RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Most graduate degrees, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2024 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56545.2%+4.7 pts

02Marvin, NCNC7,04044.8%+20.7 pts

03Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04943.6%–

04Carrboro, NCNC20,96243.5%+12.9 pts

05Davidson, NCNC16,66239.0%+13.5 pts

06Morrisville, NCNC32,46634.6%+15.2 pts

07Cary, NCNC183,58233.7%+10.8 pts

08Hillsborough, NCNC9,77831.2%+19.3 pts

09St. James, NCNC7,31830.9%+8.7 pts

10Apex, NCNC80,41930.5%+13.5 pts

11Boone, NCNC19,92930.3%+7.0 pts

12Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50529.8%+12.5 pts

13Porters Neck, NCNC7,65429.1%–

14Elon, NCNC11,36628.0%–

15Pinehurst, NCNC18,67028.0%+10.6 pts

16Durham, NCNC305,56127.1%+8.8 pts

17Rolesville, NCNC12,83926.9%+22.0 pts

18Holly Springs, NCNC50,28826.9%+14.7 pts

19Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89625.3%+12.5 pts

20Weddington, NCNC14,51725.2%+13.1 pts

21Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49424.6%+18.9 pts

22Summerfield, NCNC11,32724.3%+11.7 pts

23Ogden, NCNC8,24923.9%+12.2 pts

24Wake Forest, NCNC58,14723.7%+13.0 pts

25Southern Pines, NCNC17,35723.5%+11.2 pts

26Asheville, NCNC93,52322.7%+11.9 pts

27Cornelius, NCNC35,09422.1%+8.3 pts

28Black Mountain, NCNC8,49121.8%+11.4 pts

29Huntersville, NCNC68,53521.1%+9.0 pts

30Raleigh, NCNC506,30621.1%+6.7 pts

31Harrisburg, NCNC20,74221.0%+15.8 pts

32Knightdale, NCNC23,14420.6%+12.6 pts

33Surf City, NCNC5,14220.5%+11.7 pts

34Waxhaw, NCNC23,14020.5%+16.2 pts

35Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56620.4%+10.2 pts

36Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90819.2%+17.8 pts

37Belmont, NCNC16,41519.2%+12.9 pts

38Pittsboro, NCNC5,05419.0%+10.3 pts

39Mills River, NCNC7,50418.6%–

40Woodfin, NCNC8,22918.4%+15.1 pts

41Winterville, NCNC10,97318.3%+14.2 pts

42Cullowhee, NCNC7,97318.3%−10.4 pts

43Matthews, NCNC32,76918.2%+5.7 pts

44Clemmons, NCNC22,80818.0%+3.6 pts

45Garner, NCNC41,56217.9%+11.2 pts

46Greenville, NCNC96,44317.8%+3.4 pts

47Charlotte, NCNC964,78417.3%+6.8 pts

48Stallings, NCNC17,76017.3%+14.8 pts

49Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63717.2%+8.1 pts

50Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53617.2%+9.8 pts

51Etowah, NCNC7,96816.9%+10.5 pts

52Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27116.7%+5.7 pts

53Wilmington, NCNC126,80916.4%+7.9 pts

54Greensboro, NCNC308,66716.3%+5.6 pts

55Cramerton, NCNC5,71316.2%+8.5 pts

56Oak Island, NCNC9,33716.2%+9.5 pts

57Concord, NCNC114,59816.0%+10.1 pts

58Hendersonville, NCNC15,86715.9%+4.2 pts

59Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87015.7%+9.3 pts

60Wendell, NCNC19,68715.3%+11.2 pts

61Lewisville, NCNC14,42115.3%+2.5 pts

62Brevard, NCNC8,09815.2%+4.8 pts

63Mint Hill, NCNC29,47614.9%+8.8 pts

64Mooresville, NCNC55,84214.7%+8.6 pts

65Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73114.7%+7.3 pts

66Silver Lake, NCNC6,56314.5%+8.1 pts

67Moyock, NCNC5,68414.4%–

68Leland, NCNC35,73114.3%+11.8 pts

69Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92714.1%–

70Stokesdale, NCNC6,13314.1%+5.9 pts

71Waynesville, NCNC11,00613.9%+7.9 pts

72Kernersville, NCNC29,12813.8%+6.5 pts

73New Bern, NCNC34,72413.8%+6.5 pts

74Mebane, NCNC21,95213.7%+6.6 pts

75Gibsonville, NCNC9,87613.7%+5.9 pts

76Murraysville, NCNC16,33913.7%+9.7 pts

77Spout Springs, NCNC11,24213.6%–

78Indian Trail, NCNC44,30313.5%+8.2 pts

79Pineville, NCNC11,85113.5%+7.2 pts

80Clayton, NCNC32,63313.4%+7.5 pts

81Angier, NCNC9,41013.3%+10.7 pts

82Aberdeen, NCNC10,06613.2%+6.5 pts

83Hickory, NCNC45,97513.2%+4.5 pts

84High Point, NCNC120,57112.6%+6.1 pts

85Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90612.5%–

86Salisbury, NCNC36,87912.1%+5.7 pts

87Mount Holly, NCNC19,03311.8%+9.1 pts

88Barbecue, NCNC5,91011.7%–

89Westport, NCNC5,91511.6%−1.3 pts

90Creedmoor, NCNC5,04611.4%+5.5 pts

91Hampstead, NCNC9,29211.3%–

92Morehead City, NCNC10,43411.1%+5.8 pts

93Shelby, NCNC23,30910.8%+4.7 pts

94Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54010.7%+3.1 pts

95Half Moon, NCNC7,37810.6%+5.6 pts

96Kannapolis, NCNC61,70810.6%+7.8 pts

97Morganton, NCNC17,84910.4%+3.1 pts

98Fayetteville, NCNC209,12010.3%+2.1 pts

99Tarboro, NCNC10,97910.2%+5.4 pts

100Fletcher, NCNC8,37310.1%+3.0 pts

101Midland, NCNC5,15110.0%–

102Zebulon, NCNC11,93310.0%+6.2 pts

103Walkertown, NCNC6,1209.9%+6.6 pts

104Jacksonville, NCNC72,7329.5%+4.0 pts

105Burlington, NCNC61,4969.4%+3.4 pts

106Clinton, NCNC8,4669.2%+3.5 pts

107Wilson, NCNC49,5729.1%+4.0 pts

108Lincolnton, NCNC12,4659.0%+4.0 pts

109Smithfield, NCNC13,1148.9%+3.0 pts

110Gastonia, NCNC87,0678.8%+3.1 pts

111Statesville, NCNC32,1818.7%+3.4 pts

112Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6228.5%+3.3 pts

113Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1208.2%+2.1 pts

114Mount Airy, NCNC10,6828.1%+3.0 pts

115Kings Grant, NCNC9,0038.1%+3.3 pts

116Monroe, NCNC42,6447.9%+3.0 pts

117Laurinburg, NCNC14,5827.9%+0.1 pts

118Dunn, NCNC8,8147.8%+3.7 pts

119Mocksville, NCNC6,2827.8%+4.1 pts

120Lumberton, NCNC18,9557.8%+0.0 pts

121Ayden, NCNC5,2637.8%+3.3 pts

122Swannanoa, NCNC6,9017.7%+4.9 pts

123Goldsboro, NCNC35,0127.7%+1.3 pts

124Trinity, NCNC7,2747.6%+4.8 pts

125Rockingham, NCNC8,8157.6%+2.8 pts

126Hope Mills, NCNC18,3247.5%+4.0 pts

127Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8757.4%+4.0 pts

128East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3237.4%+5.9 pts

129Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3867.3%+2.9 pts

130Washington, NCNC9,9107.2%+0.8 pts

131Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.1%−0.3 pts

132Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2877.0%+3.8 pts

133Lillington, NCNC5,0407.0%+3.1 pts

134Sanford, NCNC34,1387.0%+0.3 pts

135Kinston, NCNC19,7056.9%+1.7 pts

136Archdale, NCNC12,2546.8%+4.2 pts

137Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6496.8%–

138Graham, NCNC20,1316.8%+3.1 pts

139King, NCNC7,9776.8%+1.7 pts

140Locust, NCNC6,1206.8%+3.1 pts

141Spring Lake, NCNC11,2526.6%+4.4 pts

142Havelock, NCNC17,4306.6%+3.2 pts

143Forest City, NCNC7,4106.4%+3.1 pts

144Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.2%+0.4 pts

145Conover, NCNC8,9386.2%+0.8 pts

146Asheboro, NCNC27,9906.1%+1.0 pts

147St. Stephens, NCNC9,4576.0%+2.9 pts

148Unionville, NCNC7,3226.0%+2.4 pts

149Butner, NCNC8,1125.9%+2.7 pts

150Siler City, NCNC8,1555.9%+3.9 pts

151Reidsville, NCNC14,6925.9%+1.1 pts

152Oxford, NCNC8,9855.9%+0.3 pts

153Piney Green, NCNC14,0785.7%+1.3 pts

154Lenoir, NCNC18,3725.5%+1.5 pts

155Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1175.3%+2.5 pts

156Bessemer City, NCNC5,8345.3%+2.9 pts

157Nashville, NCNC5,9115.2%−0.6 pts

158Newton, NCNC13,8225.2%+1.3 pts

159Cherryville, NCNC6,5235.1%+2.1 pts

160Wadesboro, NCNC5,0355.0%+0.4 pts

161Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.0%−0.1 pts

162Northchase, NCNC5,8964.8%–

163Thomasville, NCNC27,7334.7%+1.8 pts

164Williamston, NCNC5,0864.6%−1.0 pts

165Henderson, NCNC15,0134.5%−0.5 pts

166Hamlet, NCNC5,8704.1%+0.8 pts

167Midway, NCNC5,1044.0%–

168Sawmills, NCNC5,1054.0%+1.0 pts

169Lexington, NCNC20,2383.9%−0.3 pts

170Marion, NCNC7,4403.9%−0.4 pts

171Eden, NCNC15,5003.7%+0.2 pts

172Selma, NCNC7,4063.6%+1.4 pts

173Roxboro, NCNC8,3803.1%+0.3 pts

174Dallas, NCNC6,3922.8%+1.4 pts

175Long View, NCNC5,3871.3%−1.9 pts

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES