RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Least educated, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher (2024 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 175 is 32.9%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Nashville, NC, up 64 places to #14.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPBACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHERVS 2000

01Long View, NCNC5,3877.9%+1.0 pts

02▲14Eden, NCNC15,50011.9%+0.8 pts

03▲1Sawmills, NCNC5,10512.7%+4.8 pts

04▲9Lexington, NCNC20,23812.9%−1.1 pts

05Selma, NCNC7,40613.8%+3.7 pts

06▲4Roxboro, NCNC8,38014.1%+6.3 pts

07▲10Williamston, NCNC5,08614.3%+1.0 pts

08▲15Forest City, NCNC7,41014.7%+5.1 pts

09▲2Thomasville, NCNC27,73315.3%+5.7 pts

10▲18Henderson, NCNC15,01315.5%+0.8 pts

11▼5Hamlet, NCNC5,87015.5%+4.1 pts

12▲6Marion, NCNC7,44015.6%+0.4 pts

13▼11Bessemer City, NCNC5,83416.1%+8.4 pts

14▲64Nashville, NCNC5,91116.3%+1.1 pts

15▲5Kinston, NCNC19,70516.4%−0.2 pts

16▼8Siler City, NCNC8,15516.8%+8.5 pts

17▼14Wadesboro, NCNC5,03516.9%+1.3 pts

18▼6East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32317.3%+10.5 pts

19▲5Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11717.8%+5.9 pts

20▼5Havelock, NCNC17,43018.7%+3.4 pts

21▲10Asheboro, NCNC27,99019.1%+2.2 pts

22▲29Lumberton, NCNC18,95519.2%−1.2 pts

23▲32Oxford, NCNC8,98519.2%+0.4 pts

24▼10Lillington, NCNC5,04019.3%+6.0 pts

25▲8Rockingham, NCNC8,81519.7%+4.4 pts

26▲9Trinity, NCNC7,27420.1%+7.6 pts

27▲10Laurinburg, NCNC14,58220.1%−1.7 pts

28▼3Albemarle, NCNC17,76920.4%+3.1 pts

29▲7Dunn, NCNC8,81420.9%+4.1 pts

30▲8Newton, NCNC13,82221.0%+5.8 pts

31▲13Goldsboro, NCNC35,01221.0%+3.8 pts

32▼3Lenoir, NCNC18,37221.2%+7.9 pts

33▼24Dallas, NCNC6,39221.2%+12.2 pts

34▲16Sanford, NCNC34,13821.6%+3.0 pts

35▼3Reidsville, NCNC14,69221.8%+6.2 pts

36▲7Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38622.0%+7.0 pts

37Barbecue, NCNC5,91022.1%–

38▲21Locust, NCNC6,12022.5%+12.1 pts

39▲35Midway, NCNC5,10422.5%–

40▲23King, NCNC7,97722.8%+4.7 pts

41▼7Archdale, NCNC12,25422.9%+9.4 pts

42▲7Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12022.9%+2.8 pts

43▼21Ayden, NCNC5,26323.0%+9.5 pts

44▲14Mount Airy, NCNC10,68223.1%+2.9 pts

45▲19Shallotte, NCNC5,33523.1%−1.1 pts

46▲8Hope Mills, NCNC18,32423.4%+8.4 pts

47▼40Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87523.6%+8.5 pts

48▲8Clinton, NCNC8,46623.8%+5.3 pts

49▼4Conover, NCNC8,93823.8%+5.4 pts

50▲2Washington, NCNC9,91024.0%+3.1 pts

51▼25Lincolnton, NCNC12,46524.0%+6.5 pts

52▼22Monroe, NCNC42,64424.1%+8.5 pts

53Piney Green, NCNC14,07824.2%+6.0 pts

54▲3Wilson, NCNC49,57224.5%+5.3 pts

55▼16Mocksville, NCNC6,28224.7%+6.3 pts

56▼9Graham, NCNC20,13124.7%+8.0 pts

57▼9Cherryville, NCNC6,52324.8%+12.2 pts

58▲24Kings Grant, NCNC9,00325.2%+2.4 pts

59▲24Spring Lake, NCNC11,25225.2%+16.7 pts

60▼18St. Stephens, NCNC9,45725.7%+14.1 pts

61▲11Unionville, NCNC7,32225.8%+9.4 pts

62▼35Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28725.9%+13.0 pts

63▼17Morganton, NCNC17,84926.1%+5.3 pts

64▲3Jacksonville, NCNC72,73226.3%+8.4 pts

65▲1Tarboro, NCNC10,97926.5%+9.5 pts

66▲3Gastonia, NCNC87,06726.6%+6.4 pts

67▲10Shelby, NCNC23,30926.6%+8.6 pts

68▼6Smithfield, NCNC13,11426.7%+8.3 pts

69▲10Statesville, NCNC32,18126.9%+7.4 pts

70▼29Butner, NCNC8,11227.0%+17.2 pts

71▼50Half Moon, NCNC7,37827.0%+11.0 pts

72▲4Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62227.2%+9.8 pts

73▼54Swannanoa, NCNC6,90127.4%+15.2 pts

74▼14Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54027.6%+0.7 pts

75▲27Creedmoor, NCNC5,04628.9%+7.6 pts

76▲5Fayetteville, NCNC209,12029.0%+4.8 pts

77▲7New Bern, NCNC34,72429.4%+6.4 pts

78▼5Burlington, NCNC61,49629.6%+7.9 pts

79▼14Kannapolis, NCNC61,70829.7%+17.7 pts

80▼12Salisbury, NCNC36,87929.9%+5.8 pts

81▼20Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16530.1%+9.0 pts

82▼7Walkertown, NCNC6,12030.3%+18.1 pts

83▼43Zebulon, NCNC11,93330.9%+15.3 pts

84▲5Moyock, NCNC5,68431.6%–

85▲21Aberdeen, NCNC10,06631.9%+10.5 pts

86▼16Angier, NCNC9,41032.0%+17.3 pts

87▲1Silver Lake, NCNC6,56332.2%+8.0 pts

88▲3Midland, NCNC5,15132.9%–

89▼4Waynesville, NCNC11,00632.9%+15.8 pts

90▲4High Point, NCNC120,57134.0%+8.5 pts

91▼5Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92735.0%–

92▲5Northchase, NCNC5,89635.2%–

93▲5Morehead City, NCNC10,43435.6%+14.8 pts

94▼1Mount Holly, NCNC19,03336.7%+21.9 pts

95▼24Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64936.9%–

96▼4Kernersville, NCNC29,12837.0%+11.1 pts

97▲4Hickory, NCNC45,97537.1%+9.0 pts

98▲10Gibsonville, NCNC9,87637.1%+13.3 pts

99▲8Hendersonville, NCNC15,86738.1%+7.7 pts

100▼13Wendell, NCNC19,68738.2%+18.9 pts

101▲58Cullowhee, NCNC7,97338.2%−10.4 pts

102▲20Hampstead, NCNC9,29238.3%–

103▼23Etowah, NCNC7,96839.0%+18.6 pts

104▲7Greenville, NCNC96,44339.1%+0.7 pts

105▼6Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27139.5%+9.2 pts

106▼11Fletcher, NCNC8,37339.8%+12.6 pts

107▲6Indian Trail, NCNC44,30340.2%+18.0 pts

108▲11Mint Hill, NCNC29,47640.3%+12.7 pts

109▼19Clayton, NCNC32,63340.4%+17.0 pts

110▼6Mebane, NCNC21,95240.4%+12.1 pts

111▲10Pittsboro, NCNC5,05440.8%+18.3 pts

112Concord, NCNC114,59840.9%+18.1 pts

113▲2Greensboro, NCNC308,66741.0%+7.0 pts

114▲20Winterville, NCNC10,97341.2%+12.4 pts

115▲24Spout Springs, NCNC11,24241.4%–

116▼20Stokesdale, NCNC6,13343.2%+20.0 pts

117▼17Brevard, NCNC8,09843.5%+17.2 pts

118▼2Oak Island, NCNC9,33743.6%+24.6 pts

119▼9Leland, NCNC35,73143.7%+29.8 pts

120▼3Mills River, NCNC7,50443.7%–

121▼3Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90644.0%–

122▼17Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73144.8%+17.8 pts

123▲2Pineville, NCNC11,85144.9%+14.2 pts

124▲18Westport, NCNC5,91545.4%−2.3 pts

125▼1Mooresville, NCNC55,84245.5%+22.7 pts

126▼23Murraysville, NCNC16,33945.7%+16.7 pts

127▼18Woodfin, NCNC8,22945.9%+30.7 pts

128▼14Cramerton, NCNC5,71346.2%+20.4 pts

129▲3Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63746.4%+17.0 pts

130▲1Garner, NCNC41,56246.5%+18.3 pts

131▼1Wilmington, NCNC126,80946.8%+15.8 pts

132▼9Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56647.7%+16.9 pts

133▼4Lewisville, NCNC14,42147.8%+7.8 pts

134▼1Charlotte, NCNC964,78448.0%+11.5 pts

135▼8Knightdale, NCNC23,14448.9%+15.2 pts

136▲4Clemmons, NCNC22,80849.4%+7.3 pts

137▲7Ogden, NCNC8,24949.5%+9.8 pts

138▼10Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87050.5%+26.9 pts

139▼13Belmont, NCNC16,41551.1%+29.1 pts

140▼20Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90851.4%+44.3 pts

141▲8Elon, NCNC11,36651.5%–

142▼5Surf City, NCNC5,14251.6%+22.9 pts

143▲11Southern Pines, NCNC17,35752.9%+17.0 pts

144▼1Asheville, NCNC93,52353.4%+23.0 pts

145▼9Stallings, NCNC17,76053.7%+36.2 pts

146▼11Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53654.0%+26.8 pts

147Raleigh, NCNC506,30654.0%+9.1 pts

148▲5Waxhaw, NCNC23,14055.0%+25.1 pts

149▲1Matthews, NCNC32,76955.2%+12.9 pts

150▲8Black Mountain, NCNC8,49156.3%+26.9 pts

151▼6Harrisburg, NCNC20,74256.5%+29.0 pts

152▼14Boone, NCNC19,92956.8%+10.4 pts

153▼12Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89657.0%+16.8 pts

154▼8Durham, NCNC305,56157.3%+15.5 pts

155▼4Huntersville, NCNC68,53557.5%+11.1 pts

156Summerfield, NCNC11,32759.5%+21.6 pts

157▼2Wake Forest, NCNC58,14759.5%+16.5 pts

158▲3Pinehurst, NCNC18,67060.9%+11.0 pts

159▼2Hillsborough, NCNC9,77861.4%+36.3 pts

160▲6Rolesville, NCNC12,83962.1%+41.2 pts

161▼9Cornelius, NCNC35,09462.2%+12.8 pts

162▲3Porters Neck, NCNC7,65466.5%–

163▼15Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50567.0%+18.2 pts

164▼2Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49467.2%+44.3 pts

165▼5Holly Springs, NCNC50,28867.3%+16.6 pts

166▼3Weddington, NCNC14,51768.0%+21.6 pts

167St. James, NCNC7,31868.3%+12.5 pts

168▼4Apex, NCNC80,41969.5%+10.8 pts

169Carrboro, NCNC20,96269.9%+9.1 pts

170▼2Cary, NCNC183,58270.5%+9.8 pts

171▼1Morrisville, NCNC32,46672.7%+17.2 pts

172▼1Davidson, NCNC16,66275.8%+14.1 pts

173▼1Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56576.6%+2.9 pts

174▼1Marvin, NCNC7,04079.9%+19.2 pts

175▼1Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04981.6%–

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES