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 (2023 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56545.2%+12%

02Marvin, NCNC7,04044.8%+86%

03Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04943.6%–

04Carrboro, NCNC20,96243.5%+42%

05Davidson, NCNC16,66239.0%+53%

06Morrisville, NCNC32,46634.6%+79%

07Cary, NCNC183,58233.7%+47%

08Hillsborough, NCNC9,77831.2%+162%

09St. James, NCNC7,31830.9%+39%

10Apex, NCNC80,41930.5%+80%

11Boone, NCNC19,92930.3%+30%

12Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50529.8%+73%

13Porters Neck, NCNC7,65429.1%–

14Elon, NCNC11,36628.0%–

15Pinehurst, NCNC18,67028.0%+61%

16Durham, NCNC305,56127.1%+48%

17Rolesville, NCNC12,83926.9%+441%

18Holly Springs, NCNC50,28826.9%+120%

19Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89625.3%+97%

20Weddington, NCNC14,51725.2%+109%

21Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49424.6%+331%

22Summerfield, NCNC11,32724.3%+94%

23Ogden, NCNC8,24923.9%+104%

24Wake Forest, NCNC58,14723.7%+122%

25Southern Pines, NCNC17,35723.5%+90%

26Asheville, NCNC93,52322.7%+110%

27Cornelius, NCNC35,09422.1%+60%

28Black Mountain, NCNC8,49121.8%+110%

29Huntersville, NCNC68,53521.1%+74%

30Raleigh, NCNC506,30621.1%+46%

31Harrisburg, NCNC20,74221.0%+308%

32Knightdale, NCNC23,14420.6%+159%

33Surf City, NCNC5,14220.5%+134%

34Waxhaw, NCNC23,14020.5%+375%

35Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56620.4%+101%

36Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90819.2%+1286%

37Belmont, NCNC16,41519.2%+204%

38Pittsboro, NCNC5,05419.0%+118%

39Mills River, NCNC7,50418.6%–

40Woodfin, NCNC8,22918.4%+458%

41Winterville, NCNC10,97318.3%+349%

42Cullowhee, NCNC7,97318.3%−36%

43Matthews, NCNC32,76918.2%+46%

44Clemmons, NCNC22,80818.0%+25%

45Garner, NCNC41,56217.9%+167%

46Greenville, NCNC96,44317.8%+24%

47Charlotte, NCNC964,78417.3%+65%

48Stallings, NCNC17,76017.3%+601%

49Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63717.2%+90%

50Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53617.2%+132%

51Etowah, NCNC7,96816.9%+166%

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

53Wilmington, NCNC126,80916.4%+94%

54Greensboro, NCNC308,66716.3%+52%

55Cramerton, NCNC5,71316.2%+110%

56Oak Island, NCNC9,33716.2%+141%

57Concord, NCNC114,59816.0%+170%

58Hendersonville, NCNC15,86715.9%+36%

59Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87015.7%+143%

60Wendell, NCNC19,68715.3%+271%

61Lewisville, NCNC14,42115.3%+20%

62Brevard, NCNC8,09815.2%+47%

63Mint Hill, NCNC29,47614.9%+145%

64Mooresville, NCNC55,84214.7%+142%

65Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73114.7%+99%

66Silver Lake, NCNC6,56314.5%+126%

67Moyock, NCNC5,68414.4%–

68Leland, NCNC35,73114.3%+487%

69Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92714.1%–

70Stokesdale, NCNC6,13314.1%+72%

71Waynesville, NCNC11,00613.9%+132%

72Kernersville, NCNC29,12813.8%+90%

73New Bern, NCNC34,72413.8%+89%

74Mebane, NCNC21,95213.7%+92%

75Gibsonville, NCNC9,87613.7%+75%

76Murraysville, NCNC16,33913.7%+245%

77Spout Springs, NCNC11,24213.6%–

78Indian Trail, NCNC44,30313.5%+155%

79Pineville, NCNC11,85113.5%+115%

80Clayton, NCNC32,63313.4%+127%

81Angier, NCNC9,41013.3%+410%

82Aberdeen, NCNC10,06613.2%+97%

83Hickory, NCNC45,97513.2%+52%

84High Point, NCNC120,57112.6%+93%

85Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90612.5%–

86Salisbury, NCNC36,87912.1%+88%

87Mount Holly, NCNC19,03311.8%+341%

88Barbecue, NCNC5,91011.7%–

89Westport, NCNC5,91511.6%−10%

90Creedmoor, NCNC5,04611.4%+92%

91Hampstead, NCNC9,29211.3%–

92Morehead City, NCNC10,43411.1%+108%

93Shelby, NCNC23,30910.8%+76%

94Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54010.7%+41%

95Half Moon, NCNC7,37810.6%+110%

96Kannapolis, NCNC61,70810.6%+283%

97Morganton, NCNC17,84910.4%+42%

98Fayetteville, NCNC209,12010.3%+25%

99Tarboro, NCNC10,97910.2%+111%

100Fletcher, NCNC8,37310.1%+42%

101Midland, NCNC5,15110.0%–

102Zebulon, NCNC11,93310.0%+163%

103Walkertown, NCNC6,1209.9%+201%

104Jacksonville, NCNC72,7329.5%+73%

105Burlington, NCNC61,4969.4%+56%

106Clinton, NCNC8,4669.2%+60%

107Wilson, NCNC49,5729.1%+78%

108Lincolnton, NCNC12,4659.0%+79%

109Smithfield, NCNC13,1148.9%+50%

110Gastonia, NCNC87,0678.8%+56%

111Statesville, NCNC32,1818.7%+65%

112Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6228.5%+64%

113Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1208.2%+35%

114Mount Airy, NCNC10,6828.1%+60%

115Kings Grant, NCNC9,0038.1%+67%

116Monroe, NCNC42,6447.9%+60%

117Laurinburg, NCNC14,5827.9%+2%

118Dunn, NCNC8,8147.8%+89%

119Mocksville, NCNC6,2827.8%+113%

120Lumberton, NCNC18,9557.8%+0%

121Ayden, NCNC5,2637.8%+73%

122Swannanoa, NCNC6,9017.7%+170%

123Goldsboro, NCNC35,0127.7%+20%

124Trinity, NCNC7,2747.6%+173%

125Rockingham, NCNC8,8157.6%+57%

126Hope Mills, NCNC18,3247.5%+117%

127Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8757.4%+117%

128East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3237.4%+405%

129Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3867.3%+66%

130Washington, NCNC9,9107.2%+13%

131Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.1%−4%

132Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2877.0%+120%

133Lillington, NCNC5,0407.0%+78%

134Sanford, NCNC34,1387.0%+4%

135Kinston, NCNC19,7056.9%+34%

136Archdale, NCNC12,2546.8%+159%

137Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6496.8%–

138Graham, NCNC20,1316.8%+82%

139King, NCNC7,9776.8%+34%

140Locust, NCNC6,1206.8%+87%

141Spring Lake, NCNC11,2526.6%+194%

142Havelock, NCNC17,4306.6%+93%

143Forest City, NCNC7,4106.4%+93%

144Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.2%+7%

145Conover, NCNC8,9386.2%+16%

146Asheboro, NCNC27,9906.1%+20%

147St. Stephens, NCNC9,4576.0%+96%

148Unionville, NCNC7,3226.0%+66%

149Butner, NCNC8,1125.9%+85%

150Siler City, NCNC8,1555.9%+200%

151Reidsville, NCNC14,6925.9%+22%

152Oxford, NCNC8,9855.9%+5%

153Piney Green, NCNC14,0785.7%+29%

154Lenoir, NCNC18,3725.5%+38%

155Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1175.3%+87%

156Bessemer City, NCNC5,8345.3%+123%

157Nashville, NCNC5,9115.2%−10%

158Newton, NCNC13,8225.2%+35%

159Cherryville, NCNC6,5235.1%+72%

160Wadesboro, NCNC5,0355.0%+8%

161Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.0%−2%

162Northchase, NCNC5,8964.8%–

163Thomasville, NCNC27,7334.7%+63%

164Williamston, NCNC5,0864.6%−18%

165Henderson, NCNC15,0134.5%−9%

166Hamlet, NCNC5,8704.1%+24%

167Midway, NCNC5,1044.0%–

168Sawmills, NCNC5,1054.0%+34%

169Lexington, NCNC20,2383.9%−7%

170Marion, NCNC7,4403.9%−9%

171Eden, NCNC15,5003.7%+5%

172Selma, NCNC7,4063.6%+63%

173Roxboro, NCNC8,3803.1%+10%

174Dallas, NCNC6,3922.8%+98%

175Long View, NCNC5,3871.3%−60%

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

Download CSV (full list, 175 rows)

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