RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Least educated, North Carolina cities · 2000

North Carolina cities with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher (2000 ACS). This list covers the 161 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

RANKPLACESTATEPOPBACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHERVS 1990

01East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3236.8%+0.9 pts

02Long View, NCNC5,3876.8%+0.1 pts

03Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9087.1%+4.2 pts

04Bessemer City, NCNC5,8347.7%+2.8 pts

05Roxboro, NCNC8,3807.8%−0.0 pts

06Sawmills, NCNC5,1057.9%+4.1 pts

07Siler City, NCNC8,1558.3%−0.5 pts

08Spring Lake, NCNC11,2528.5%−0.7 pts

09Dallas, NCNC6,3929.0%+0.1 pts

10Forest City, NCNC7,4109.6%+0.1 pts

11Thomasville, NCNC27,7339.6%−0.2 pts

12Butner, NCNC8,1129.7%+4.1 pts

13Selma, NCNC7,40610.1%−0.5 pts

14Locust, NCNC6,12010.4%+4.8 pts

15Eden, NCNC15,50011.1%+2.2 pts

16Hamlet, NCNC5,87011.4%+3.9 pts

17St. Stephens, NCNC9,45711.7%+2.4 pts

18Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11711.8%+2.3 pts

19Kannapolis, NCNC61,70812.0%+4.2 pts

20Walkertown, NCNC6,12012.2%+2.4 pts

21Swannanoa, NCNC6,90112.2%+5.9 pts

22Trinity, NCNC7,27412.5%+4.8 pts

23Cherryville, NCNC6,52312.6%+2.4 pts

24Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28713.0%+2.5 pts

25Lillington, NCNC5,04013.2%−2.8 pts

26Williamston, NCNC5,08613.3%+0.4 pts

27Lenoir, NCNC18,37213.3%+1.6 pts

28Archdale, NCNC12,25413.5%+3.3 pts

29Ayden, NCNC5,26313.5%+3.9 pts

30Leland, NCNC35,73114.0%+11.4 pts

31Lexington, NCNC20,23814.0%+1.6 pts

32Henderson, NCNC15,01314.6%+2.7 pts

33Angier, NCNC9,41014.7%+4.5 pts

34Mount Holly, NCNC19,03314.8%+5.5 pts

35Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38615.0%+3.1 pts

36Hope Mills, NCNC18,32415.0%+3.4 pts

37Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87515.1%+0.9 pts

38Newton, NCNC13,82215.1%+3.0 pts

39Marion, NCNC7,44015.1%+3.5 pts

40Woodfin, NCNC8,22915.2%+5.5 pts

41Nashville, NCNC5,91115.2%+0.1 pts

42Rockingham, NCNC8,81515.3%−0.0 pts

43Havelock, NCNC17,43015.3%+2.3 pts

44Wadesboro, NCNC5,03515.6%−0.1 pts

45Monroe, NCNC42,64415.6%+1.0 pts

46Reidsville, NCNC14,69215.6%+0.4 pts

47Zebulon, NCNC11,93315.7%+2.8 pts

48Half Moon, NCNC7,37815.9%+3.4 pts

49Unionville, NCNC7,32216.4%–

50Kinston, NCNC19,70516.6%+1.2 pts

51Graham, NCNC20,13116.7%+3.7 pts

52Asheboro, NCNC27,99016.8%+1.5 pts

53Dunn, NCNC8,81416.8%+3.7 pts

54Tarboro, NCNC10,97917.0%+1.2 pts

55Goldsboro, NCNC35,01217.2%+1.2 pts

56Waynesville, NCNC11,00617.2%+1.1 pts

57Albemarle, NCNC17,76917.3%+4.8 pts

58Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62217.4%+2.6 pts

59Stallings, NCNC17,76017.5%+10.2 pts

60Lincolnton, NCNC12,46517.6%+5.0 pts

61Jacksonville, NCNC72,73217.8%−0.3 pts

62Shelby, NCNC23,30918.0%+2.3 pts

63King, NCNC7,97718.1%+6.8 pts

64Piney Green, NCNC14,07818.1%+9.1 pts

65Smithfield, NCNC13,11418.3%−1.6 pts

66Mocksville, NCNC6,28218.4%+3.9 pts

67Clinton, NCNC8,46618.4%+3.1 pts

68Conover, NCNC8,93818.5%−1.3 pts

69Sanford, NCNC34,13818.6%+3.8 pts

70Oxford, NCNC8,98518.8%+4.4 pts

71Oak Island, NCNC9,33719.0%–

72Wilson, NCNC49,57219.2%+0.8 pts

73Wendell, NCNC19,68719.3%+2.8 pts

74Statesville, NCNC32,18119.5%+3.7 pts

75Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12020.1%+3.4 pts

76Mount Airy, NCNC10,68220.2%+7.5 pts

77Gastonia, NCNC87,06720.2%+4.2 pts

78Lumberton, NCNC18,95520.4%+1.9 pts

79Etowah, NCNC7,96820.5%+9.6 pts

80Morganton, NCNC17,84920.8%+2.0 pts

81Morehead City, NCNC10,43420.8%+7.6 pts

82Washington, NCNC9,91020.8%+6.5 pts

83Rolesville, NCNC12,83921.0%+5.1 pts

84Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16521.1%+4.7 pts

85Creedmoor, NCNC5,04621.3%+8.9 pts

86Aberdeen, NCNC10,06621.3%+4.2 pts

87Burlington, NCNC61,49621.7%+2.5 pts

88Laurinburg, NCNC14,58221.8%+6.7 pts

89Belmont, NCNC16,41522.0%+10.6 pts

90Indian Trail, NCNC44,30322.2%+11.4 pts

91Pittsboro, NCNC5,05422.5%+5.2 pts

92Kings Grant, NCNC9,00322.7%–

93Mooresville, NCNC55,84222.8%+10.2 pts

94Concord, NCNC114,59822.8%+8.1 pts

95Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49423.0%–

96New Bern, NCNC34,72423.0%+7.0 pts

97Stokesdale, NCNC6,13323.2%+14.3 pts

98Clayton, NCNC32,63323.4%+9.1 pts

99Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87023.6%+4.7 pts

100Gibsonville, NCNC9,87623.8%+10.1 pts

101Shallotte, NCNC5,33524.1%+5.1 pts

102Salisbury, NCNC36,87924.1%+3.4 pts

103Silver Lake, NCNC6,56324.1%+10.8 pts

104Fayetteville, NCNC209,12024.2%+0.4 pts

105Hillsborough, NCNC9,77825.0%+7.2 pts

106High Point, NCNC120,57125.5%+7.4 pts

107Cramerton, NCNC5,71325.8%+9.2 pts

108Kernersville, NCNC29,12825.9%+8.9 pts

109Brevard, NCNC8,09826.3%+5.7 pts

110Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54026.9%–

111Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73127.0%+8.7 pts

112Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53627.1%+12.2 pts

113Fletcher, NCNC8,37327.2%+10.1 pts

114Harrisburg, NCNC20,74227.4%+12.7 pts

115Mint Hill, NCNC29,47627.6%+7.8 pts

116Hickory, NCNC45,97528.0%+4.6 pts

117Garner, NCNC41,56228.2%+4.8 pts

118Mebane, NCNC21,95228.3%+12.7 pts

119Surf City, NCNC5,14228.7%+0.9 pts

120Winterville, NCNC10,97328.8%+16.7 pts

121Murraysville, NCNC16,33929.0%–

122Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63729.3%+10.0 pts

123Black Mountain, NCNC8,49129.4%+2.5 pts

124Waxhaw, NCNC23,14029.9%+12.7 pts

125Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27130.3%+3.1 pts

126Asheville, NCNC93,52330.4%+7.4 pts

127Hendersonville, NCNC15,86730.5%+9.1 pts

128Pineville, NCNC11,85130.7%+14.6 pts

129Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56630.8%–

130Wilmington, NCNC126,80931.0%+10.2 pts

131Knightdale, NCNC23,14433.7%+2.2 pts

132Greensboro, NCNC308,66733.9%+4.0 pts

133Southern Pines, NCNC17,35736.0%+9.8 pts

134Charlotte, NCNC964,78436.4%+8.1 pts

135Summerfield, NCNC11,32737.9%+23.0 pts

136Greenville, NCNC96,44338.4%+4.6 pts

137Ogden, NCNC8,24939.7%+16.2 pts

138Lewisville, NCNC14,42140.0%+15.1 pts

139Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89640.2%–

140Durham, NCNC305,56141.8%+6.4 pts

141Clemmons, NCNC22,80842.1%+2.8 pts

142Matthews, NCNC32,76942.3%+4.2 pts

143Wake Forest, NCNC58,14743.0%+12.2 pts

144Raleigh, NCNC506,30644.9%+4.3 pts

145Weddington, NCNC14,51746.4%+4.8 pts

146Huntersville, NCNC68,53546.5%+23.1 pts

147Boone, NCNC19,92946.5%+3.0 pts

148Westport, NCNC5,91547.7%+1.5 pts

149Cullowhee, NCNC7,97348.7%+2.7 pts

150Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50548.8%+8.5 pts

151Cornelius, NCNC35,09449.4%+28.7 pts

152Pinehurst, NCNC18,67049.9%+4.3 pts

153Holly Springs, NCNC50,28850.7%+42.7 pts

154Morrisville, NCNC32,46655.5%+28.2 pts

155St. James, NCNC7,31855.8%–

156Apex, NCNC80,41958.8%+23.8 pts

157Marvin, NCNC7,04060.7%–

158Cary, NCNC183,58260.7%+11.9 pts

159Carrboro, NCNC20,96260.9%+4.1 pts

160Davidson, NCNC16,66261.6%+9.6 pts

161Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56573.7%+2.5 pts

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

Download CSV (full list, 161 rows)

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