RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most educated, North Carolina counties · 2020

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, NCNC152,49860.8%+18%

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,23554.0%+23%

03Durham County, NCNC347,24049.5%+23%

04Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38345.8%+23%

05Chatham County, NCNC85,11143.7%+58%

06Watauga County, NCNC54,78642.7%+29%

07New Hanover County, NCNC245,95942.2%+36%

08Buncombe County, NCNC277,41741.4%+64%

09Moore County, NCNC110,61938.7%+44%

10Dare County, NCNC38,24538.3%+39%

11Guilford County, NCNC562,23436.6%+21%

12Union County, NCNC267,67436.0%+69%

13Forsyth County, NCNC401,71833.9%+18%

14Transylvania County, NCNC34,21133.8%+43%

15Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72533.5%+75%

16Polk County, NCNC20,53332.7%+27%

17Pitt County, NCNC182,93632.1%+22%

18Henderson County, NCNC122,37531.5%+31%

19Madison County, NCNC22,55330.1%+87%

20Iredell County, NCNC211,79829.7%+70%

21Brunswick County, NCNC174,70229.5%+83%

22Pender County, NCNC72,11129.0%+114%

23Carteret County, NCNC70,46928.5%+44%

24Jackson County, NCNC45,03928.4%+11%

25Haywood County, NCNC63,36927.8%+74%

26Clay County, NCNC12,23927.0%+76%

27Cumberland County, NCNC338,47325.6%+34%

28Alamance County, NCNC186,17725.3%+32%

29Currituck County, NCNC33,15825.2%+90%

30Craven County, NCNC105,02525.0%+30%

31Davie County, NCNC45,85524.3%+38%

32Johnston County, NCNC256,44824.0%+51%

33Macon County, NCNC39,23223.9%+48%

34Granville County, NCNC61,42123.8%+83%

35Avery County, NCNC18,11023.7%+63%

36Onslow County, NCNC217,17523.6%+60%

37Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20123.3%+42%

38Catawba County, NCNC170,17223.1%+35%

39Lincoln County, NCNC98,65423.1%+78%

40Mitchell County, NCNC15,06222.1%+81%

41Harnett County, NCNC150,13722.1%+73%

42Gaston County, NCNC246,55822.1%+56%

43Cherokee County, NCNC30,83021.9%+99%

44Chowan County, NCNC14,08221.7%+32%

45Pamlico County, NCNC12,75821.5%+47%

46Nash County, NCNC99,36521.2%+23%

47Franklin County, NCNC82,03721.2%+60%

48Alleghany County, NCNC11,47920.8%+78%

49Beaufort County, NCNC44,67020.7%+29%

50Swain County, NCNC14,02420.6%+49%

51Lee County, NCNC70,25820.5%+19%

52Yancey County, NCNC19,08420.3%+55%

53Ashe County, NCNC27,51420.0%+66%

54Wilson County, NCNC81,15020.0%+33%

55Camden County, NCNC11,31519.9%+23%

56Rowan County, NCNC155,09619.8%+40%

57Wayne County, NCNC122,27819.8%+32%

58Perquimans County, NCNC13,49019.6%+59%

59Cleveland County, NCNC103,32519.5%+47%

60Rutherford County, NCNC65,74519.2%+54%

61Davidson County, NCNC180,18218.9%+48%

62McDowell County, NCNC45,19818.4%+105%

63Hoke County, NCNC56,93918.4%+68%

64Bladen County, NCNC30,00718.2%+61%

65Surry County, NCNC72,28717.9%+48%

66Richmond County, NCNC42,04117.8%+76%

67Stanly County, NCNC68,83017.6%+38%

68Vance County, NCNC42,63817.5%+63%

69Burke County, NCNC88,65516.7%+31%

70Montgomery County, NCNC26,40316.3%+63%

71Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12116.2%+91%

72Randolph County, NCNC149,51616.1%+46%

73Wilkes County, NCNC66,23316.0%+42%

74Hertford County, NCNC19,01516.0%+44%

75Caldwell County, NCNC81,10515.8%+52%

76Caswell County, NCNC22,56315.8%+91%

77Person County, NCNC40,63615.7%+52%

78Lenoir County, NCNC55,83715.5%+17%

79Scotland County, NCNC33,32215.5%−3%

80Warren County, NCNC18,89815.3%+32%

81Rockingham County, NCNC94,19515.2%+41%

82Martin County, NCNC21,60115.1%+30%

83Northampton County, NCNC16,49115.1%+40%

84Halifax County, NCNC46,53414.7%+32%

85Duplin County, NCNC51,57114.6%+39%

86Bertie County, NCNC17,08614.5%+64%

87Sampson County, NCNC61,50414.4%+30%

88Alexander County, NCNC36,95814.2%+53%

89Jones County, NCNC9,57514.2%+49%

90Robeson County, NCNC119,94114.0%+23%

91Stokes County, NCNC46,12613.4%+44%

92Graham County, NCNC8,19013.3%+18%

93Yadkin County, NCNC38,32512.9%+26%

94Columbus County, NCNC50,48712.9%+28%

95Washington County, NCNC10,63812.8%+11%

96Gates County, NCNC10,23412.5%+19%

97Anson County, NCNC21,75811.1%+20%

98Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53710.6%−0%

99Hyde County, NCNC4,55410.5%−1%

100Greene County, NCNC20,70010.4%+27%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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