RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fewest graduate degrees, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2023 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Most graduate degrees, US counties →

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01Anson County, NCNC21,7582.7%+5%

02Greene County, NCNC20,7003.0%−4%

03Hyde County, NCNC4,5543.9%+27%

04Gates County, NCNC10,2344.3%+92%

05Martin County, NCNC21,6014.4%+33%

06Sampson County, NCNC61,5044.7%+44%

07Jones County, NCNC9,5754.7%+78%

08Washington County, NCNC10,6384.8%+28%

09Vance County, NCNC42,6384.8%+47%

10Duplin County, NCNC51,5714.8%+54%

11Columbus County, NCNC50,4874.9%+46%

12Randolph County, NCNC149,5165.0%+70%

13Robeson County, NCNC119,9415.1%+39%

14Halifax County, NCNC46,5345.2%+68%

15Yadkin County, NCNC38,3255.3%+79%

16Graham County, NCNC8,1905.3%+36%

17Alexander County, NCNC36,9585.4%+103%

18Stanly County, NCNC68,8305.5%+52%

19Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5375.5%+101%

20Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1215.6%+135%

21Richmond County, NCNC42,0415.7%+64%

22Rockingham County, NCNC94,1955.7%+77%

23McDowell County, NCNC45,1985.7%+116%

24Caswell County, NCNC22,5635.8%+153%

25Bladen County, NCNC30,0075.9%+89%

26Lenoir County, NCNC55,8375.9%+60%

27Wilkes County, NCNC66,2336.1%+69%

28Stokes County, NCNC46,1266.2%+171%

29Caldwell County, NCNC81,1056.2%+97%

30Hertford County, NCNC19,0156.4%+79%

31Person County, NCNC40,6366.4%+150%

32Bertie County, NCNC17,0866.5%+154%

33Warren County, NCNC18,8986.5%+47%

34Wayne County, NCNC122,2786.6%+39%

35Scotland County, NCNC33,3226.6%+23%

36Davidson County, NCNC180,1826.7%+108%

37Northampton County, NCNC16,4916.9%+192%

38Montgomery County, NCNC26,4036.9%+158%

39Surry County, NCNC72,2877.1%+115%

40Beaufort County, NCNC44,6707.1%+38%

41Lee County, NCNC70,2587.2%+23%

42Nash County, NCNC99,3657.2%+50%

43Rowan County, NCNC155,0967.3%+88%

44Burke County, NCNC88,6557.4%+87%

45Catawba County, NCNC170,1727.7%+62%

46Hoke County, NCNC56,9397.7%+135%

47Alleghany County, NCNC11,4797.8%+125%

48Cleveland County, NCNC103,3258.0%+87%

49Rutherford County, NCNC65,7458.2%+110%

50Wilson County, NCNC81,1508.2%+110%

51Johnston County, NCNC256,4488.3%+128%

52Yancey County, NCNC19,0848.3%+95%

53Harnett County, NCNC150,1378.4%+146%

54Ashe County, NCNC27,5148.4%+115%

55Gaston County, NCNC246,5588.4%+120%

56Cherokee County, NCNC30,8308.5%+115%

57Granville County, NCNC61,4218.5%+132%

58Avery County, NCNC18,1108.5%+63%

59Lincoln County, NCNC98,6548.8%+160%

60Franklin County, NCNC82,0378.9%+164%

61Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2018.9%+86%

62Onslow County, NCNC217,1759.1%+104%

63Perquimans County, NCNC13,4909.1%+143%

64Davie County, NCNC45,8559.3%+86%

65Mitchell County, NCNC15,0629.5%+122%

66Chowan County, NCNC14,0829.5%+83%

67Alamance County, NCNC186,1779.6%+79%

68Clay County, NCNC12,2399.8%+59%

69Currituck County, NCNC33,1589.9%+226%

70Swain County, NCNC14,02410.0%+141%

71Cumberland County, NCNC338,47310.1%+69%

72Pender County, NCNC72,11110.1%+179%

73Macon County, NCNC39,23210.6%+85%

74Craven County, NCNC105,02510.7%+86%

75Madison County, NCNC22,55311.1%+71%

76Iredell County, NCNC211,79811.1%+135%

77Haywood County, NCNC63,36911.5%+92%

78Camden County, NCNC11,31511.6%+121%

79Pamlico County, NCNC12,75811.6%+123%

80Brunswick County, NCNC174,70212.7%+150%

81Carteret County, NCNC70,46912.9%+93%

82Jackson County, NCNC45,03913.2%+13%

83Dare County, NCNC38,24513.2%+56%

84Henderson County, NCNC122,37513.5%+59%

85Polk County, NCNC20,53313.8%+44%

86Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72513.9%+197%

87Union County, NCNC267,67414.1%+151%

88Pitt County, NCNC182,93614.3%+54%

89Guilford County, NCNC562,23414.8%+64%

90Forsyth County, NCNC401,71815.1%+59%

91Transylvania County, NCNC34,21115.5%+72%

92New Hanover County, NCNC245,95916.0%+84%

93Moore County, NCNC110,61917.7%+88%

94Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38317.9%+70%

95Buncombe County, NCNC277,41719.0%+113%

96Watauga County, NCNC54,78621.7%+50%

97Chatham County, NCNC85,11123.2%+100%

98Wake County, NCNC1,257,23523.4%+64%

99Durham County, NCNC347,24026.3%+51%

100Orange County, NCNC152,49834.6%+27%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

Download CSV (full list, 100 rows)

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