RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most educated, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher (2024 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPBACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHERVS 2000

01Orange County, NCNC152,49861.8%+20%

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,23557.2%+30%

03Durham County, NCNC347,24055.2%+38%

04Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38349.2%+33%

05Chatham County, NCNC85,11148.9%+77%

06Watauga County, NCNC54,78648.1%+45%

07Buncombe County, NCNC277,41745.9%+82%

08New Hanover County, NCNC245,95945.4%+47%

09Dare County, NCNC38,24543.2%+56%

10Moore County, NCNC110,61941.0%+53%

11Union County, NCNC267,67440.5%+90%

12Transylvania County, NCNC34,21140.0%+68%

13Guilford County, NCNC562,23439.0%+29%

14Forsyth County, NCNC401,71838.5%+34%

15Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72537.9%+98%

16Henderson County, NCNC122,37536.5%+51%

17Polk County, NCNC20,53336.2%+41%

18Brunswick County, NCNC174,70234.7%+116%

19Carteret County, NCNC70,46934.5%+74%

20Iredell County, NCNC211,79834.1%+96%

21Pitt County, NCNC182,93633.8%+28%

22Madison County, NCNC22,55332.2%+100%

23Clay County, NCNC12,23931.8%+106%

24Jackson County, NCNC45,03931.1%+22%

25Currituck County, NCNC33,15830.9%+133%

26Pender County, NCNC72,11130.6%+126%

27Haywood County, NCNC63,36929.5%+85%

28Johnston County, NCNC256,44828.9%+82%

29Alamance County, NCNC186,17728.7%+50%

30Camden County, NCNC11,31528.6%+76%

31Lincoln County, NCNC98,65428.3%+118%

32Macon County, NCNC39,23227.9%+73%

33Cumberland County, NCNC338,47327.8%+46%

34Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20127.6%+68%

35Craven County, NCNC105,02527.5%+43%

36Davie County, NCNC45,85527.3%+55%

37Franklin County, NCNC82,03727.0%+104%

38Gaston County, NCNC246,55826.5%+87%

39Catawba County, NCNC170,17226.1%+54%

40Onslow County, NCNC217,17526.0%+76%

41Ashe County, NCNC27,51425.9%+115%

42Pamlico County, NCNC12,75825.4%+73%

43Granville County, NCNC61,42125.2%+94%

44Yancey County, NCNC19,08425.1%+91%

45Avery County, NCNC18,11025.0%+73%

46Chowan County, NCNC14,08225.0%+52%

47Harnett County, NCNC150,13724.5%+92%

48Mitchell County, NCNC15,06224.2%+98%

49Cherokee County, NCNC30,83024.2%+120%

50Alleghany County, NCNC11,47923.6%+102%

51Hoke County, NCNC56,93923.5%+115%

52Rowan County, NCNC155,09623.3%+64%

53Nash County, NCNC99,36522.1%+28%

54Cleveland County, NCNC103,32522.0%+66%

55Wayne County, NCNC122,27821.7%+45%

56Wilson County, NCNC81,15021.7%+44%

57Davidson County, NCNC180,18221.7%+70%

58Perquimans County, NCNC13,49021.7%+76%

59Rutherford County, NCNC65,74521.5%+72%

60Swain County, NCNC14,02421.4%+54%

61Lee County, NCNC70,25821.3%+24%

62Beaufort County, NCNC44,67021.2%+33%

63Burke County, NCNC88,65521.0%+65%

64Surry County, NCNC72,28720.4%+69%

65Stanly County, NCNC68,83019.9%+56%

66Jones County, NCNC9,57519.8%+108%

67Bladen County, NCNC30,00719.5%+73%

68Person County, NCNC40,63619.3%+87%

69Montgomery County, NCNC26,40319.2%+91%

70Bertie County, NCNC17,08619.0%+115%

71Warren County, NCNC18,89818.9%+63%

72Caldwell County, NCNC81,10518.8%+81%

73Stokes County, NCNC46,12618.2%+96%

74McDowell County, NCNC45,19818.1%+102%

75Caswell County, NCNC22,56317.9%+116%

76Randolph County, NCNC149,51617.9%+62%

77Northampton County, NCNC16,49117.9%+65%

78Duplin County, NCNC51,57117.6%+68%

79Graham County, NCNC8,19017.6%+57%

80Yadkin County, NCNC38,32517.5%+70%

81Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12117.5%+106%

82Vance County, NCNC42,63817.2%+60%

83Rockingham County, NCNC94,19517.0%+57%

84Wilkes County, NCNC66,23316.9%+50%

85Martin County, NCNC21,60116.7%+44%

86Alexander County, NCNC36,95816.7%+79%

87Scotland County, NCNC33,32216.6%+4%

88Hertford County, NCNC19,01516.6%+49%

89Lenoir County, NCNC55,83716.3%+23%

90Sampson County, NCNC61,50416.2%+47%

91Halifax County, NCNC46,53416.1%+45%

92Richmond County, NCNC42,04116.0%+58%

93Washington County, NCNC10,63814.8%+28%

94Hyde County, NCNC4,55414.7%+39%

95Robeson County, NCNC119,94114.7%+28%

96Columbus County, NCNC50,48714.6%+45%

97Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53713.0%+23%

98Greene County, NCNC20,70012.2%+50%

99Gates County, NCNC10,23410.9%+4%

100Anson County, NCNC21,7589.9%+8%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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