RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Fewest graduate degrees, North Carolina cities · 2010

North Carolina cities with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2010 ACS). This list covers the 170 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01Bessemer City, NCNC5,8340.0%−2.4 pts

02Unionville, NCNC7,3220.9%−2.7 pts

03Forest City, NCNC7,4101.7%−1.6 pts

04Zebulon, NCNC11,9331.8%−2.0 pts

05Trinity, NCNC7,2742.0%−0.8 pts

06Eden, NCNC15,5002.1%−1.4 pts

07Wadesboro, NCNC5,0352.2%−2.4 pts

08Roxboro, NCNC8,3802.3%−0.5 pts

09Butner, NCNC8,1122.5%−0.7 pts

10St. Stephens, NCNC9,4573.2%+0.1 pts

11Silver Lake, NCNC6,5633.3%−3.1 pts

12Reidsville, NCNC14,6923.4%−1.5 pts

13Moyock, NCNC5,6843.4%–

14Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6493.4%–

15Long View, NCNC5,3873.4%+0.3 pts

16Havelock, NCNC17,4303.4%+0.0 pts

17Rockingham, NCNC8,8153.4%−1.4 pts

18Archdale, NCNC12,2543.5%+0.9 pts

19East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3233.6%+2.1 pts

20Henderson, NCNC15,0133.7%−1.2 pts

21Kannapolis, NCNC61,7083.7%+1.0 pts

22Oxford, NCNC8,9853.8%−1.8 pts

23Lillington, NCNC5,0403.8%−0.1 pts

24Thomasville, NCNC27,7333.9%+1.1 pts

25Selma, NCNC7,4064.0%+1.8 pts

26King, NCNC7,9774.0%−1.0 pts

27Hamlet, NCNC5,8704.1%+0.8 pts

28Siler City, NCNC8,1554.2%+2.2 pts

29Midland, NCNC5,1514.2%–

30Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1174.2%+1.4 pts

31Newton, NCNC13,8224.3%+0.4 pts

32Lexington, NCNC20,2384.3%+0.0 pts

33Tarboro, NCNC10,9794.3%−0.5 pts

34Monroe, NCNC42,6444.4%−0.5 pts

35Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2874.5%+1.3 pts

36Lenoir, NCNC18,3724.5%+0.6 pts

37Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4944.6%−1.1 pts

38Hope Mills, NCNC18,3244.6%+1.1 pts

39Graham, NCNC20,1314.6%+0.9 pts

40Locust, NCNC6,1204.6%+1.0 pts

41Marion, NCNC7,4404.6%+0.3 pts

42Kinston, NCNC19,7054.8%−0.4 pts

43Lincolnton, NCNC12,4654.8%−0.2 pts

44Swannanoa, NCNC6,9014.8%+1.9 pts

45Dunn, NCNC8,8144.9%+0.8 pts

46Dallas, NCNC6,3924.9%+3.5 pts

47Walkertown, NCNC6,1205.0%+1.7 pts

48Sawmills, NCNC5,1055.0%+2.0 pts

49Half Moon, NCNC7,3785.0%−0.0 pts

50Creedmoor, NCNC5,0465.0%−0.9 pts

51Ayden, NCNC5,2635.1%+0.6 pts

52Asheboro, NCNC27,9905.2%+0.1 pts

53Wilson, NCNC49,5725.3%+0.2 pts

54Conover, NCNC8,9385.4%+0.1 pts

55Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.4%+0.3 pts

56Williamston, NCNC5,0865.4%−0.1 pts

57Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1205.5%−0.5 pts

58Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8755.5%+2.1 pts

59Spring Lake, NCNC11,2525.6%+3.4 pts

60Nashville, NCNC5,9115.6%−0.2 pts

61Smithfield, NCNC13,1145.8%−0.2 pts

62Sanford, NCNC34,1385.9%−0.8 pts

63Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9086.0%+4.6 pts

64Piney Green, NCNC14,0786.1%+1.6 pts

65Midway, NCNC5,1046.2%–

66Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.2%+0.4 pts

67Mount Holly, NCNC19,0336.3%+3.6 pts

68Angier, NCNC9,4106.5%+3.9 pts

69Stokesdale, NCNC6,1336.6%−1.6 pts

70Goldsboro, NCNC35,0126.6%+0.2 pts

71Hampstead, NCNC9,2926.7%–

72Laurinburg, NCNC14,5826.9%−0.9 pts

73Statesville, NCNC32,1816.9%+1.6 pts

74Shelby, NCNC23,3096.9%+0.8 pts

75Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6227.0%+1.7 pts

76Clayton, NCNC32,6337.0%+1.1 pts

77Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.2%−0.1 pts

78Gastonia, NCNC87,0677.2%+1.6 pts

79Washington, NCNC9,9107.2%+0.9 pts

80Wendell, NCNC19,6877.3%+3.2 pts

81Kings Grant, NCNC9,0037.3%+2.5 pts

82Jacksonville, NCNC72,7327.3%+1.8 pts

83Mills River, NCNC7,5047.4%–

84Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3867.4%+3.0 pts

85Indian Trail, NCNC44,3037.6%+2.3 pts

86Waynesville, NCNC11,0067.6%+1.6 pts

87Northchase, NCNC5,8967.7%–

88Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.8%+1.7 pts

89Salisbury, NCNC36,8797.8%+1.4 pts

90Clinton, NCNC8,4667.9%+2.2 pts

91Cherryville, NCNC6,5237.9%+5.0 pts

92Kernersville, NCNC29,1287.9%+0.7 pts

93Lumberton, NCNC18,9558.0%+0.2 pts

94Fayetteville, NCNC209,1208.0%−0.3 pts

95Concord, NCNC114,5988.0%+2.1 pts

96Burlington, NCNC61,4968.1%+2.0 pts

97High Point, NCNC120,5718.1%+1.6 pts

98New Bern, NCNC34,7248.2%+0.9 pts

99Aberdeen, NCNC10,0668.4%+1.7 pts

100Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7318.5%+1.2 pts

101Rolesville, NCNC12,8398.5%+3.6 pts

102Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768.6%+2.5 pts

103Garner, NCNC41,5628.9%+2.2 pts

104Oak Island, NCNC9,3379.0%+2.2 pts

105Etowah, NCNC7,9689.0%+2.7 pts

106Cramerton, NCNC5,7139.0%+1.3 pts

107Mount Airy, NCNC10,6829.3%+4.2 pts

108Hickory, NCNC45,9759.3%+0.7 pts

109Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5369.4%+2.0 pts

110Murraysville, NCNC16,3399.5%+5.5 pts

111Morehead City, NCNC10,4349.5%+4.2 pts

112Woodfin, NCNC8,2299.6%+6.3 pts

113Mocksville, NCNC6,2829.7%+6.0 pts

114Morganton, NCNC17,8499.8%+2.4 pts

115Stallings, NCNC17,76010.2%+7.8 pts

116Fletcher, NCNC8,37310.2%+3.2 pts

117Mebane, NCNC21,95210.3%+3.2 pts

118Pineville, NCNC11,85110.5%+4.2 pts

119Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54010.9%+3.3 pts

120Leland, NCNC35,73111.2%+8.8 pts

121Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27111.2%+0.2 pts

122Knightdale, NCNC23,14411.2%+3.3 pts

123Winterville, NCNC10,97311.6%+7.5 pts

124Wilmington, NCNC126,80911.7%+3.3 pts

125Huntersville, NCNC68,53511.8%−0.3 pts

126Greensboro, NCNC308,66711.9%+1.1 pts

127Hendersonville, NCNC15,86712.3%+0.6 pts

128Pittsboro, NCNC5,05412.5%+3.8 pts

129Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56612.6%+2.4 pts

130Brevard, NCNC8,09812.6%+2.2 pts

131Charlotte, NCNC964,78412.7%+2.3 pts

132Black Mountain, NCNC8,49112.9%+2.6 pts

133Matthews, NCNC32,76913.1%+0.6 pts

134Waxhaw, NCNC23,14013.4%+9.1 pts

135Belmont, NCNC16,41513.6%+7.3 pts

136Harrisburg, NCNC20,74213.9%+8.8 pts

137Lewisville, NCNC14,42113.9%+1.2 pts

138Asheville, NCNC93,52314.2%+3.4 pts

139Greenville, NCNC96,44314.2%−0.2 pts

140Gibsonville, NCNC9,87614.3%+6.5 pts

141Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87014.3%+7.9 pts

142Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50514.4%−2.8 pts

143Elon, NCNC11,36614.7%–

144Clemmons, NCNC22,80814.8%+0.4 pts

145Southern Pines, NCNC17,35714.8%+2.4 pts

146Wake Forest, NCNC58,14714.8%+4.1 pts

147Holly Springs, NCNC50,28815.1%+2.9 pts

148Summerfield, NCNC11,32715.2%+2.6 pts

149Weddington, NCNC14,51715.5%+3.5 pts

150Raleigh, NCNC506,30615.7%+1.3 pts

151Hillsborough, NCNC9,77815.7%+3.8 pts

152Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63716.2%+7.1 pts

153Cornelius, NCNC35,09416.5%+2.6 pts

154Pinehurst, NCNC18,67016.7%−0.6 pts

155Westport, NCNC5,91518.2%+5.3 pts

156Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89618.2%+5.4 pts

157Ogden, NCNC8,24918.9%+7.2 pts

158Apex, NCNC80,41919.0%+2.0 pts

159Marvin, NCNC7,04019.9%−4.2 pts

160Durham, NCNC305,56120.1%+1.8 pts

161Cullowhee, NCNC7,97321.9%−6.8 pts

162Porters Neck, NCNC7,65423.6%–

163Boone, NCNC19,92923.9%+0.5 pts

164Morrisville, NCNC32,46624.2%+4.8 pts

165Cary, NCNC183,58224.7%+1.7 pts

166Davidson, NCNC16,66226.7%+1.2 pts

167Surf City, NCNC5,14227.4%+18.6 pts

168St. James, NCNC7,31828.7%+6.6 pts

169Carrboro, NCNC20,96233.5%+2.9 pts

170Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56545.6%+5.1 pts

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

Download CSV (full list, 170 rows)

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS