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. The median across all 175 is 32.9%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Zebulon, NC, up 42 places to #93.

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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%+19.2 pts

03Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56576.6%+2.9 pts

04Davidson, NCNC16,66275.8%+14.1 pts

05Morrisville, NCNC32,46672.7%+17.2 pts

06▲1Cary, NCNC183,58270.5%+9.8 pts

07▼1Carrboro, NCNC20,96269.9%+9.1 pts

08▲3Apex, NCNC80,41969.5%+10.8 pts

09▼1St. James, NCNC7,31868.3%+12.5 pts

10▲2Weddington, NCNC14,51768.0%+21.6 pts

11▲4Holly Springs, NCNC50,28867.3%+16.6 pts

12▲1Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49467.2%+44.3 pts

13▲14Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50567.0%+18.2 pts

14▼4Porters Neck, NCNC7,65466.5%–

15▲8Cornelius, NCNC35,09462.2%+12.8 pts

16▼7Rolesville, NCNC12,83962.1%+41.2 pts

17▲1Hillsborough, NCNC9,77861.4%+36.3 pts

18▼4Pinehurst, NCNC18,67060.9%+11.0 pts

19▲1Wake Forest, NCNC58,14759.5%+16.5 pts

20▼1Summerfield, NCNC11,32759.5%+21.6 pts

21▲3Huntersville, NCNC68,53557.5%+11.1 pts

22▲7Durham, NCNC305,56157.3%+15.5 pts

23▲11Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89657.0%+16.8 pts

24▲13Boone, NCNC19,92956.8%+10.4 pts

25▲5Harrisburg, NCNC20,74256.5%+29.0 pts

26▼9Black Mountain, NCNC8,49156.3%+26.9 pts

27▼2Matthews, NCNC32,76955.2%+12.9 pts

28▼6Waxhaw, NCNC23,14055.0%+25.1 pts

29▼1Raleigh, NCNC506,30654.0%+9.1 pts

30▲10Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53654.0%+26.8 pts

31▲8Stallings, NCNC17,76053.7%+36.2 pts

32Asheville, NCNC93,52353.4%+23.0 pts

33▼12Southern Pines, NCNC17,35752.9%+17.0 pts

34▲4Surf City, NCNC5,14251.6%+22.9 pts

35▼9Elon, NCNC11,36651.5%–

36▲19Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90851.4%+44.3 pts

37▲12Belmont, NCNC16,41551.1%+29.1 pts

38▲9Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87050.5%+26.9 pts

39▼8Ogden, NCNC8,24949.5%+9.8 pts

40▼5Clemmons, NCNC22,80849.4%+7.3 pts

41▲7Knightdale, NCNC23,14448.9%+15.2 pts

42Charlotte, NCNC964,78448.0%+11.5 pts

43▲3Lewisville, NCNC14,42147.8%+7.8 pts

44▲8Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56647.7%+16.9 pts

45Wilmington, NCNC126,80946.8%+15.8 pts

46▼2Garner, NCNC41,56246.5%+18.3 pts

47▼4Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63746.4%+17.0 pts

48▲13Cramerton, NCNC5,71346.2%+20.4 pts

49▲17Woodfin, NCNC8,22945.9%+30.7 pts

50▲22Murraysville, NCNC16,33945.7%+16.7 pts

51Mooresville, NCNC55,84245.5%+22.7 pts

52▼19Westport, NCNC5,91545.4%−2.3 pts

53▼3Pineville, NCNC11,85144.9%+14.2 pts

54▲16Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73144.8%+17.8 pts

55▲2Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90644.0%–

56▲2Mills River, NCNC7,50443.7%–

57▲8Leland, NCNC35,73143.7%+29.8 pts

58▲1Oak Island, NCNC9,33743.6%+24.6 pts

59▲16Brevard, NCNC8,09843.5%+17.2 pts

60▲19Stokesdale, NCNC6,13343.2%+20.0 pts

61▼25Spout Springs, NCNC11,24241.4%–

62▼21Winterville, NCNC10,97341.2%+12.4 pts

63▼3Greensboro, NCNC308,66741.0%+7.0 pts

64▼1Concord, NCNC114,59840.9%+18.1 pts

65▼11Pittsboro, NCNC5,05440.8%+18.3 pts

66▲5Mebane, NCNC21,95240.4%+12.1 pts

67▲18Clayton, NCNC32,63340.4%+17.0 pts

68▼12Mint Hill, NCNC29,47640.3%+12.7 pts

69▼7Indian Trail, NCNC44,30340.2%+18.0 pts

70▲10Fletcher, NCNC8,37339.8%+12.6 pts

71▲5Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27139.5%+9.2 pts

72▼8Greenville, NCNC96,44339.1%+0.7 pts

73▲22Etowah, NCNC7,96839.0%+18.6 pts

74▼21Hampstead, NCNC9,29238.3%–

75▼59Cullowhee, NCNC7,97338.2%−10.4 pts

76▲12Wendell, NCNC19,68738.2%+18.9 pts

77▼9Hendersonville, NCNC15,86738.1%+7.7 pts

78▼11Gibsonville, NCNC9,87637.1%+13.3 pts

79▼5Hickory, NCNC45,97537.1%+9.0 pts

80▲3Kernersville, NCNC29,12837.0%+11.1 pts

81▲23Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64936.9%–

82Mount Holly, NCNC19,03336.7%+21.9 pts

83▼6Morehead City, NCNC10,43435.6%+14.8 pts

84▼6Northchase, NCNC5,89635.2%–

85▲4Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92735.0%–

86▼5High Point, NCNC120,57134.0%+8.5 pts

87▲3Waynesville, NCNC11,00632.9%+15.8 pts

88▼4Midland, NCNC5,15132.9%–

89▼2Silver Lake, NCNC6,56332.2%+8.0 pts

90▲15Angier, NCNC9,41032.0%+17.3 pts

91▼22Aberdeen, NCNC10,06631.9%+10.5 pts

92▼6Moyock, NCNC5,68431.6%–

93▲42Zebulon, NCNC11,93330.9%+15.3 pts

94▲6Walkertown, NCNC6,12030.3%+18.1 pts

95▲19Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16530.1%+9.0 pts

96▲11Salisbury, NCNC36,87929.9%+5.8 pts

97▲13Kannapolis, NCNC61,70829.7%+17.7 pts

98▲4Burlington, NCNC61,49629.6%+7.9 pts

99▼8New Bern, NCNC34,72429.4%+6.4 pts

100▼6Fayetteville, NCNC209,12029.0%+4.8 pts

101▼28Creedmoor, NCNC5,04628.9%+7.6 pts

102▲13Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54027.6%+0.7 pts

103▲53Swannanoa, NCNC6,90127.4%+15.2 pts

104▼5Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62227.2%+9.8 pts

105▲49Half Moon, NCNC7,37827.0%+11.0 pts

106▲28Butner, NCNC8,11227.0%+17.2 pts

107▼11Statesville, NCNC32,18126.9%+7.4 pts

108▲5Smithfield, NCNC13,11426.7%+8.3 pts

109▼11Shelby, NCNC23,30926.6%+8.6 pts

110▼4Gastonia, NCNC87,06726.6%+6.4 pts

111▼2Tarboro, NCNC10,97926.5%+9.5 pts

112▼4Jacksonville, NCNC72,73226.3%+8.4 pts

113▲16Morganton, NCNC17,84926.1%+5.3 pts

114▲34Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28725.9%+13.0 pts

115▼12Unionville, NCNC7,32225.8%+9.4 pts

116▲17St. Stephens, NCNC9,45725.7%+14.1 pts

117▼25Spring Lake, NCNC11,25225.2%+16.7 pts

118▼25Kings Grant, NCNC9,00325.2%+2.4 pts

119▲8Cherryville, NCNC6,52324.8%+12.2 pts

120▲8Graham, NCNC20,13124.7%+8.0 pts

121▲15Mocksville, NCNC6,28224.7%+6.3 pts

122▼4Wilson, NCNC49,57224.5%+5.3 pts

123▼1Piney Green, NCNC14,07824.2%+6.0 pts

124▲21Monroe, NCNC42,64424.1%+8.5 pts

125▲24Lincolnton, NCNC12,46524.0%+6.5 pts

126▼3Washington, NCNC9,91024.0%+3.1 pts

127▲3Conover, NCNC8,93823.8%+5.4 pts

128▼9Clinton, NCNC8,46623.8%+5.3 pts

129▲39Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87523.6%+8.5 pts

130▼9Hope Mills, NCNC18,32423.4%+8.4 pts

131▼20Shallotte, NCNC5,33523.1%−1.1 pts

132▼15Mount Airy, NCNC10,68223.1%+2.9 pts

133▲20Ayden, NCNC5,26323.0%+9.5 pts

134▼8Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12022.9%+2.8 pts

135▲6Archdale, NCNC12,25422.9%+9.4 pts

136▼24King, NCNC7,97722.8%+4.7 pts

137▼36Midway, NCNC5,10422.5%–

138▼22Locust, NCNC6,12022.5%+12.1 pts

139Barbecue, NCNC5,91022.1%–

140▼8Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38622.0%+7.0 pts

141▲2Reidsville, NCNC14,69221.8%+6.2 pts

142▼17Sanford, NCNC34,13821.6%+3.0 pts

143▲23Dallas, NCNC6,39221.2%+12.2 pts

144▲2Lenoir, NCNC18,37221.2%+7.9 pts

145▼14Goldsboro, NCNC35,01221.0%+3.8 pts

146▼9Newton, NCNC13,82221.0%+5.8 pts

147▼8Dunn, NCNC8,81420.9%+4.1 pts

148▲2Albemarle, NCNC17,76920.4%+3.1 pts

149▼11Laurinburg, NCNC14,58220.1%−1.7 pts

150▼10Trinity, NCNC7,27420.1%+7.6 pts

151▼9Rockingham, NCNC8,81519.7%+4.4 pts

152▲9Lillington, NCNC5,04019.3%+6.0 pts

153▼33Oxford, NCNC8,98519.2%+0.4 pts

154▼30Lumberton, NCNC18,95519.2%−1.2 pts

155▼11Asheboro, NCNC27,99019.1%+2.2 pts

156▲4Havelock, NCNC17,43018.7%+3.4 pts

157▼6Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11717.8%+5.9 pts

158▲5East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32317.3%+10.5 pts

159▲13Wadesboro, NCNC5,03516.9%+1.3 pts

160▲7Siler City, NCNC8,15516.8%+8.5 pts

161▼6Kinston, NCNC19,70516.4%−0.2 pts

162▼65Nashville, NCNC5,91116.3%+1.1 pts

163▲10Bessemer City, NCNC5,83416.1%+8.4 pts

164▼7Marion, NCNC7,44015.6%+0.4 pts

165▲4Hamlet, NCNC5,87015.5%+4.1 pts

166▼19Henderson, NCNC15,01315.5%+0.8 pts

167▼3Thomasville, NCNC27,73315.3%+5.7 pts

168▼16Forest City, NCNC7,41014.7%+5.1 pts

169▼11Williamston, NCNC5,08614.3%+1.0 pts

170▼5Roxboro, NCNC8,38014.1%+6.3 pts

171▼1Selma, NCNC7,40613.8%+3.7 pts

172▼10Lexington, NCNC20,23812.9%−1.1 pts

173▼2Sawmills, NCNC5,10512.7%+4.8 pts

174▼15Eden, NCNC15,50011.9%+0.8 pts

175▼1Long View, NCNC5,3877.9%+1.0 pts

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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