RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 174 SHOWN OF 174

Most college graduates, North Carolina cities · 2020

North Carolina cities with the most adults 25 and over holding a bachelor's degree or higher, as of the 2020 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of graduates, not the share. This list covers the 174 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 174 is 2,171.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPCOLLEGE GRADUATESVS –

01Charlotte, NCNC964,784262,789–

02Raleigh, NCNC506,306162,388–

03Durham, NCNC305,56195,818–

04Cary, NCNC183,58279,317–

05Greensboro, NCNC308,66775,239–

06Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27155,225–

07Wilmington, NCNC126,80935,734–

08Fayetteville, NCNC209,12035,307–

09Asheville, NCNC93,52334,234–

10High Point, NCNC120,57124,095–

11Concord, NCNC114,59823,967–

12Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56523,958–

13Apex, NCNC80,41922,087–

14Huntersville, NCNC68,53520,768–

15Greenville, NCNC96,44318,875–

16Wake Forest, NCNC58,14715,995–

17Gastonia, NCNC87,06713,170–

18Holly Springs, NCNC50,28813,107–

19Morrisville, NCNC32,46612,937–

20Matthews, NCNC32,76912,406–

21Cornelius, NCNC35,09411,503–

22Mooresville, NCNC55,84210,487–

23Burlington, NCNC61,4969,924–

24Carrboro, NCNC20,9629,899–

25Hickory, NCNC45,9759,563–

26Indian Trail, NCNC44,3039,352–

27Garner, NCNC41,5629,193–

28Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5368,462–

29Kannapolis, NCNC61,7088,133–

30Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768,063–

31Pinehurst, NCNC18,6708,019–

32Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1207,906–

33Jacksonville, NCNC72,7327,739–

34Wilson, NCNC49,5727,552–

35Clemmons, NCNC22,8087,029–

36Leland, NCNC35,7316,198–

37New Bern, NCNC34,7245,924–

38Southern Pines, NCNC17,3575,767–

39Davidson, NCNC16,6625,733–

40Kernersville, NCNC29,1285,559–

41Salisbury, NCNC36,8795,477–

42Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4945,304–

43Waxhaw, NCNC23,1405,249–

44Statesville, NCNC32,1814,995–

45Stallings, NCNC17,7604,949–

46Harrisburg, NCNC20,7424,892–

47Clayton, NCNC32,6334,818–

48Knightdale, NCNC23,1444,787–

49Goldsboro, NCNC35,0124,761–

50Weddington, NCNC14,5174,366–

51Summerfield, NCNC11,3274,255–

52Lewisville, NCNC14,4214,123–

53Sanford, NCNC34,1383,999–

54Black Mountain, NCNC8,4913,992–

55Monroe, NCNC42,6443,900–

56Murraysville, NCNC16,3393,885–

57Hendersonville, NCNC15,8673,875–

58Shelby, NCNC23,3093,838–

59St. James, NCNC7,3183,798–

60Mebane, NCNC21,9523,754–

61Porters Neck, NCNC7,6543,696–

62Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6373,655–

63Mount Holly, NCNC19,0333,501–

64Belmont, NCNC16,4153,359–

65Ogden, NCNC8,2493,254–

66Marvin, NCNC7,0403,139–

67Hillsborough, NCNC9,7783,134–

68Winterville, NCNC10,9733,086–

69Rolesville, NCNC12,8393,060–

70Asheboro, NCNC27,9903,020–

71Spout Springs, NCNC11,2423,010–

72Boone, NCNC19,9292,951–

73Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6222,926–

74Lumberton, NCNC18,9552,906–

75Oak Island, NCNC9,3372,831–

76Elon, NCNC11,3662,650–

77Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,9062,616–

78Pineville, NCNC11,8512,533–

79Anderson Creek, NCNC13,9272,523–

80Thomasville, NCNC27,7332,521–

81Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5662,422–

82Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8962,327–

83Morehead City, NCNC10,4342,322–

84Kinston, NCNC19,7052,310–

85Hope Mills, NCNC18,3242,269–

86Morganton, NCNC17,8492,264–

87Smithfield, NCNC13,1142,171–

88Lenoir, NCNC18,3722,168–

89Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8702,150–

90Graham, NCNC20,1312,093–

91Waynesville, NCNC11,0062,084–

92Mills River, NCNC7,5042,064–

93Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0491,995–

94Brevard, NCNC8,0981,993–

95Laurinburg, NCNC14,5821,984–

96Aberdeen, NCNC10,0661,969–

97Tarboro, NCNC10,9791,961–

98Fletcher, NCNC8,3731,961–

99Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3861,951–

100Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7311,938–

101Reidsville, NCNC14,6921,922–

102Albemarle, NCNC17,7691,899–

103Hampstead, NCNC9,2921,893–

104Woodfin, NCNC8,2291,846–

105Newton, NCNC13,8221,822–

106Lexington, NCNC20,2381,808–

107Mount Airy, NCNC10,6821,753–

108Gibsonville, NCNC9,8761,748–

109Piney Green, NCNC14,0781,739–

110Spring Lake, NCNC11,2521,730–

111Etowah, NCNC7,9681,698–

112Eden, NCNC15,5001,687–

113Henderson, NCNC15,0131,684–

114Kings Grant, NCNC9,0031,681–

115Archdale, NCNC12,2541,605–

116Westport, NCNC5,9151,541–

117Wendell, NCNC19,6871,525–

118Washington, NCNC9,9101,445–

119Oxford, NCNC8,9851,427–

120Clinton, NCNC8,4661,355–

121Unionville, NCNC7,3221,349–

122Silver Lake, NCNC6,5631,348–

123Havelock, NCNC17,4301,341–

124Dunn, NCNC8,8141,330–

125Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,320–

126Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1171,299–

127St. Stephens, NCNC9,4571,274–

128Cramerton, NCNC5,7131,266–

129King, NCNC7,9771,207–

130Pittsboro, NCNC5,0541,188–

131Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,159–

132Conover, NCNC8,9381,148–

133Butner, NCNC8,1121,141–

134Stokesdale, NCNC6,1331,135–

135Moyock, NCNC5,6841,106–

136Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5051,103–

137Surf City, NCNC5,1421,058–

138Northchase, NCNC5,8961,001–

139Creedmoor, NCNC5,046998–

140Nashville, NCNC5,911971–

141Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540949–

142Midway, NCNC5,104930–

143Angier, NCNC9,410930–

144Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649928–

145Walkertown, NCNC6,120924–

146Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165923–

147Marion, NCNC7,440909–

148Trinity, NCNC7,274909–

149Cherryville, NCNC6,523859–

150Half Moon, NCNC7,378826–

151Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908825–

152Shallotte, NCNC5,335809–

153Zebulon, NCNC11,933776–

154Forest City, NCNC7,410758–

155Midland, NCNC5,151749–

156Roxboro, NCNC8,380747–

157Mocksville, NCNC6,282722–

158Cullowhee, NCNC7,973666–

159Siler City, NCNC8,155659–

160Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287605–

161Locust, NCNC6,120589–

162Ayden, NCNC5,263588–

163Williamston, NCNC5,086582–

164Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875577–

165East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323516–

166Swannanoa, NCNC6,901506–

167Hamlet, NCNC5,870504–

168Selma, NCNC7,406458–

169Dallas, NCNC6,392431–

170Sawmills, NCNC5,105408–

171Lillington, NCNC5,040396–

172Bessemer City, NCNC5,834327–

173Wadesboro, NCNC5,035323–

174Long View, NCNC5,387313–

SHOWING 1–174 OF 174

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS