribution.

Famous People With an IQ of 250

There are 2 geniuses in our database with an estimated IQ of 250:

Ainan Celeste Cawley
Singapore · 1999
William James Sidis
Manhattan · 1898–1944

Explore Other IQ Scores

IQ 220 (1) IQ 225 (1)

About IQ Scores: IQ (Intelligence Quotient) scores follow a normal distribution with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Historical IQ estimates for famous individuals are approximations based on their demonstrated achievements, not direct test results. These estimates should be considered illustrative rather than definitive.

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