RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Least educated, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher (2024 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 23.6%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Richmond County, NC, up 26 places to #9.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPBACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHERVS 2000

01▲3Anson County, NCNC21,7589.9%+0.7 pts

02▲3Gates County, NCNC10,23410.9%+0.4 pts

03▼2Greene County, NCNC20,70012.2%+4.0 pts

04▼1Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53713.0%+2.4 pts

05▲2Columbus County, NCNC50,48714.6%+4.5 pts

06▲5Robeson County, NCNC119,94114.7%+3.2 pts

07▼5Hyde County, NCNC4,55414.7%+4.1 pts

08▼2Washington County, NCNC10,63814.8%+3.2 pts

09▲26Richmond County, NCNC42,04116.0%+5.9 pts

10▲7Halifax County, NCNC46,53416.1%+5.0 pts

11▲3Sampson County, NCNC61,50416.2%+5.2 pts

12▲11Lenoir County, NCNC55,83716.3%+3.0 pts

13▲14Hertford County, NCNC19,01516.6%+5.5 pts

14▲8Scotland County, NCNC33,32216.6%+0.7 pts

15▼2Alexander County, NCNC36,95816.7%+7.4 pts

16▲3Martin County, NCNC21,60116.7%+5.1 pts

17▲11Wilkes County, NCNC66,23316.9%+5.6 pts

18▲2Rockingham County, NCNC94,19517.0%+6.2 pts

19▲14Vance County, NCNC42,63817.2%+6.5 pts

20▲10Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12117.5%+9.0 pts

21▼13Yadkin County, NCNC38,32517.5%+7.2 pts

22▼13Graham County, NCNC8,19017.6%+6.4 pts

23▼7Duplin County, NCNC51,57117.6%+7.2 pts

24▼6Northampton County, NCNC16,49117.9%+7.1 pts

25▲4Randolph County, NCNC149,51617.9%+6.8 pts

26▼1Caswell County, NCNC22,56317.9%+9.6 pts

27▲12McDowell County, NCNC45,19818.1%+9.1 pts

28▼18Stokes County, NCNC46,12618.2%+8.9 pts

29▼3Caldwell County, NCNC81,10518.8%+8.4 pts

30▼9Warren County, NCNC18,89818.9%+7.3 pts

31▼16Bertie County, NCNC17,08619.0%+10.2 pts

32▼1Montgomery County, NCNC26,40319.2%+9.1 pts

33▼9Person County, NCNC40,63619.3%+9.0 pts

34▲3Bladen County, NCNC30,00719.5%+8.2 pts

35▼23Jones County, NCNC9,57519.8%+10.3 pts

36▼2Stanly County, NCNC68,83019.9%+7.1 pts

37▼1Surry County, NCNC72,28720.4%+8.3 pts

38▼6Burke County, NCNC88,65521.0%+8.2 pts

39▲13Beaufort County, NCNC44,67021.2%+5.2 pts

40▲10Lee County, NCNC70,25821.3%+4.1 pts

41▲10Swain County, NCNC14,02421.4%+7.6 pts

42▼1Rutherford County, NCNC65,74521.5%+9.0 pts

43Perquimans County, NCNC13,49021.7%+9.4 pts

44▼4Davidson County, NCNC180,18221.7%+8.9 pts

45▲2Wilson County, NCNC81,15021.7%+6.7 pts

46▼2Wayne County, NCNC122,27821.7%+6.8 pts

47▼5Cleveland County, NCNC103,32522.0%+8.7 pts

48▲7Nash County, NCNC99,36522.1%+4.8 pts

49▼4Rowan County, NCNC155,09623.3%+9.1 pts

50▼12Hoke County, NCNC56,93923.5%+12.5 pts

51▲2Alleghany County, NCNC11,47923.6%+11.9 pts

52▲6Cherokee County, NCNC30,83024.2%+13.2 pts

53▲8Mitchell County, NCNC15,06224.2%+12.0 pts

54▲6Harnett County, NCNC150,13724.5%+11.7 pts

55▲2Chowan County, NCNC14,08225.0%+8.6 pts

56▲10Avery County, NCNC18,11025.0%+10.5 pts

57▼8Yancey County, NCNC19,08425.1%+11.9 pts

58▲9Granville County, NCNC61,42125.2%+12.2 pts

59▼3Pamlico County, NCNC12,75825.4%+10.7 pts

60▼12Ashe County, NCNC27,51425.9%+13.9 pts

61▲4Onslow County, NCNC217,17526.0%+11.2 pts

62▲1Catawba County, NCNC170,17226.1%+9.1 pts

63▼4Gaston County, NCNC246,55826.5%+12.3 pts

64▼10Franklin County, NCNC82,03727.0%+13.8 pts

65▲5Davie County, NCNC45,85527.3%+9.7 pts

66▲5Craven County, NCNC105,02527.5%+8.3 pts

67▼3Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20127.6%+11.2 pts

68▲6Cumberland County, NCNC338,47327.8%+8.7 pts

69▼1Macon County, NCNC39,23227.9%+11.7 pts

70▼8Lincoln County, NCNC98,65428.3%+15.4 pts

71▼25Camden County, NCNC11,31528.6%+12.4 pts

72▲1Alamance County, NCNC186,17728.7%+9.5 pts

73▼4Johnston County, NCNC256,44828.9%+13.0 pts

74▲2Haywood County, NCNC63,36929.5%+13.6 pts

75▲4Pender County, NCNC72,11130.6%+17.1 pts

76▼4Currituck County, NCNC33,15830.9%+17.6 pts

77Jackson County, NCNC45,03931.1%+5.6 pts

78▼3Clay County, NCNC12,23931.8%+16.4 pts

79▲3Madison County, NCNC22,55332.2%+16.1 pts

80▲4Pitt County, NCNC182,93633.8%+7.4 pts

81Iredell County, NCNC211,79834.1%+16.7 pts

82▼4Carteret County, NCNC70,46934.5%+14.7 pts

83▼3Brunswick County, NCNC174,70234.7%+18.6 pts

84▲1Polk County, NCNC20,53336.2%+10.5 pts

85▼2Henderson County, NCNC122,37536.5%+12.4 pts

86Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72537.9%+18.8 pts

87▲1Forsyth County, NCNC401,71838.5%+9.8 pts

88▲2Guilford County, NCNC562,23439.0%+8.7 pts

89▼2Transylvania County, NCNC34,21140.0%+16.2 pts

90▼1Union County, NCNC267,67440.5%+19.2 pts

91▲1Moore County, NCNC110,61941.0%+14.2 pts

92▼1Dare County, NCNC38,24543.2%+15.5 pts

93▲1New Hanover County, NCNC245,95945.4%+14.4 pts

94▼1Buncombe County, NCNC277,41745.9%+20.6 pts

95Watauga County, NCNC54,78648.1%+14.8 pts

96Chatham County, NCNC85,11148.9%+21.4 pts

97Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38349.2%+12.1 pts

98Durham County, NCNC347,24055.2%+15.1 pts

99Wake County, NCNC1,257,23557.2%+13.3 pts

100Orange County, NCNC152,49861.8%+10.3 pts

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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