RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Most graduate degrees, North Carolina cities · 2000

North Carolina cities ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2023 ACS). This list covers the 161 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, NCNC63,56540.5%+0%

02Carrboro, NCNC20,96230.6%+0%

03Cullowhee, NCNC7,97328.7%+0%

04Davidson, NCNC16,66225.5%+0%

05Marvin, NCNC7,04024.1%+0%

06Boone, NCNC19,92923.3%+0%

07Cary, NCNC183,58223.0%+0%

08St. James, NCNC7,31822.2%+0%

09Morrisville, NCNC32,46619.4%+0%

10Durham, NCNC305,56118.3%+0%

11Pinehurst, NCNC18,67017.4%+0%

12Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50517.2%+0%

13Apex, NCNC80,41917.0%+0%

14Raleigh, NCNC506,30614.4%+0%

15Clemmons, NCNC22,80814.4%+0%

16Greenville, NCNC96,44314.4%+0%

17Cornelius, NCNC35,09413.8%+0%

18Westport, NCNC5,91512.9%+0%

19Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89612.8%+0%

20Lewisville, NCNC14,42112.8%+0%

21Summerfield, NCNC11,32712.6%+0%

22Matthews, NCNC32,76912.5%+0%

23Southern Pines, NCNC17,35712.3%+0%

24Holly Springs, NCNC50,28812.2%+0%

25Huntersville, NCNC68,53512.1%+0%

26Weddington, NCNC14,51712.0%+0%

27Hillsborough, NCNC9,77811.9%+0%

28Ogden, NCNC8,24911.7%+0%

29Hendersonville, NCNC15,86711.7%+0%

30Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27111.0%+0%

31Asheville, NCNC93,52310.8%+0%

32Greensboro, NCNC308,66710.8%+0%

33Wake Forest, NCNC58,14710.7%+0%

34Charlotte, NCNC964,78410.5%+0%

35Black Mountain, NCNC8,49110.4%+0%

36Brevard, NCNC8,09810.3%+0%

37Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56610.1%+0%

38Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6379.1%+0%

39Surf City, NCNC5,1428.8%+0%

40Pittsboro, NCNC5,0548.7%+0%

41Hickory, NCNC45,9758.6%+0%

42Wilmington, NCNC126,8098.5%+0%

43Fayetteville, NCNC209,1208.2%+0%

44Stokesdale, NCNC6,1338.2%+0%

45Knightdale, NCNC23,1447.9%+0%

46Gibsonville, NCNC9,8767.8%+0%

47Lumberton, NCNC18,9557.8%+0%

48Laurinburg, NCNC14,5827.8%+0%

49Cramerton, NCNC5,7137.7%+0%

50Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5407.6%+0%

51Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5367.4%+0%

52Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7317.4%+0%

53Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.4%+0%

54Morganton, NCNC17,8497.3%+0%

55New Bern, NCNC34,7247.3%+0%

56Kernersville, NCNC29,1287.3%+0%

57Mebane, NCNC21,9527.2%+0%

58Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.1%+0%

59Sanford, NCNC34,1386.7%+0%

60Oak Island, NCNC9,3376.7%+0%

61Aberdeen, NCNC10,0666.7%+0%

62Garner, NCNC41,5626.7%+0%

63High Point, NCNC120,5716.5%+0%

64Salisbury, NCNC36,8796.5%+0%

65Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8706.5%+0%

66Goldsboro, NCNC35,0126.4%+0%

67Silver Lake, NCNC6,5636.4%+0%

68Washington, NCNC9,9106.3%+0%

69Etowah, NCNC7,9686.3%+0%

70Belmont, NCNC16,4156.3%+0%

71Pineville, NCNC11,8516.3%+0%

72Shelby, NCNC23,3096.1%+0%

73Mint Hill, NCNC29,4766.1%+0%

74Mooresville, NCNC55,8426.1%+0%

75Burlington, NCNC61,4966.1%+0%

76Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1206.1%+0%

77Waynesville, NCNC11,0066.0%+0%

78Creedmoor, NCNC5,0465.9%+0%

79Concord, NCNC114,5985.9%+0%

80Smithfield, NCNC13,1145.9%+0%

81Clayton, NCNC32,6335.9%+0%

82Nashville, NCNC5,9115.8%+0%

83Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1655.7%+0%

84Clinton, NCNC8,4665.7%+0%

85Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4945.7%+0%

86Gastonia, NCNC87,0675.7%+0%

87Williamston, NCNC5,0865.6%+0%

88Oxford, NCNC8,9855.6%+0%

89Jacksonville, NCNC72,7325.5%+0%

90Morehead City, NCNC10,4345.3%+0%

91Conover, NCNC8,9385.3%+0%

92Statesville, NCNC32,1815.3%+0%

93Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.3%+0%

94Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6225.2%+0%

95Harrisburg, NCNC20,7425.1%+0%

96Kinston, NCNC19,7055.1%+0%

97Wilson, NCNC49,5725.1%+0%

98Asheboro, NCNC27,9905.1%+0%

99Mount Airy, NCNC10,6825.1%+0%

100Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.1%+0%

101King, NCNC7,9775.1%+0%

102Half Moon, NCNC7,3785.1%+0%

103Lincolnton, NCNC12,4655.0%+0%

104Rolesville, NCNC12,8395.0%+0%

105Monroe, NCNC42,6445.0%+0%

106Henderson, NCNC15,0134.9%+0%

107Kings Grant, NCNC9,0034.9%+0%

108Rockingham, NCNC8,8154.8%+0%

109Tarboro, NCNC10,9794.8%+0%

110Reidsville, NCNC14,6924.8%+0%

111Wadesboro, NCNC5,0354.6%+0%

112Ayden, NCNC5,2634.5%+0%

113Piney Green, NCNC14,0784.5%+0%

114Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3864.4%+0%

115Waxhaw, NCNC23,1404.3%+0%

116Marion, NCNC7,4404.3%+0%

117Lexington, NCNC20,2384.2%+0%

118Wendell, NCNC19,6874.1%+0%

119Dunn, NCNC8,8144.1%+0%

120Winterville, NCNC10,9734.1%+0%

121Lenoir, NCNC18,3724.0%+0%

122Murraysville, NCNC16,3394.0%+0%

123Lillington, NCNC5,0403.9%+0%

124Newton, NCNC13,8223.8%+0%

125Zebulon, NCNC11,9333.8%+0%

126Graham, NCNC20,1313.7%+0%

127Mocksville, NCNC6,2823.7%+0%

128Unionville, NCNC7,3223.6%+0%

129Locust, NCNC6,1203.6%+0%

130Eden, NCNC15,5003.5%+0%

131Hope Mills, NCNC18,3243.4%+0%

132Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8753.4%+0%

133Havelock, NCNC17,4303.4%+0%

134Forest City, NCNC7,4103.3%+0%

135Hamlet, NCNC5,8703.3%+0%

136Woodfin, NCNC8,2293.3%+0%

137Walkertown, NCNC6,1203.3%+0%

138Butner, NCNC8,1123.2%+0%

139Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2873.2%+0%

140Long View, NCNC5,3873.1%+0%

141St. Stephens, NCNC9,4573.1%+0%

142Sawmills, NCNC5,1053.0%+0%

143Cherryville, NCNC6,5232.9%+0%

144Thomasville, NCNC27,7332.9%+0%

145Swannanoa, NCNC6,9012.9%+0%

146Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1172.9%+0%

147Roxboro, NCNC8,3802.8%+0%

148Trinity, NCNC7,2742.8%+0%

149Kannapolis, NCNC61,7082.8%+0%

150Mount Holly, NCNC19,0332.7%+0%

151Archdale, NCNC12,2542.6%+0%

152Angier, NCNC9,4102.6%+0%

153Stallings, NCNC17,7602.5%+0%

154Leland, NCNC35,7312.4%+0%

155Bessemer City, NCNC5,8342.4%+0%

156Spring Lake, NCNC11,2522.3%+0%

157Selma, NCNC7,4062.2%+0%

158Siler City, NCNC8,1552.0%+0%

159East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3231.5%+0%

160Dallas, NCNC6,3921.4%+0%

161Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9081.4%+0%

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

Download CSV (full list, 161 rows)

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