RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Fewest graduate degrees, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2023 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Most graduate degrees, US cities →

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01Long View, NCNC5,3871.3%−60%

02Dallas, NCNC6,3922.8%+98%

03Roxboro, NCNC8,3803.1%+10%

04Selma, NCNC7,4063.6%+63%

05Eden, NCNC15,5003.7%+5%

06Marion, NCNC7,4403.9%−9%

07Lexington, NCNC20,2383.9%−7%

08Sawmills, NCNC5,1054.0%+34%

09Midway, NCNC5,1044.0%–

10Hamlet, NCNC5,8704.1%+24%

11Henderson, NCNC15,0134.5%−9%

12Williamston, NCNC5,0864.6%−18%

13Thomasville, NCNC27,7334.7%+63%

14Northchase, NCNC5,8964.8%–

15Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.0%−2%

16Wadesboro, NCNC5,0355.0%+8%

17Cherryville, NCNC6,5235.1%+72%

18Newton, NCNC13,8225.2%+35%

19Nashville, NCNC5,9115.2%−10%

20Bessemer City, NCNC5,8345.3%+123%

21Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1175.3%+87%

22Lenoir, NCNC18,3725.5%+38%

23Piney Green, NCNC14,0785.7%+29%

24Oxford, NCNC8,9855.9%+5%

25Reidsville, NCNC14,6925.9%+22%

26Siler City, NCNC8,1555.9%+200%

27Butner, NCNC8,1125.9%+85%

28Unionville, NCNC7,3226.0%+66%

29St. Stephens, NCNC9,4576.0%+96%

30Asheboro, NCNC27,9906.1%+20%

31Conover, NCNC8,9386.2%+16%

32Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.2%+7%

33Forest City, NCNC7,4106.4%+93%

34Havelock, NCNC17,4306.6%+93%

35Spring Lake, NCNC11,2526.6%+194%

36Locust, NCNC6,1206.8%+87%

37King, NCNC7,9776.8%+34%

38Graham, NCNC20,1316.8%+82%

39Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6496.8%–

40Archdale, NCNC12,2546.8%+159%

41Kinston, NCNC19,7056.9%+34%

42Sanford, NCNC34,1387.0%+4%

43Lillington, NCNC5,0407.0%+78%

44Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2877.0%+120%

45Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.1%−4%

46Washington, NCNC9,9107.2%+13%

47Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3867.3%+66%

48East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3237.4%+405%

49Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8757.4%+117%

50Hope Mills, NCNC18,3247.5%+117%

51Rockingham, NCNC8,8157.6%+57%

52Trinity, NCNC7,2747.6%+173%

53Goldsboro, NCNC35,0127.7%+20%

54Swannanoa, NCNC6,9017.7%+170%

55Ayden, NCNC5,2637.8%+73%

56Lumberton, NCNC18,9557.8%+0%

57Mocksville, NCNC6,2827.8%+113%

58Dunn, NCNC8,8147.8%+89%

59Laurinburg, NCNC14,5827.9%+2%

60Monroe, NCNC42,6447.9%+60%

61Kings Grant, NCNC9,0038.1%+67%

62Mount Airy, NCNC10,6828.1%+60%

63Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1208.2%+35%

64Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6228.5%+64%

65Statesville, NCNC32,1818.7%+65%

66Gastonia, NCNC87,0678.8%+56%

67Smithfield, NCNC13,1148.9%+50%

68Lincolnton, NCNC12,4659.0%+79%

69Wilson, NCNC49,5729.1%+78%

70Clinton, NCNC8,4669.2%+60%

71Burlington, NCNC61,4969.4%+56%

72Jacksonville, NCNC72,7329.5%+73%

73Walkertown, NCNC6,1209.9%+201%

74Zebulon, NCNC11,93310.0%+163%

75Midland, NCNC5,15110.0%–

76Fletcher, NCNC8,37310.1%+42%

77Tarboro, NCNC10,97910.2%+111%

78Fayetteville, NCNC209,12010.3%+25%

79Morganton, NCNC17,84910.4%+42%

80Kannapolis, NCNC61,70810.6%+283%

81Half Moon, NCNC7,37810.6%+110%

82Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54010.7%+41%

83Shelby, NCNC23,30910.8%+76%

84Morehead City, NCNC10,43411.1%+108%

85Hampstead, NCNC9,29211.3%–

86Creedmoor, NCNC5,04611.4%+92%

87Westport, NCNC5,91511.6%−10%

88Barbecue, NCNC5,91011.7%–

89Mount Holly, NCNC19,03311.8%+341%

90Salisbury, NCNC36,87912.1%+88%

91Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90612.5%–

92High Point, NCNC120,57112.6%+93%

93Hickory, NCNC45,97513.2%+52%

94Aberdeen, NCNC10,06613.2%+97%

95Angier, NCNC9,41013.3%+410%

96Clayton, NCNC32,63313.4%+127%

97Pineville, NCNC11,85113.5%+115%

98Indian Trail, NCNC44,30313.5%+155%

99Spout Springs, NCNC11,24213.6%–

100Murraysville, NCNC16,33913.7%+245%

101Gibsonville, NCNC9,87613.7%+75%

102Mebane, NCNC21,95213.7%+92%

103New Bern, NCNC34,72413.8%+89%

104Kernersville, NCNC29,12813.8%+90%

105Waynesville, NCNC11,00613.9%+132%

106Stokesdale, NCNC6,13314.1%+72%

107Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92714.1%–

108Leland, NCNC35,73114.3%+487%

109Moyock, NCNC5,68414.4%–

110Silver Lake, NCNC6,56314.5%+126%

111Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73114.7%+99%

112Mooresville, NCNC55,84214.7%+142%

113Mint Hill, NCNC29,47614.9%+145%

114Brevard, NCNC8,09815.2%+47%

115Lewisville, NCNC14,42115.3%+20%

116Wendell, NCNC19,68715.3%+271%

117Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87015.7%+143%

118Hendersonville, NCNC15,86715.9%+36%

119Concord, NCNC114,59816.0%+170%

120Oak Island, NCNC9,33716.2%+141%

121Cramerton, NCNC5,71316.2%+110%

122Greensboro, NCNC308,66716.3%+52%

123Wilmington, NCNC126,80916.4%+94%

124Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27116.7%+52%

125Etowah, NCNC7,96816.9%+166%

126Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53617.2%+132%

127Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63717.2%+90%

128Stallings, NCNC17,76017.3%+601%

129Charlotte, NCNC964,78417.3%+65%

130Greenville, NCNC96,44317.8%+24%

131Garner, NCNC41,56217.9%+167%

132Clemmons, NCNC22,80818.0%+25%

133Matthews, NCNC32,76918.2%+46%

134Cullowhee, NCNC7,97318.3%−36%

135Winterville, NCNC10,97318.3%+349%

136Woodfin, NCNC8,22918.4%+458%

137Mills River, NCNC7,50418.6%–

138Pittsboro, NCNC5,05419.0%+118%

139Belmont, NCNC16,41519.2%+204%

140Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90819.2%+1286%

141Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56620.4%+101%

142Waxhaw, NCNC23,14020.5%+375%

143Surf City, NCNC5,14220.5%+134%

144Knightdale, NCNC23,14420.6%+159%

145Harrisburg, NCNC20,74221.0%+308%

146Raleigh, NCNC506,30621.1%+46%

147Huntersville, NCNC68,53521.1%+74%

148Black Mountain, NCNC8,49121.8%+110%

149Cornelius, NCNC35,09422.1%+60%

150Asheville, NCNC93,52322.7%+110%

151Southern Pines, NCNC17,35723.5%+90%

152Wake Forest, NCNC58,14723.7%+122%

153Ogden, NCNC8,24923.9%+104%

154Summerfield, NCNC11,32724.3%+94%

155Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49424.6%+331%

156Weddington, NCNC14,51725.2%+109%

157Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89625.3%+97%

158Holly Springs, NCNC50,28826.9%+120%

159Rolesville, NCNC12,83926.9%+441%

160Durham, NCNC305,56127.1%+48%

161Pinehurst, NCNC18,67028.0%+61%

162Elon, NCNC11,36628.0%–

163Porters Neck, NCNC7,65429.1%–

164Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50529.8%+73%

165Boone, NCNC19,92930.3%+30%

166Apex, NCNC80,41930.5%+80%

167St. James, NCNC7,31830.9%+39%

168Hillsborough, NCNC9,77831.2%+162%

169Cary, NCNC183,58233.7%+47%

170Morrisville, NCNC32,46634.6%+79%

171Davidson, NCNC16,66239.0%+53%

172Carrboro, NCNC20,96243.5%+42%

173Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04943.6%–

174Marvin, NCNC7,04044.8%+86%

175Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56545.2%+12%

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

Download CSV (full list, 175 rows)

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES