RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Most educated, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher (2024 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Least educated, US cities →

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPBACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHERVS 2000

01Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04981.6%–

02Marvin, NCNC7,04079.9%+32%

03Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56576.6%+4%

04Davidson, NCNC16,66275.8%+23%

05Morrisville, NCNC32,46672.7%+31%

06Cary, NCNC183,58270.5%+16%

07Carrboro, NCNC20,96269.9%+15%

08Apex, NCNC80,41969.5%+18%

09St. James, NCNC7,31868.3%+22%

10Weddington, NCNC14,51768.0%+47%

11Holly Springs, NCNC50,28867.3%+33%

12Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49467.2%+193%

13Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50567.0%+37%

14Porters Neck, NCNC7,65466.5%–

15Cornelius, NCNC35,09462.2%+26%

16Rolesville, NCNC12,83962.1%+196%

17Hillsborough, NCNC9,77861.4%+145%

18Pinehurst, NCNC18,67060.9%+22%

19Wake Forest, NCNC58,14759.5%+38%

20Summerfield, NCNC11,32759.5%+57%

21Huntersville, NCNC68,53557.5%+24%

22Durham, NCNC305,56157.3%+37%

23Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89657.0%+42%

24Boone, NCNC19,92956.8%+22%

25Harrisburg, NCNC20,74256.5%+106%

26Black Mountain, NCNC8,49156.3%+92%

27Matthews, NCNC32,76955.2%+31%

28Waxhaw, NCNC23,14055.0%+84%

29Raleigh, NCNC506,30654.0%+20%

30Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53654.0%+99%

31Stallings, NCNC17,76053.7%+207%

32Asheville, NCNC93,52353.4%+76%

33Southern Pines, NCNC17,35752.9%+47%

34Surf City, NCNC5,14251.6%+80%

35Elon, NCNC11,36651.5%–

36Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90851.4%+622%

37Belmont, NCNC16,41551.1%+132%

38Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87050.5%+114%

39Ogden, NCNC8,24949.5%+25%

40Clemmons, NCNC22,80849.4%+17%

41Knightdale, NCNC23,14448.9%+45%

42Charlotte, NCNC964,78448.0%+32%

43Lewisville, NCNC14,42147.8%+20%

44Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56647.7%+55%

45Wilmington, NCNC126,80946.8%+51%

46Garner, NCNC41,56246.5%+65%

47Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63746.4%+58%

48Cramerton, NCNC5,71346.2%+79%

49Woodfin, NCNC8,22945.9%+202%

50Murraysville, NCNC16,33945.7%+57%

51Mooresville, NCNC55,84245.5%+99%

52Westport, NCNC5,91545.4%−5%

53Pineville, NCNC11,85144.9%+46%

54Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73144.8%+66%

55Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90644.0%–

56Mills River, NCNC7,50443.7%–

57Leland, NCNC35,73143.7%+213%

58Oak Island, NCNC9,33743.6%+129%

59Brevard, NCNC8,09843.5%+65%

60Stokesdale, NCNC6,13343.2%+86%

61Spout Springs, NCNC11,24241.4%–

62Winterville, NCNC10,97341.2%+43%

63Greensboro, NCNC308,66741.0%+21%

64Concord, NCNC114,59840.9%+79%

65Pittsboro, NCNC5,05440.8%+81%

66Mebane, NCNC21,95240.4%+43%

67Clayton, NCNC32,63340.4%+73%

68Mint Hill, NCNC29,47640.3%+46%

69Indian Trail, NCNC44,30340.2%+81%

70Fletcher, NCNC8,37339.8%+46%

71Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27139.5%+30%

72Greenville, NCNC96,44339.1%+2%

73Etowah, NCNC7,96839.0%+91%

74Hampstead, NCNC9,29238.3%–

75Cullowhee, NCNC7,97338.2%−21%

76Wendell, NCNC19,68738.2%+98%

77Hendersonville, NCNC15,86738.1%+25%

78Gibsonville, NCNC9,87637.1%+56%

79Hickory, NCNC45,97537.1%+32%

80Kernersville, NCNC29,12837.0%+43%

81Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64936.9%–

82Mount Holly, NCNC19,03336.7%+148%

83Morehead City, NCNC10,43435.6%+71%

84Northchase, NCNC5,89635.2%–

85Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92735.0%–

86High Point, NCNC120,57134.0%+33%

87Waynesville, NCNC11,00632.9%+92%

88Midland, NCNC5,15132.9%–

89Silver Lake, NCNC6,56332.2%+33%

90Angier, NCNC9,41032.0%+117%

91Aberdeen, NCNC10,06631.9%+49%

92Moyock, NCNC5,68431.6%–

93Zebulon, NCNC11,93330.9%+97%

94Walkertown, NCNC6,12030.3%+148%

95Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16530.1%+42%

96Salisbury, NCNC36,87929.9%+24%

97Kannapolis, NCNC61,70829.7%+148%

98Burlington, NCNC61,49629.6%+36%

99New Bern, NCNC34,72429.4%+28%

100Fayetteville, NCNC209,12029.0%+20%

101Creedmoor, NCNC5,04628.9%+36%

102Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54027.6%+2%

103Swannanoa, NCNC6,90127.4%+124%

104Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62227.2%+56%

105Half Moon, NCNC7,37827.0%+69%

106Butner, NCNC8,11227.0%+178%

107Statesville, NCNC32,18126.9%+38%

108Smithfield, NCNC13,11426.7%+45%

109Shelby, NCNC23,30926.6%+48%

110Gastonia, NCNC87,06726.6%+31%

111Tarboro, NCNC10,97926.5%+56%

112Jacksonville, NCNC72,73226.3%+47%

113Morganton, NCNC17,84926.1%+25%

114Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28725.9%+100%

115Unionville, NCNC7,32225.8%+57%

116St. Stephens, NCNC9,45725.7%+121%

117Spring Lake, NCNC11,25225.2%+195%

118Kings Grant, NCNC9,00325.2%+11%

119Cherryville, NCNC6,52324.8%+96%

120Graham, NCNC20,13124.7%+48%

121Mocksville, NCNC6,28224.7%+34%

122Wilson, NCNC49,57224.5%+28%

123Piney Green, NCNC14,07824.2%+33%

124Monroe, NCNC42,64424.1%+54%

125Lincolnton, NCNC12,46524.0%+37%

126Washington, NCNC9,91024.0%+15%

127Conover, NCNC8,93823.8%+29%

128Clinton, NCNC8,46623.8%+29%

129Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87523.6%+56%

130Hope Mills, NCNC18,32423.4%+56%

131Shallotte, NCNC5,33523.1%−4%

132Mount Airy, NCNC10,68223.1%+14%

133Ayden, NCNC5,26323.0%+70%

134Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12022.9%+14%

135Archdale, NCNC12,25422.9%+70%

136King, NCNC7,97722.8%+26%

137Midway, NCNC5,10422.5%–

138Locust, NCNC6,12022.5%+117%

139Barbecue, NCNC5,91022.1%–

140Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38622.0%+47%

141Reidsville, NCNC14,69221.8%+40%

142Sanford, NCNC34,13821.6%+16%

143Dallas, NCNC6,39221.2%+135%

144Lenoir, NCNC18,37221.2%+59%

145Goldsboro, NCNC35,01221.0%+22%

146Newton, NCNC13,82221.0%+39%

147Dunn, NCNC8,81420.9%+24%

148Albemarle, NCNC17,76920.4%+18%

149Laurinburg, NCNC14,58220.1%−8%

150Trinity, NCNC7,27420.1%+61%

151Rockingham, NCNC8,81519.7%+29%

152Lillington, NCNC5,04019.3%+45%

153Oxford, NCNC8,98519.2%+2%

154Lumberton, NCNC18,95519.2%−6%

155Asheboro, NCNC27,99019.1%+13%

156Havelock, NCNC17,43018.7%+23%

157Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11717.8%+50%

158East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32317.3%+154%

159Wadesboro, NCNC5,03516.9%+8%

160Siler City, NCNC8,15516.8%+102%

161Kinston, NCNC19,70516.4%−1%

162Nashville, NCNC5,91116.3%+7%

163Bessemer City, NCNC5,83416.1%+109%

164Marion, NCNC7,44015.6%+3%

165Hamlet, NCNC5,87015.5%+36%

166Henderson, NCNC15,01315.5%+6%

167Thomasville, NCNC27,73315.3%+59%

168Forest City, NCNC7,41014.7%+53%

169Williamston, NCNC5,08614.3%+7%

170Roxboro, NCNC8,38014.1%+82%

171Selma, NCNC7,40613.8%+37%

172Lexington, NCNC20,23812.9%−8%

173Sawmills, NCNC5,10512.7%+61%

174Eden, NCNC15,50011.9%+7%

175Long View, NCNC5,3877.9%+15%

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

Download CSV (full list, 175 rows)

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