The article presents findings of a research devoted to justification, development and trial application of a methodology for evaluating the intellectual component of the human capital of a region to estimate the efficiency of its innovative activity. So far, the problem in question has not been reflected in the foreign and domestic scientific literature. The article describes the suggested methodological approach, indicators, calculation formulae, the algorithm and the results of the proposed methodology application for measuring the intellectual human capital (IHC) of a region. Specifically for the Penza Region, recommendations on prospective directions of the IHC development are offered.