RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Most educated, North Carolina cities · 2000

North Carolina cities ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher (2000 ACS). This list covers the 161 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 1990

01Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56573.7%+2.5 pts

02Davidson, NCNC16,66261.6%+9.6 pts

03Carrboro, NCNC20,96260.9%+4.1 pts

04Cary, NCNC183,58260.7%+11.9 pts

05Marvin, NCNC7,04060.7%–

06Apex, NCNC80,41958.8%+23.8 pts

07St. James, NCNC7,31855.8%–

08Morrisville, NCNC32,46655.5%+28.2 pts

09Holly Springs, NCNC50,28850.7%+42.7 pts

10Pinehurst, NCNC18,67049.9%+4.3 pts

11Cornelius, NCNC35,09449.4%+28.7 pts

12Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50548.8%+8.5 pts

13Cullowhee, NCNC7,97348.7%+2.7 pts

14Westport, NCNC5,91547.7%+1.5 pts

15Boone, NCNC19,92946.5%+3.0 pts

16Huntersville, NCNC68,53546.5%+23.1 pts

17Weddington, NCNC14,51746.4%+4.8 pts

18Raleigh, NCNC506,30644.9%+4.3 pts

19Wake Forest, NCNC58,14743.0%+12.2 pts

20Matthews, NCNC32,76942.3%+4.2 pts

21Clemmons, NCNC22,80842.1%+2.8 pts

22Durham, NCNC305,56141.8%+6.4 pts

23Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89640.2%–

24Lewisville, NCNC14,42140.0%+15.1 pts

25Ogden, NCNC8,24939.7%+16.2 pts

26Greenville, NCNC96,44338.4%+4.6 pts

27Summerfield, NCNC11,32737.9%+23.0 pts

28Charlotte, NCNC964,78436.4%+8.1 pts

29Southern Pines, NCNC17,35736.0%+9.8 pts

30Greensboro, NCNC308,66733.9%+4.0 pts

31Knightdale, NCNC23,14433.7%+2.2 pts

32Wilmington, NCNC126,80931.0%+10.2 pts

33Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56630.8%–

34Pineville, NCNC11,85130.7%+14.6 pts

35Hendersonville, NCNC15,86730.5%+9.1 pts

36Asheville, NCNC93,52330.4%+7.4 pts

37Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27130.3%+3.1 pts

38Waxhaw, NCNC23,14029.9%+12.7 pts

39Black Mountain, NCNC8,49129.4%+2.5 pts

40Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63729.3%+10.0 pts

41Murraysville, NCNC16,33929.0%–

42Winterville, NCNC10,97328.8%+16.7 pts

43Surf City, NCNC5,14228.7%+0.9 pts

44Mebane, NCNC21,95228.3%+12.7 pts

45Garner, NCNC41,56228.2%+4.8 pts

46Hickory, NCNC45,97528.0%+4.6 pts

47Mint Hill, NCNC29,47627.6%+7.8 pts

48Harrisburg, NCNC20,74227.4%+12.7 pts

49Fletcher, NCNC8,37327.2%+10.1 pts

50Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53627.1%+12.2 pts

51Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73127.0%+8.7 pts

52Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54026.9%–

53Brevard, NCNC8,09826.3%+5.7 pts

54Kernersville, NCNC29,12825.9%+8.9 pts

55Cramerton, NCNC5,71325.8%+9.2 pts

56High Point, NCNC120,57125.5%+7.4 pts

57Hillsborough, NCNC9,77825.0%+7.2 pts

58Fayetteville, NCNC209,12024.2%+0.4 pts

59Silver Lake, NCNC6,56324.1%+10.8 pts

60Salisbury, NCNC36,87924.1%+3.4 pts

61Shallotte, NCNC5,33524.1%+5.1 pts

62Gibsonville, NCNC9,87623.8%+10.1 pts

63Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87023.6%+4.7 pts

64Clayton, NCNC32,63323.4%+9.1 pts

65Stokesdale, NCNC6,13323.2%+14.3 pts

66New Bern, NCNC34,72423.0%+7.0 pts

67Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49423.0%–

68Concord, NCNC114,59822.8%+8.1 pts

69Mooresville, NCNC55,84222.8%+10.2 pts

70Kings Grant, NCNC9,00322.7%–

71Pittsboro, NCNC5,05422.5%+5.2 pts

72Indian Trail, NCNC44,30322.2%+11.4 pts

73Belmont, NCNC16,41522.0%+10.6 pts

74Laurinburg, NCNC14,58221.8%+6.7 pts

75Burlington, NCNC61,49621.7%+2.5 pts

76Aberdeen, NCNC10,06621.3%+4.2 pts

77Creedmoor, NCNC5,04621.3%+8.9 pts

78Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16521.1%+4.7 pts

79Rolesville, NCNC12,83921.0%+5.1 pts

80Washington, NCNC9,91020.8%+6.5 pts

81Morehead City, NCNC10,43420.8%+7.6 pts

82Morganton, NCNC17,84920.8%+2.0 pts

83Etowah, NCNC7,96820.5%+9.6 pts

84Lumberton, NCNC18,95520.4%+1.9 pts

85Gastonia, NCNC87,06720.2%+4.2 pts

86Mount Airy, NCNC10,68220.2%+7.5 pts

87Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12020.1%+3.4 pts

88Statesville, NCNC32,18119.5%+3.7 pts

89Wendell, NCNC19,68719.3%+2.8 pts

90Wilson, NCNC49,57219.2%+0.8 pts

91Oak Island, NCNC9,33719.0%–

92Oxford, NCNC8,98518.8%+4.4 pts

93Sanford, NCNC34,13818.6%+3.8 pts

94Conover, NCNC8,93818.5%−1.3 pts

95Clinton, NCNC8,46618.4%+3.1 pts

96Mocksville, NCNC6,28218.4%+3.9 pts

97Smithfield, NCNC13,11418.3%−1.6 pts

98Piney Green, NCNC14,07818.1%+9.1 pts

99King, NCNC7,97718.1%+6.8 pts

100Shelby, NCNC23,30918.0%+2.3 pts

101Jacksonville, NCNC72,73217.8%−0.3 pts

102Lincolnton, NCNC12,46517.6%+5.0 pts

103Stallings, NCNC17,76017.5%+10.2 pts

104Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62217.4%+2.6 pts

105Albemarle, NCNC17,76917.3%+4.8 pts

106Waynesville, NCNC11,00617.2%+1.1 pts

107Goldsboro, NCNC35,01217.2%+1.2 pts

108Tarboro, NCNC10,97917.0%+1.2 pts

109Dunn, NCNC8,81416.8%+3.7 pts

110Asheboro, NCNC27,99016.8%+1.5 pts

111Graham, NCNC20,13116.7%+3.7 pts

112Kinston, NCNC19,70516.6%+1.2 pts

113Unionville, NCNC7,32216.4%–

114Half Moon, NCNC7,37815.9%+3.4 pts

115Zebulon, NCNC11,93315.7%+2.8 pts

116Reidsville, NCNC14,69215.6%+0.4 pts

117Monroe, NCNC42,64415.6%+1.0 pts

118Wadesboro, NCNC5,03515.6%−0.1 pts

119Havelock, NCNC17,43015.3%+2.3 pts

120Rockingham, NCNC8,81515.3%−0.0 pts

121Nashville, NCNC5,91115.2%+0.1 pts

122Woodfin, NCNC8,22915.2%+5.5 pts

123Marion, NCNC7,44015.1%+3.5 pts

124Newton, NCNC13,82215.1%+3.0 pts

125Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87515.1%+0.9 pts

126Hope Mills, NCNC18,32415.0%+3.4 pts

127Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38615.0%+3.1 pts

128Mount Holly, NCNC19,03314.8%+5.5 pts

129Angier, NCNC9,41014.7%+4.5 pts

130Henderson, NCNC15,01314.6%+2.7 pts

131Lexington, NCNC20,23814.0%+1.6 pts

132Leland, NCNC35,73114.0%+11.4 pts

133Ayden, NCNC5,26313.5%+3.9 pts

134Archdale, NCNC12,25413.5%+3.3 pts

135Lenoir, NCNC18,37213.3%+1.6 pts

136Williamston, NCNC5,08613.3%+0.4 pts

137Lillington, NCNC5,04013.2%−2.8 pts

138Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28713.0%+2.5 pts

139Cherryville, NCNC6,52312.6%+2.4 pts

140Trinity, NCNC7,27412.5%+4.8 pts

141Swannanoa, NCNC6,90112.2%+5.9 pts

142Walkertown, NCNC6,12012.2%+2.4 pts

143Kannapolis, NCNC61,70812.0%+4.2 pts

144Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11711.8%+2.3 pts

145St. Stephens, NCNC9,45711.7%+2.4 pts

146Hamlet, NCNC5,87011.4%+3.9 pts

147Eden, NCNC15,50011.1%+2.2 pts

148Locust, NCNC6,12010.4%+4.8 pts

149Selma, NCNC7,40610.1%−0.5 pts

150Butner, NCNC8,1129.7%+4.1 pts

151Thomasville, NCNC27,7339.6%−0.2 pts

152Forest City, NCNC7,4109.6%+0.1 pts

153Dallas, NCNC6,3929.0%+0.1 pts

154Spring Lake, NCNC11,2528.5%−0.7 pts

155Siler City, NCNC8,1558.3%−0.5 pts

156Sawmills, NCNC5,1057.9%+4.1 pts

157Roxboro, NCNC8,3807.8%−0.0 pts

158Bessemer City, NCNC5,8347.7%+2.8 pts

159Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9087.1%+4.2 pts

160Long View, NCNC5,3876.8%+0.1 pts

161East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3236.8%+0.9 pts

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

Download CSV (full list, 161 rows)

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS