RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most educated, North Carolina counties · 2010

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, NCNC152,49854.4%+6%

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,23547.4%+8%

03Durham County, NCNC347,24044.1%+10%

04Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38340.0%+8%

05Watauga County, NCNC54,78637.1%+12%

06New Hanover County, NCNC245,95936.1%+17%

07Chatham County, NCNC85,11135.1%+27%

08Guilford County, NCNC562,23432.4%+7%

09Dare County, NCNC38,24532.1%+16%

10Forsyth County, NCNC401,71831.2%+9%

11Buncombe County, NCNC277,41731.2%+24%

12Moore County, NCNC110,61929.8%+11%

13Union County, NCNC267,67429.1%+36%

14Pitt County, NCNC182,93628.2%+7%

15Henderson County, NCNC122,37527.3%+13%

16Polk County, NCNC20,53327.2%+6%

17Jackson County, NCNC45,03927.0%+6%

18Transylvania County, NCNC34,21127.0%+14%

19Carteret County, NCNC70,46923.8%+20%

20Davie County, NCNC45,85523.6%+34%

21Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72523.5%+23%

22Brunswick County, NCNC174,70223.4%+46%

23Cumberland County, NCNC338,47321.8%+14%

24Iredell County, NCNC211,79821.6%+24%

25Alamance County, NCNC186,17721.4%+12%

26Craven County, NCNC105,02521.3%+10%

27Haywood County, NCNC63,36920.6%+29%

28Avery County, NCNC18,11020.3%+40%

29Macon County, NCNC39,23219.5%+20%

30Catawba County, NCNC170,17219.4%+14%

31Johnston County, NCNC256,44819.3%+21%

32Madison County, NCNC22,55319.2%+19%

33Nash County, NCNC99,36519.1%+11%

34Camden County, NCNC11,31519.0%+17%

35Beaufort County, NCNC44,67019.0%+18%

36Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20118.7%+14%

37Clay County, NCNC12,23918.6%+21%

38Swain County, NCNC14,02418.6%+34%

39Perquimans County, NCNC13,49018.1%+46%

40Gaston County, NCNC246,55818.1%+28%

41Lee County, NCNC70,25818.0%+4%

42Pender County, NCNC72,11117.8%+31%

43Lincoln County, NCNC98,65417.8%+37%

44Onslow County, NCNC217,17517.7%+20%

45Pamlico County, NCNC12,75817.5%+20%

46Wilson County, NCNC81,15017.5%+16%

47Currituck County, NCNC33,15817.2%+30%

48Ashe County, NCNC27,51417.2%+42%

49Rowan County, NCNC155,09617.0%+20%

50Davidson County, NCNC180,18216.3%+28%

51Wayne County, NCNC122,27816.2%+8%

52Alleghany County, NCNC11,47916.1%+38%

53Harnett County, NCNC150,13716.0%+25%

54Cherokee County, NCNC30,83015.9%+44%

55Hertford County, NCNC19,01515.7%+42%

56Chowan County, NCNC14,08215.7%−5%

57Cleveland County, NCNC103,32515.7%+18%

58Stanly County, NCNC68,83015.3%+20%

59Franklin County, NCNC82,03715.2%+15%

60Yancey County, NCNC19,08415.2%+15%

61Burke County, NCNC88,65515.1%+18%

62Hoke County, NCNC56,93915.1%+38%

63Surry County, NCNC72,28714.9%+24%

64Montgomery County, NCNC26,40314.8%+47%

65Rutherford County, NCNC65,74514.6%+17%

66Lenoir County, NCNC55,83714.5%+9%

67Mitchell County, NCNC15,06214.4%+18%

68McDowell County, NCNC45,19814.0%+56%

69Scotland County, NCNC33,32214.0%−12%

70Warren County, NCNC18,89813.9%+20%

71Person County, NCNC40,63613.8%+34%

72Granville County, NCNC61,42113.8%+6%

73Graham County, NCNC8,19013.0%+16%

74Randolph County, NCNC149,51613.0%+17%

75Rockingham County, NCNC94,19512.5%+16%

76Sampson County, NCNC61,50412.4%+12%

77Caldwell County, NCNC81,10512.3%+19%

78Wilkes County, NCNC66,23312.3%+9%

79Martin County, NCNC21,60112.2%+5%

80Robeson County, NCNC119,94112.1%+6%

81Columbus County, NCNC50,48712.0%+19%

82Northampton County, NCNC16,49112.0%+11%

83Washington County, NCNC10,63811.8%+2%

84Alexander County, NCNC36,95811.8%+26%

85Hyde County, NCNC4,55411.7%+10%

86Halifax County, NCNC46,53411.4%+2%

87Yadkin County, NCNC38,32511.2%+9%

88Caswell County, NCNC22,56311.1%+34%

89Stokes County, NCNC46,12610.9%+17%

90Vance County, NCNC42,63810.7%+0%

91Jones County, NCNC9,57510.7%+13%

92Gates County, NCNC10,23410.5%+0%

93Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12110.1%+19%

94Bertie County, NCNC17,08610.1%+15%

95Duplin County, NCNC51,57110.1%−3%

96Richmond County, NCNC42,04110.0%−1%

97Bladen County, NCNC30,0079.8%−13%

98Greene County, NCNC20,7009.2%+13%

99Anson County, NCNC21,7588.4%−9%

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5378.4%−21%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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