RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most educated, North Carolina counties · 2000

North Carolina counties ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher (2023 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, NCNC152,49851.5%+0%

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,23543.9%+0%

03Durham County, NCNC347,24040.1%+0%

04Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38337.1%+0%

05Watauga County, NCNC54,78633.2%+0%

06New Hanover County, NCNC245,95931.0%+0%

07Guilford County, NCNC562,23430.3%+0%

08Forsyth County, NCNC401,71828.7%+0%

09Dare County, NCNC38,24527.7%+0%

10Chatham County, NCNC85,11127.6%+0%

11Moore County, NCNC110,61926.8%+0%

12Pitt County, NCNC182,93626.4%+0%

13Polk County, NCNC20,53325.7%+0%

14Jackson County, NCNC45,03925.5%+0%

15Buncombe County, NCNC277,41725.3%+0%

16Henderson County, NCNC122,37524.1%+0%

17Transylvania County, NCNC34,21123.7%+0%

18Union County, NCNC267,67421.3%+0%

19Carteret County, NCNC70,46919.8%+0%

20Craven County, NCNC105,02519.3%+0%

21Alamance County, NCNC186,17719.2%+0%

22Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72519.1%+0%

23Cumberland County, NCNC338,47319.1%+0%

24Davie County, NCNC45,85517.6%+0%

25Iredell County, NCNC211,79817.4%+0%

26Nash County, NCNC99,36517.2%+0%

27Lee County, NCNC70,25817.2%+0%

28Catawba County, NCNC170,17217.0%+0%

29Chowan County, NCNC14,08216.4%+0%

30Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20116.4%+0%

31Camden County, NCNC11,31516.2%+0%

32Macon County, NCNC39,23216.2%+0%

33Madison County, NCNC22,55316.1%+0%

34Brunswick County, NCNC174,70216.1%+0%

35Beaufort County, NCNC44,67016.0%+0%

36Haywood County, NCNC63,36916.0%+0%

37Scotland County, NCNC33,32215.9%+0%

38Johnston County, NCNC256,44815.9%+0%

39Clay County, NCNC12,23915.4%+0%

40Wilson County, NCNC81,15015.1%+0%

41Wayne County, NCNC122,27815.0%+0%

42Onslow County, NCNC217,17514.8%+0%

43Pamlico County, NCNC12,75814.7%+0%

44Avery County, NCNC18,11014.5%+0%

45Rowan County, NCNC155,09614.2%+0%

46Gaston County, NCNC246,55814.2%+0%

47Swain County, NCNC14,02413.9%+0%

48Pender County, NCNC72,11113.6%+0%

49Lenoir County, NCNC55,83713.3%+0%

50Currituck County, NCNC33,15813.3%+0%

51Cleveland County, NCNC103,32513.3%+0%

52Franklin County, NCNC82,03713.2%+0%

53Yancey County, NCNC19,08413.1%+0%

54Granville County, NCNC61,42113.0%+0%

55Lincoln County, NCNC98,65413.0%+0%

56Harnett County, NCNC150,13712.8%+0%

57Burke County, NCNC88,65512.8%+0%

58Davidson County, NCNC180,18212.8%+0%

59Stanly County, NCNC68,83012.7%+0%

60Rutherford County, NCNC65,74512.5%+0%

61Perquimans County, NCNC13,49012.3%+0%

62Mitchell County, NCNC15,06212.2%+0%

63Ashe County, NCNC27,51412.1%+0%

64Surry County, NCNC72,28712.0%+0%

65Alleghany County, NCNC11,47911.7%+0%

66Martin County, NCNC21,60111.6%+0%

67Washington County, NCNC10,63811.6%+0%

68Warren County, NCNC18,89811.6%+0%

69Robeson County, NCNC119,94111.4%+0%

70Wilkes County, NCNC66,23311.3%+0%

71Bladen County, NCNC30,00711.3%+0%

72Graham County, NCNC8,19011.2%+0%

73Hertford County, NCNC19,01511.1%+0%

74Halifax County, NCNC46,53411.1%+0%

75Randolph County, NCNC149,51611.1%+0%

76Sampson County, NCNC61,50411.1%+0%

77Cherokee County, NCNC30,83011.0%+0%

78Hoke County, NCNC56,93910.9%+0%

79Northampton County, NCNC16,49110.8%+0%

80Rockingham County, NCNC94,19510.8%+0%

81Vance County, NCNC42,63810.7%+0%

82Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53710.6%+0%

83Hyde County, NCNC4,55410.6%+0%

84Gates County, NCNC10,23410.5%+0%

85Duplin County, NCNC51,57110.5%+0%

86Caldwell County, NCNC81,10510.4%+0%

87Person County, NCNC40,63610.3%+0%

88Yadkin County, NCNC38,32510.3%+0%

89Richmond County, NCNC42,04110.1%+0%

90Columbus County, NCNC50,48710.1%+0%

91Montgomery County, NCNC26,40310.0%+0%

92Jones County, NCNC9,5759.5%+0%

93Stokes County, NCNC46,1269.3%+0%

94Alexander County, NCNC36,9589.3%+0%

95Anson County, NCNC21,7589.2%+0%

96McDowell County, NCNC45,1989.0%+0%

97Bertie County, NCNC17,0868.8%+0%

98Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1218.5%+0%

99Caswell County, NCNC22,5638.3%+0%

100Greene County, NCNC20,7008.2%+0%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES