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.

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%

07Asheville, NCNC93,52338,788+13%

08Wilmington, NCNC126,80938,213+7%

09Fayetteville, NCNC209,12037,795+7%

10Apex, NCNC80,41932,207+46%

11Concord, NCNC114,59828,962+21%

12Huntersville, NCNC68,53526,056+25%

13High Point, NCNC120,57126,022+8%

14Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56524,352+2%

15Wake Forest, NCNC58,14721,000+31%

16Greenville, NCNC96,44319,738+5%

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

18Mooresville, NCNC55,84215,818+51%

19Morrisville, NCNC32,46615,798+22%

20Cornelius, NCNC35,09414,739+28%

21Gastonia, NCNC87,06714,704+12%

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

23Matthews, NCNC32,76912,088−3%

24Burlington, NCNC61,49612,087+22%

25Kannapolis, NCNC61,70812,065+48%

26Garner, NCNC41,56211,682+27%

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

28Hickory, NCNC45,97510,819+13%

29Leland, NCNC35,73110,093+63%

30Carrboro, NCNC20,9629,840−1%

31Pinehurst, NCNC18,6708,964+12%

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

33Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768,266+3%

34Wilson, NCNC49,5728,042+6%

35Jacksonville, NCNC72,7327,987+3%

36Clemmons, NCNC22,8087,653+9%

37Clayton, NCNC32,6337,560+57%

38Davidson, NCNC16,6627,544+32%

39Waxhaw, NCNC23,1407,326+40%

40Salisbury, NCNC36,8797,137+30%

41Kernersville, NCNC29,1287,070+27%

42Harrisburg, NCNC20,7427,053+44%

43New Bern, NCNC34,7246,749+14%

44Knightdale, NCNC23,1446,447+35%

45Stallings, NCNC17,7606,292+27%

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

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

48Weddington, NCNC14,5176,010+38%

49Belmont, NCNC16,4155,679+69%

50Monroe, NCNC42,6445,653+45%

51Statesville, NCNC32,1815,556+11%

52Mebane, NCNC21,9525,482+46%

53Murraysville, NCNC16,3395,264+35%

54Goldsboro, NCNC35,0124,827+1%

55St. James, NCNC7,3184,732+25%

56Mount Holly, NCNC19,0334,692+34%

57Hendersonville, NCNC15,8674,593+19%

58Lewisville, NCNC14,4214,405+7%

59Summerfield, NCNC11,3274,401+3%

60Hillsborough, NCNC9,7784,363+39%

61Sanford, NCNC34,1384,327+8%

62Rolesville, NCNC12,8394,262+39%

63Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6374,200+15%

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

65Shelby, NCNC23,3094,018+5%

66Porters Neck, NCNC7,6543,920+6%

67Asheboro, NCNC27,9903,556+18%

68Oak Island, NCNC9,3373,550+25%

69Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0493,420+71%

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

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

72Wendell, NCNC19,6873,360+120%

73Pineville, NCNC11,8513,293+30%

74Graham, NCNC20,1313,252+55%

75Marvin, NCNC7,0403,237+3%

76Boone, NCNC19,9293,149+7%

77Morganton, NCNC17,8493,122+38%

78Spout Springs, NCNC11,2423,010+0%

79Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8962,966+27%

80Ogden, NCNC8,2492,954−9%

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

82Thomasville, NCNC27,7332,938+17%

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

84Winterville, NCNC10,9732,908−6%

85Woodfin, NCNC8,2292,905+57%

86Lenoir, NCNC18,3722,834+31%

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

88Waynesville, NCNC11,0062,680+29%

89Hope Mills, NCNC18,3242,604+15%

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

91Brevard, NCNC8,0982,589+30%

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

93Fletcher, NCNC8,3732,432+24%

94Gibsonville, NCNC9,8762,407+38%

95Albemarle, NCNC17,7692,385+26%

96Etowah, NCNC7,9682,313+36%

97Lumberton, NCNC18,9552,302−21%

98Mills River, NCNC7,5042,285+11%

99Smithfield, NCNC13,1142,276+5%

100Hampstead, NCNC9,2922,265+20%

101Reidsville, NCNC14,6922,255+17%

102Kinston, NCNC19,7052,221−4%

103Elon, NCNC11,3662,217−16%

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

105Tarboro, NCNC10,9792,138+9%

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

107Aberdeen, NCNC10,0662,085+6%

108Archdale, NCNC12,2542,045+27%

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

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

111Westport, NCNC5,9151,974+28%

112Laurinburg, NCNC14,5821,966−1%

113Newton, NCNC13,8221,964+8%

114Zebulon, NCNC11,9331,856+139%

115Stokesdale, NCNC6,1331,830+61%

116Mount Airy, NCNC10,6821,805+3%

117Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,802+37%

118Cramerton, NCNC5,7131,742+38%

119St. Stephens, NCNC9,4571,737+36%

120Washington, NCNC9,9101,726+19%

121Lexington, NCNC20,2381,709−5%

122Kings Grant, NCNC9,0031,685+0%

123Havelock, NCNC17,4301,630+22%

124Surf City, NCNC5,1421,608+52%

125Silver Lake, NCNC6,5631,556+15%

126Spring Lake, NCNC11,2521,555−10%

127Henderson, NCNC15,0131,541−8%

128Butner, NCNC8,1121,530+34%

129Angier, NCNC9,4101,468+58%

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

131Clinton, NCNC8,4661,346−1%

132Pittsboro, NCNC5,0541,324+11%

133Swannanoa, NCNC6,9011,322+161%

134Conover, NCNC8,9381,268+10%

135Dunn, NCNC8,8141,255−6%

136Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6491,254+35%

137Eden, NCNC15,5001,249−26%

138Moyock, NCNC5,6841,246+13%

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

140Oxford, NCNC8,9851,227−14%

141King, NCNC7,9771,226+2%

142Walkertown, NCNC6,1201,222+32%

143Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,206+4%

144Unionville, NCNC7,3221,198−11%

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

146Northchase, NCNC5,8961,117+12%

147Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2871,117+85%

148Half Moon, NCNC7,3781,088+32%

149Midland, NCNC5,1511,061+42%

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

151Cherryville, NCNC6,5231,025+19%

152Mocksville, NCNC6,282991+37%

153Creedmoor, NCNC5,046989−1%

154Trinity, NCNC7,274953+5%

155Dallas, NCNC6,392899+109%

156Locust, NCNC6,120878+49%

157Midway, NCNC5,104861−7%

158Barbecue, NCNC5,910846–

159Marion, NCNC7,440840−8%

160Siler City, NCNC8,155840+27%

161Roxboro, NCNC8,380815+9%

162Shallotte, NCNC5,335805−0%

163Ayden, NCNC5,263803+37%

164East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323722+40%

165Forest City, NCNC7,410692−9%

166Nashville, NCNC5,911678−30%

167Lillington, NCNC5,040639+61%

168Selma, NCNC7,406622+36%

169Bessemer City, NCNC5,834620+90%

170Cullowhee, NCNC7,973581−13%

171Wadesboro, NCNC5,035581+80%

172Hamlet, NCNC5,870581+15%

173Williamston, NCNC5,086531−9%

174Sawmills, NCNC5,105448+10%

175Long View, NCNC5,387288−8%

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES