RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Most college graduates, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the most adults 25 and over holding a bachelor's degree or higher, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of graduates, not the share. This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 175 is 2,680. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Wendell, NC, up 45 places to #72.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPCOLLEGE GRADUATESVS 2020

01Charlotte, NCNC964,784292,426+11%

02Raleigh, NCNC506,306176,843+9%

03Durham, NCNC305,561115,751+21%

04Cary, NCNC183,58287,561+10%

05Greensboro, NCNC308,66779,256+5%

06Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27164,955+18%

07▲2Asheville, NCNC93,52338,788+13%

08▼1Wilmington, NCNC126,80938,213+7%

09▼1Fayetteville, NCNC209,12037,795+7%

10▲3Apex, NCNC80,41932,207+46%

11Concord, NCNC114,59828,962+21%

12▲2Huntersville, NCNC68,53526,056+25%

13▼3High Point, NCNC120,57126,022+8%

14▼2Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56524,352+2%

15▲1Wake Forest, NCNC58,14721,000+31%

16▼1Greenville, NCNC96,44319,738+5%

17▲1Holly Springs, NCNC50,28818,961+45%

18▲4Mooresville, NCNC55,84215,818+51%

19Morrisville, NCNC32,46615,798+22%

20▲1Cornelius, NCNC35,09414,739+28%

21▼4Gastonia, NCNC87,06714,704+12%

22▲6Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53614,237+68%

23▼3Matthews, NCNC32,76912,088−3%

24▼1Burlington, NCNC61,49612,087+22%

25▲4Kannapolis, NCNC61,70812,065+48%

26▲1Garner, NCNC41,56211,682+27%

27▼1Indian Trail, NCNC44,30310,882+16%

28▼3Hickory, NCNC45,97510,819+13%

29▲7Leland, NCNC35,73110,093+63%

30▼6Carrboro, NCNC20,9629,840−1%

31Pinehurst, NCNC18,6708,964+12%

32Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1208,604+9%

33▼3Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768,266+3%

34Wilson, NCNC49,5728,042+6%

35▼2Jacksonville, NCNC72,7327,987+3%

36▼1Clemmons, NCNC22,8087,653+9%

37▲10Clayton, NCNC32,6337,560+57%

38▲1Davidson, NCNC16,6627,544+32%

39▲4Waxhaw, NCNC23,1407,326+40%

40▲1Salisbury, NCNC36,8797,137+30%

41▼1Kernersville, NCNC29,1287,070+27%

42▲4Harrisburg, NCNC20,7427,053+44%

43▼6New Bern, NCNC34,7246,749+14%

44▲4Knightdale, NCNC23,1446,447+35%

45Stallings, NCNC17,7606,292+27%

46▼8Southern Pines, NCNC17,3576,258+9%

47▼5Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4946,046+14%

48▲2Weddington, NCNC14,5176,010+38%

49▲15Belmont, NCNC16,4155,679+69%

50▲5Monroe, NCNC42,6445,653+45%

51▼7Statesville, NCNC32,1815,556+11%

52▲8Mebane, NCNC21,9525,482+46%

53▲3Murraysville, NCNC16,3395,264+35%

54▼5Goldsboro, NCNC35,0124,827+1%

55▲4St. James, NCNC7,3184,732+25%

56▲7Mount Holly, NCNC19,0334,692+34%

57Hendersonville, NCNC15,8674,593+19%

58▼6Lewisville, NCNC14,4214,405+7%

59▼8Summerfield, NCNC11,3274,401+3%

60▲7Hillsborough, NCNC9,7784,363+39%

61▼8Sanford, NCNC34,1384,327+8%

62▲7Rolesville, NCNC12,8394,262+39%

63▼1Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6374,200+15%

64▼10Black Mountain, NCNC8,4914,050+1%

65▼7Shelby, NCNC23,3094,018+5%

66▼5Porters Neck, NCNC7,6543,920+6%

67▲3Asheboro, NCNC27,9903,556+18%

68▲7Oak Island, NCNC9,3373,550+25%

69▲24Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0493,420+71%

70▲3Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6223,394+16%

71▲6Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,9063,362+29%

72▲45Wendell, NCNC19,6873,360+120%

73▲5Pineville, NCNC11,8513,293+30%

74▲16Graham, NCNC20,1313,252+55%

75▼9Marvin, NCNC7,0403,237+3%

76▼4Boone, NCNC19,9293,149+7%

77▲9Morganton, NCNC17,8493,122+38%

78▼7Spout Springs, NCNC11,2423,0100%

79▲3Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8962,966+27%

80▼15Ogden, NCNC8,2492,954−9%

81Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5662,944+22%

82▼2Thomasville, NCNC27,7332,938+17%

83▼4Anderson Creek, NCNC13,9272,936+16%

84▼16Winterville, NCNC10,9732,908−6%

85▲19Woodfin, NCNC8,2292,905+57%

86▲2Lenoir, NCNC18,3722,834+31%

87▲2Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8702,739+27%

88▲3Waynesville, NCNC11,0062,680+29%

89▼4Hope Mills, NCNC18,3242,604+15%

90▲10Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7312,594+34%

91▲3Brevard, NCNC8,0982,589+30%

92▼9Morehead City, NCNC10,4342,563+10%

93▲5Fletcher, NCNC8,3732,432+24%

94▲14Gibsonville, NCNC9,8762,407+38%

95▲7Albemarle, NCNC17,7692,385+26%

96▲15Etowah, NCNC7,9682,313+36%

97▼23Lumberton, NCNC18,9552,302−21%

98▼6Mills River, NCNC7,5042,285+11%

99▼12Smithfield, NCNC13,1142,276+5%

100▲3Hampstead, NCNC9,2922,265+20%

101Reidsville, NCNC14,6922,255+17%

102▼18Kinston, NCNC19,7052,221−4%

103▼27Elon, NCNC11,3662,217−16%

104▼5Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3862,173+11%

105▼8Tarboro, NCNC10,9792,138+9%

106▲30Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5052,126+93%

107▼11Aberdeen, NCNC10,0662,085+6%

108▲7Archdale, NCNC12,2542,045+27%

109Piney Green, NCNC14,0782,022+16%

110▲41Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9081,995+142%

111▲5Westport, NCNC5,9151,974+28%

112▼17Laurinburg, NCNC14,5821,966−1%

113▼8Newton, NCNC13,8221,964+8%

114▲39Zebulon, NCNC11,9331,856+139%

115▲19Stokesdale, NCNC6,1331,830+61%

116▼9Mount Airy, NCNC10,6821,805+3%

117▲8Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,802+37%

118▲10Cramerton, NCNC5,7131,742+38%

119▲8St. Stephens, NCNC9,4571,737+36%

120▼2Washington, NCNC9,9101,726+19%

121▼15Lexington, NCNC20,2381,709−5%

122▼8Kings Grant, NCNC9,0031,6850%

123Havelock, NCNC17,4301,630+22%

124▲13Surf City, NCNC5,1421,608+52%

125▼3Silver Lake, NCNC6,5631,556+15%

126▼16Spring Lake, NCNC11,2521,555−10%

127▼14Henderson, NCNC15,0131,541−8%

128▲5Butner, NCNC8,1121,530+34%

129▲14Angier, NCNC9,4101,468+58%

130▼4Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1171,422+9%

131▼11Clinton, NCNC8,4661,346−1%

132▼2Pittsboro, NCNC5,0541,324+11%

133▲33Swannanoa, NCNC6,9011,322+161%

134▼2Conover, NCNC8,9381,268+10%

135▼11Dunn, NCNC8,8141,255−6%

136▲8Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6491,254+35%

137▼25Eden, NCNC15,5001,249−26%

138▼3Moyock, NCNC5,6841,246+13%

139▲2Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5401,241+31%

140▼21Oxford, NCNC8,9851,227−14%

141▼12King, NCNC7,9771,226+2%

142▲3Walkertown, NCNC6,1201,222+32%

143▼12Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,206+4%

144▼23Unionville, NCNC7,3221,198−11%

145▲19Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8751,149+99%

146▼8Northchase, NCNC5,8961,117+12%

147▲13Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2871,117+85%

148▲2Half Moon, NCNC7,3781,088+32%

149▲6Midland, NCNC5,1511,061+42%

150▼4Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1651,040+13%

151▼2Cherryville, NCNC6,5231,025+19%

152▲5Mocksville, NCNC6,282991+37%

153▼14Creedmoor, NCNC5,046989−1%

154▼6Trinity, NCNC7,274953+5%

155▲14Dallas, NCNC6,392899+109%

156▲5Locust, NCNC6,120878+49%

157▼15Midway, NCNC5,104861−7%

158Barbecue, NCNC5,910846–

159▼12Marion, NCNC7,440840−8%

160▼1Siler City, NCNC8,155840+27%

161▼5Roxboro, NCNC8,380815+9%

162▼10Shallotte, NCNC5,3358050%

163▼1Ayden, NCNC5,263803+37%

164▲1East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323722+40%

165▼11Forest City, NCNC7,410692−9%

166▼26Nashville, NCNC5,911678−30%

167▲4Lillington, NCNC5,040639+61%

168Selma, NCNC7,406622+36%

169▲3Bessemer City, NCNC5,834620+90%

170▼12Cullowhee, NCNC7,973581−13%

171▲2Wadesboro, NCNC5,035581+80%

172▼5Hamlet, NCNC5,870581+15%

173▼10Williamston, NCNC5,086531−9%

174▼4Sawmills, NCNC5,105448+10%

175▼1Long View, NCNC5,387288−8%

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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