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. The median across all 175 is 11.7%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Silver Lake, NC, up 93 places to #66.

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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

02▲2Marvin, NCNC7,04044.8%+20.7 pts

03▼1Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04943.6%–

04▼1Carrboro, NCNC20,96243.5%+12.9 pts

05▲3Davidson, NCNC16,66239.0%+13.5 pts

06▲1Morrisville, NCNC32,46634.6%+15.2 pts

07▼2Cary, NCNC183,58233.7%+10.8 pts

08▲5Hillsborough, NCNC9,77831.2%+19.3 pts

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

10▲1Apex, NCNC80,41930.5%+13.5 pts

11▲1Boone, NCNC19,92930.3%+7.0 pts

12▲10Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50529.8%+12.5 pts

13▼7Porters Neck, NCNC7,65429.1%–

14▲2Elon, NCNC11,36628.0%–

15Pinehurst, NCNC18,67028.0%+10.6 pts

16▼2Durham, NCNC305,56127.1%+8.8 pts

17▼7Rolesville, NCNC12,83926.9%+22.0 pts

18▲3Holly Springs, NCNC50,28826.9%+14.7 pts

19▲7Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89625.3%+12.5 pts

20Weddington, NCNC14,51725.2%+13.1 pts

21▲7Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49424.6%+18.9 pts

22▲2Summerfield, NCNC11,32724.3%+11.7 pts

23▲26Ogden, NCNC8,24923.9%+12.2 pts

24▲5Wake Forest, NCNC58,14723.7%+13.0 pts

25▼8Southern Pines, NCNC17,35723.5%+11.2 pts

26▼3Asheville, NCNC93,52322.7%+11.9 pts

27▲12Cornelius, NCNC35,09422.1%+8.3 pts

28▼9Black Mountain, NCNC8,49121.8%+11.4 pts

29▲3Huntersville, NCNC68,53521.1%+9.0 pts

30▲1Raleigh, NCNC506,30621.1%+6.7 pts

31▲9Harrisburg, NCNC20,74221.0%+15.8 pts

32▲14Knightdale, NCNC23,14420.6%+12.6 pts

33▲10Surf City, NCNC5,14220.5%+11.7 pts

34▼9Waxhaw, NCNC23,14020.5%+16.2 pts

35▲53Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56620.4%+10.2 pts

36▲22Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90819.2%+17.8 pts

37▲16Belmont, NCNC16,41519.2%+12.9 pts

38▼8Pittsboro, NCNC5,05419.0%+10.3 pts

39▲18Mills River, NCNC7,50418.6%–

40▲22Woodfin, NCNC8,22918.4%+15.1 pts

41▼8Winterville, NCNC10,97318.3%+14.2 pts

42▼24Cullowhee, NCNC7,97318.3%−10.4 pts

43▲5Matthews, NCNC32,76918.2%+5.7 pts

44▼10Clemmons, NCNC22,80818.0%+3.6 pts

45▼8Garner, NCNC41,56217.9%+11.2 pts

46▲4Greenville, NCNC96,44317.8%+3.4 pts

47▼5Charlotte, NCNC964,78417.3%+6.8 pts

48▼1Stallings, NCNC17,76017.3%+14.8 pts

49▼8Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63717.2%+8.1 pts

50▲13Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53617.2%+9.8 pts

51▲41Etowah, NCNC7,96816.9%+10.5 pts

52▲4Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27116.7%+5.7 pts

53▼8Wilmington, NCNC126,80916.4%+7.9 pts

54▼3Greensboro, NCNC308,66716.3%+5.6 pts

55▲10Cramerton, NCNC5,71316.2%+8.5 pts

56▼1Oak Island, NCNC9,33716.2%+9.5 pts

57▼3Concord, NCNC114,59816.0%+10.1 pts

58▼6Hendersonville, NCNC15,86715.9%+4.2 pts

59▼23Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87015.7%+9.3 pts

60▲12Wendell, NCNC19,68715.3%+11.2 pts

61▲6Lewisville, NCNC14,42115.3%+2.5 pts

62▼1Brevard, NCNC8,09815.2%+4.8 pts

63▲11Mint Hill, NCNC29,47614.9%+8.8 pts

64▼5Mooresville, NCNC55,84214.7%+8.6 pts

65▲19Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73114.7%+7.3 pts

66▲93Silver Lake, NCNC6,56314.5%+8.1 pts

67▲15Moyock, NCNC5,68414.4%–

68▼4Leland, NCNC35,73114.3%+11.8 pts

69▲6Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92714.1%–

70▲11Stokesdale, NCNC6,13314.1%+5.9 pts

71Waynesville, NCNC11,00613.9%+7.9 pts

72▲17Kernersville, NCNC29,12813.8%+6.5 pts

73New Bern, NCNC34,72413.8%+6.5 pts

74▼4Mebane, NCNC21,95213.7%+6.6 pts

75▼37Gibsonville, NCNC9,87613.7%+5.9 pts

76▲2Murraysville, NCNC16,33913.7%+9.7 pts

77▼50Spout Springs, NCNC11,24213.6%–

78▼18Indian Trail, NCNC44,30313.5%+8.2 pts

79▼2Pineville, NCNC11,85113.5%+7.2 pts

80▼14Clayton, NCNC32,63313.4%+7.5 pts

81▲33Angier, NCNC9,41013.3%+10.7 pts

82▲4Aberdeen, NCNC10,06613.2%+6.5 pts

83▼15Hickory, NCNC45,97513.2%+4.5 pts

84▲3High Point, NCNC120,57112.6%+6.1 pts

85▼2Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,90612.5%–

86▲22Salisbury, NCNC36,87912.1%+5.7 pts

87▼8Mount Holly, NCNC19,03311.8%+9.1 pts

88Barbecue, NCNC5,91011.7%–

89▼54Westport, NCNC5,91511.6%−1.3 pts

90▼14Creedmoor, NCNC5,04611.4%+5.5 pts

91▼47Hampstead, NCNC9,29211.3%–

92▼12Morehead City, NCNC10,43411.1%+5.8 pts

93▲6Shelby, NCNC23,30910.8%+4.7 pts

94▼9Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54010.7%+3.1 pts

95▲74Half Moon, NCNC7,37810.6%+5.6 pts

96▲11Kannapolis, NCNC61,70810.6%+7.8 pts

97▲3Morganton, NCNC17,84910.4%+3.1 pts

98▼1Fayetteville, NCNC209,12010.3%+2.1 pts

99▲13Tarboro, NCNC10,97910.2%+5.4 pts

100▲30Fletcher, NCNC8,37310.1%+3.0 pts

101▼32Midland, NCNC5,15110.0%–

102▲23Zebulon, NCNC11,93310.0%+6.2 pts

103▲18Walkertown, NCNC6,1209.9%+6.6 pts

104▼2Jacksonville, NCNC72,7329.5%+4.0 pts

105▲15Burlington, NCNC61,4969.4%+3.4 pts

106▼3Clinton, NCNC8,4669.2%+3.5 pts

107▲10Wilson, NCNC49,5729.1%+4.0 pts

108▲36Lincolnton, NCNC12,4659.0%+4.0 pts

109▲9Smithfield, NCNC13,1148.9%+3.0 pts

110▼6Gastonia, NCNC87,0678.8%+3.1 pts

111▼1Statesville, NCNC32,1818.7%+3.4 pts

112▼21Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6228.5%+3.3 pts

113▲3Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1208.2%+2.1 pts

114▼18Mount Airy, NCNC10,6828.1%+3.0 pts

115▼14Kings Grant, NCNC9,0038.1%+3.3 pts

116▲37Monroe, NCNC42,6447.9%+3.0 pts

117▼4Laurinburg, NCNC14,5827.9%+0.1 pts

118▲17Dunn, NCNC8,8147.8%+3.7 pts

119▲13Mocksville, NCNC6,2827.8%+4.1 pts

120▼22Lumberton, NCNC18,9557.8%0.0 pts

121▼6Ayden, NCNC5,2637.8%+3.3 pts

122▲20Swannanoa, NCNC6,9017.7%+4.9 pts

123Goldsboro, NCNC35,0127.7%+1.3 pts

124▲5Trinity, NCNC7,2747.6%+4.8 pts

125▲31Rockingham, NCNC8,8157.6%+2.8 pts

126▼7Hope Mills, NCNC18,3247.5%+4.0 pts

127▲40Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8757.4%+4.0 pts

128▼38East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3237.4%+5.9 pts

129▼20Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3867.3%+2.9 pts

130▼19Washington, NCNC9,9107.2%+0.8 pts

131▼36Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.1%−0.3 pts

132▲18Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2877.0%+3.8 pts

133▲37Lillington, NCNC5,0407.0%+3.1 pts

134▼3Sanford, NCNC34,1387.0%+0.3 pts

135▲8Kinston, NCNC19,7056.9%+1.7 pts

136▼31Archdale, NCNC12,2546.8%+4.2 pts

137▼9Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6496.8%–

138▲10Graham, NCNC20,1316.8%+3.1 pts

139▼17King, NCNC7,9776.8%+1.7 pts

140▲11Locust, NCNC6,1206.8%+3.1 pts

141▼35Spring Lake, NCNC11,2526.6%+4.4 pts

142▲22Havelock, NCNC17,4306.6%+3.2 pts

143▼17Forest City, NCNC7,4106.4%+3.1 pts

144▼51Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.2%+0.4 pts

145▼11Conover, NCNC8,9386.2%+0.8 pts

146Asheboro, NCNC27,9906.1%+1.0 pts

147▲15St. Stephens, NCNC9,4576.0%+2.9 pts

148▲13Unionville, NCNC7,3226.0%+2.4 pts

149▼9Butner, NCNC8,1125.9%+2.7 pts

150▼5Siler City, NCNC8,1555.9%+3.9 pts

151▼12Reidsville, NCNC14,6925.9%+1.1 pts

152▼15Oxford, NCNC8,9855.9%+0.3 pts

153▼26Piney Green, NCNC14,0785.7%+1.3 pts

154▲12Lenoir, NCNC18,3725.5%+1.5 pts

155▼14Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1175.3%+2.5 pts

156▲2Bessemer City, NCNC5,8345.3%+2.9 pts

157▼63Nashville, NCNC5,9115.2%−0.6 pts

158▼6Newton, NCNC13,8225.2%+1.3 pts

159▼12Cherryville, NCNC6,5235.1%+2.1 pts

160▲14Wadesboro, NCNC5,0355.0%+0.4 pts

161▼7Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.0%−0.1 pts

162▼2Northchase, NCNC5,8964.8%–

163▼8Thomasville, NCNC27,7334.7%+1.8 pts

164▼40Williamston, NCNC5,0864.6%−1.0 pts

165▼8Henderson, NCNC15,0134.5%−0.5 pts

166▲7Hamlet, NCNC5,8704.1%+0.8 pts

167▼18Midway, NCNC5,1044.0%–

168▼5Sawmills, NCNC5,1054.0%+1.0 pts

169▼31Lexington, NCNC20,2383.9%−0.3 pts

170▼5Marion, NCNC7,4403.9%−0.4 pts

171▼38Eden, NCNC15,5003.7%+0.2 pts

172▼36Selma, NCNC7,4063.6%+1.4 pts

173▼5Roxboro, NCNC8,3803.1%+0.3 pts

174▼2Dallas, NCNC6,3922.8%+1.4 pts

175▼4Long View, NCNC5,3871.3%−1.9 pts

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES