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 (2023 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%−100%

02Unionville, NCNC7,3220.9%−74%

03Forest City, NCNC7,4101.7%−49%

04Zebulon, NCNC11,9331.8%−53%

05Trinity, NCNC7,2742.0%−30%

06Eden, NCNC15,5002.1%−39%

07Wadesboro, NCNC5,0352.2%−52%

08Roxboro, NCNC8,3802.3%−18%

09Butner, NCNC8,1122.5%−21%

10St. Stephens, NCNC9,4573.2%+4%

11Silver Lake, NCNC6,5633.3%−48%

12Reidsville, NCNC14,6923.4%−30%

13Moyock, NCNC5,6843.4%–

14Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6493.4%–

15Long View, NCNC5,3873.4%+8%

16Havelock, NCNC17,4303.4%+1%

17Rockingham, NCNC8,8153.4%−29%

18Archdale, NCNC12,2543.5%+33%

19East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3233.6%+146%

20Henderson, NCNC15,0133.7%−25%

21Kannapolis, NCNC61,7083.7%+35%

22Oxford, NCNC8,9853.8%−32%

23Lillington, NCNC5,0403.8%−3%

24Thomasville, NCNC27,7333.9%+37%

25Selma, NCNC7,4064.0%+80%

26King, NCNC7,9774.0%−21%

27Hamlet, NCNC5,8704.1%+25%

28Siler City, NCNC8,1554.2%+113%

29Midland, NCNC5,1514.2%–

30Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1174.2%+49%

31Newton, NCNC13,8224.3%+11%

32Lexington, NCNC20,2384.3%+1%

33Tarboro, NCNC10,9794.3%−11%

34Monroe, NCNC42,6444.4%−10%

35Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2874.5%+42%

36Lenoir, NCNC18,3724.5%+14%

37Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4944.6%−20%

38Hope Mills, NCNC18,3244.6%+33%

39Graham, NCNC20,1314.6%+23%

40Locust, NCNC6,1204.6%+27%

41Marion, NCNC7,4404.6%+8%

42Kinston, NCNC19,7054.8%−7%

43Lincolnton, NCNC12,4654.8%−5%

44Swannanoa, NCNC6,9014.8%+67%

45Dunn, NCNC8,8144.9%+19%

46Dallas, NCNC6,3924.9%+252%

47Walkertown, NCNC6,1205.0%+50%

48Sawmills, NCNC5,1055.0%+69%

49Half Moon, NCNC7,3785.0%−0%

50Creedmoor, NCNC5,0465.0%−15%

51Ayden, NCNC5,2635.1%+13%

52Asheboro, NCNC27,9905.2%+1%

53Wilson, NCNC49,5725.3%+4%

54Conover, NCNC8,9385.4%+1%

55Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.4%+7%

56Williamston, NCNC5,0865.4%−2%

57Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1205.5%−9%

58Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8755.5%+61%

59Spring Lake, NCNC11,2525.6%+149%

60Nashville, NCNC5,9115.6%−3%

61Smithfield, NCNC13,1145.8%−3%

62Sanford, NCNC34,1385.9%−12%

63Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9086.0%+335%

64Piney Green, NCNC14,0786.1%+37%

65Midway, NCNC5,1046.2%–

66Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.2%+7%

67Mount Holly, NCNC19,0336.3%+136%

68Angier, NCNC9,4106.5%+148%

69Stokesdale, NCNC6,1336.6%−19%

70Goldsboro, NCNC35,0126.6%+4%

71Hampstead, NCNC9,2926.7%–

72Laurinburg, NCNC14,5826.9%−12%

73Statesville, NCNC32,1816.9%+31%

74Shelby, NCNC23,3096.9%+13%

75Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6227.0%+33%

76Clayton, NCNC32,6337.0%+19%

77Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.2%−2%

78Gastonia, NCNC87,0677.2%+28%

79Washington, NCNC9,9107.2%+14%

80Wendell, NCNC19,6877.3%+76%

81Kings Grant, NCNC9,0037.3%+51%

82Jacksonville, NCNC72,7327.3%+33%

83Mills River, NCNC7,5047.4%–

84Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3867.4%+69%

85Indian Trail, NCNC44,3037.6%+44%

86Waynesville, NCNC11,0067.6%+27%

87Northchase, NCNC5,8967.7%–

88Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.8%+28%

89Salisbury, NCNC36,8797.8%+21%

90Clinton, NCNC8,4667.9%+38%

91Cherryville, NCNC6,5237.9%+170%

92Kernersville, NCNC29,1287.9%+9%

93Lumberton, NCNC18,9558.0%+2%

94Fayetteville, NCNC209,1208.0%−3%

95Concord, NCNC114,5988.0%+35%

96Burlington, NCNC61,4968.1%+33%

97High Point, NCNC120,5718.1%+25%

98New Bern, NCNC34,7248.2%+12%

99Aberdeen, NCNC10,0668.4%+26%

100Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7318.5%+16%

101Rolesville, NCNC12,8398.5%+71%

102Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768.6%+41%

103Garner, NCNC41,5628.9%+33%

104Oak Island, NCNC9,3379.0%+33%

105Etowah, NCNC7,9689.0%+42%

106Cramerton, NCNC5,7139.0%+17%

107Mount Airy, NCNC10,6829.3%+83%

108Hickory, NCNC45,9759.3%+8%

109Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5369.4%+27%

110Murraysville, NCNC16,3399.5%+139%

111Morehead City, NCNC10,4349.5%+78%

112Woodfin, NCNC8,2299.6%+191%

113Mocksville, NCNC6,2829.7%+164%

114Morganton, NCNC17,8499.8%+33%

115Stallings, NCNC17,76010.2%+315%

116Fletcher, NCNC8,37310.2%+45%

117Mebane, NCNC21,95210.3%+45%

118Pineville, NCNC11,85110.5%+67%

119Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54010.9%+43%

120Leland, NCNC35,73111.2%+360%

121Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27111.2%+2%

122Knightdale, NCNC23,14411.2%+41%

123Winterville, NCNC10,97311.6%+184%

124Wilmington, NCNC126,80911.7%+39%

125Huntersville, NCNC68,53511.8%−3%

126Greensboro, NCNC308,66711.9%+10%

127Hendersonville, NCNC15,86712.3%+5%

128Pittsboro, NCNC5,05412.5%+43%

129Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56612.6%+24%

130Brevard, NCNC8,09812.6%+22%

131Charlotte, NCNC964,78412.7%+22%

132Black Mountain, NCNC8,49112.9%+25%

133Matthews, NCNC32,76913.1%+5%

134Waxhaw, NCNC23,14013.4%+211%

135Belmont, NCNC16,41513.6%+115%

136Harrisburg, NCNC20,74213.9%+171%

137Lewisville, NCNC14,42113.9%+9%

138Asheville, NCNC93,52314.2%+32%

139Greenville, NCNC96,44314.2%−1%

140Gibsonville, NCNC9,87614.3%+83%

141Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87014.3%+122%

142Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50514.4%−16%

143Elon, NCNC11,36614.7%–

144Clemmons, NCNC22,80814.8%+2%

145Southern Pines, NCNC17,35714.8%+20%

146Wake Forest, NCNC58,14714.8%+39%

147Holly Springs, NCNC50,28815.1%+23%

148Summerfield, NCNC11,32715.2%+21%

149Weddington, NCNC14,51715.5%+29%

150Raleigh, NCNC506,30615.7%+9%

151Hillsborough, NCNC9,77815.7%+32%

152Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63716.2%+78%

153Cornelius, NCNC35,09416.5%+19%

154Pinehurst, NCNC18,67016.7%−4%

155Westport, NCNC5,91518.2%+41%

156Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89618.2%+42%

157Ogden, NCNC8,24918.9%+61%

158Apex, NCNC80,41919.0%+12%

159Marvin, NCNC7,04019.9%−17%

160Durham, NCNC305,56120.1%+10%

161Cullowhee, NCNC7,97321.9%−24%

162Porters Neck, NCNC7,65423.6%–

163Boone, NCNC19,92923.9%+2%

164Morrisville, NCNC32,46624.2%+25%

165Cary, NCNC183,58224.7%+7%

166Davidson, NCNC16,66226.7%+5%

167Surf City, NCNC5,14227.4%+212%

168St. James, NCNC7,31828.7%+30%

169Carrboro, NCNC20,96233.5%+10%

170Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56545.6%+12%

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

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