RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fewest graduate degrees, North Carolina counties · 1990

North Carolina counties with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (1990 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 3.2%.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

RELATEDMost college graduates Most educated Least educated Most graduate degrees

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS –

01Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5371.6%–

02Stokes County, NCNC46,1261.6%–

03Washington County, NCNC10,6381.7%–

04Hoke County, NCNC56,9391.9%–

05Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1211.9%–

06Person County, NCNC40,6362.0%–

07Yadkin County, NCNC38,3252.0%–

08Duplin County, NCNC51,5712.0%–

09Jones County, NCNC9,5752.1%–

10Bertie County, NCNC17,0862.1%–

11Alexander County, NCNC36,9582.1%–

12Bladen County, NCNC30,0072.2%–

13Halifax County, NCNC46,5342.2%–

14Gates County, NCNC10,2342.2%–

15Caswell County, NCNC22,5632.2%–

16Anson County, NCNC21,7582.2%–

17Martin County, NCNC21,6012.3%–

18Randolph County, NCNC149,5162.3%–

19Vance County, NCNC42,6382.3%–

20Northampton County, NCNC16,4912.3%–

21Warren County, NCNC18,8982.4%–

22Stanly County, NCNC68,8302.4%–

23Franklin County, NCNC82,0372.5%–

24Sampson County, NCNC61,5042.5%–

25Currituck County, NCNC33,1582.5%–

26Richmond County, NCNC42,0412.5%–

27Davidson County, NCNC180,1822.6%–

28Hyde County, NCNC4,5542.7%–

29Rockingham County, NCNC94,1952.7%–

30Greene County, NCNC20,7002.7%–

31Caldwell County, NCNC81,1052.8%–

32Lincoln County, NCNC98,6542.8%–

33Wilkes County, NCNC66,2332.8%–

34Granville County, NCNC61,4212.9%–

35Montgomery County, NCNC26,4032.9%–

36McDowell County, NCNC45,1982.9%–

37Gaston County, NCNC246,5582.9%–

38Cherokee County, NCNC30,8302.9%–

39Perquimans County, NCNC13,4902.9%–

40Surry County, NCNC72,2872.9%–

41Columbus County, NCNC50,4872.9%–

42Johnston County, NCNC256,4483.0%–

43Yancey County, NCNC19,0843.0%–

44Ashe County, NCNC27,5143.1%–

45Brunswick County, NCNC174,7023.1%–

46Lenoir County, NCNC55,8373.1%–

47Rutherford County, NCNC65,7453.1%–

48Beaufort County, NCNC44,6703.1%–

49Nash County, NCNC99,3653.2%–

50Harnett County, NCNC150,1373.2%–

51Camden County, NCNC11,3153.2%–

52Mitchell County, NCNC15,0623.3%–

53Swain County, NCNC14,0243.3%–

54Robeson County, NCNC119,9413.3%–

55Catawba County, NCNC170,1723.3%–

56Iredell County, NCNC211,7983.4%–

57Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7253.4%–

58Rowan County, NCNC155,0963.4%–

59Cleveland County, NCNC103,3253.5%–

60Hertford County, NCNC19,0153.5%–

61Scotland County, NCNC33,3223.5%–

62Chowan County, NCNC14,0823.5%–

63Pamlico County, NCNC12,7583.5%–

64Davie County, NCNC45,8553.6%–

65Pender County, NCNC72,1113.6%–

66Burke County, NCNC88,6553.6%–

67Onslow County, NCNC217,1753.6%–

68Alleghany County, NCNC11,4793.6%–

69Alamance County, NCNC186,1773.8%–

70Lee County, NCNC70,2583.8%–

71Wilson County, NCNC81,1503.8%–

72Wayne County, NCNC122,2783.9%–

73Union County, NCNC267,6744.0%–

74Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2014.1%–

75Madison County, NCNC22,5534.3%–

76Craven County, NCNC105,0254.3%–

77Haywood County, NCNC63,3694.3%–

78Macon County, NCNC39,2324.3%–

79Clay County, NCNC12,2394.4%–

80Graham County, NCNC8,1904.4%–

81Avery County, NCNC18,1104.7%–

82Cumberland County, NCNC338,4735.1%–

83Carteret County, NCNC70,4695.1%–

84Transylvania County, NCNC34,2115.9%–

85New Hanover County, NCNC245,9595.9%–

86Moore County, NCNC110,6196.0%–

87Dare County, NCNC38,2456.1%–

88Henderson County, NCNC122,3756.3%–

89Buncombe County, NCNC277,4176.7%–

90Polk County, NCNC20,5337.1%–

91Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3837.2%–

92Guilford County, NCNC562,2347.2%–

93Chatham County, NCNC85,1117.3%–

94Forsyth County, NCNC401,7187.7%–

95Pitt County, NCNC182,9368.3%–

96Jackson County, NCNC45,0399.2%–

97Wake County, NCNC1,257,23510.9%–

98Watauga County, NCNC54,78612.0%–

99Durham County, NCNC347,24014.4%–

100Orange County, NCNC152,49823.5%–

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS