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 (2000 ACS). This list covers the 161 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 1990

01Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56540.5%+1.8 pts

02Carrboro, NCNC20,96230.6%+5.7 pts

03Cullowhee, NCNC7,97328.7%+4.0 pts

04Davidson, NCNC16,66225.5%+2.5 pts

05Marvin, NCNC7,04024.1%–

06Boone, NCNC19,92923.3%+3.1 pts

07Cary, NCNC183,58223.0%+6.7 pts

08St. James, NCNC7,31822.2%–

09Morrisville, NCNC32,46619.4%+11.1 pts

10Durham, NCNC305,56118.3%+2.6 pts

11Pinehurst, NCNC18,67017.4%+5.3 pts

12Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50517.2%+7.1 pts

13Apex, NCNC80,41917.0%+7.8 pts

14Raleigh, NCNC506,30614.4%+1.6 pts

15Clemmons, NCNC22,80814.4%−0.1 pts

16Greenville, NCNC96,44314.4%−0.1 pts

17Cornelius, NCNC35,09413.8%+9.3 pts

18Westport, NCNC5,91512.9%−0.0 pts

19Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89612.8%–

20Lewisville, NCNC14,42112.8%+6.7 pts

21Summerfield, NCNC11,32712.6%+7.8 pts

22Matthews, NCNC32,76912.5%+4.9 pts

23Southern Pines, NCNC17,35712.3%+4.1 pts

24Holly Springs, NCNC50,28812.2%+10.5 pts

25Huntersville, NCNC68,53512.1%+6.9 pts

26Weddington, NCNC14,51712.0%+1.7 pts

27Hillsborough, NCNC9,77811.9%+4.7 pts

28Ogden, NCNC8,24911.7%+5.5 pts

29Hendersonville, NCNC15,86711.7%+2.2 pts

30Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27111.0%+1.5 pts

31Asheville, NCNC93,52310.8%+2.8 pts

32Greensboro, NCNC308,66710.8%+1.5 pts

33Wake Forest, NCNC58,14710.7%+3.3 pts

34Charlotte, NCNC964,78410.5%+3.2 pts

35Black Mountain, NCNC8,49110.4%−1.1 pts

36Brevard, NCNC8,09810.3%+1.8 pts

37Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56610.1%–

38Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6379.1%+2.7 pts

39Surf City, NCNC5,1428.8%−0.3 pts

40Pittsboro, NCNC5,0548.7%+1.8 pts

41Hickory, NCNC45,9758.6%+2.7 pts

42Wilmington, NCNC126,8098.5%+2.4 pts

43Fayetteville, NCNC209,1208.2%−0.1 pts

44Stokesdale, NCNC6,1338.2%+4.9 pts

45Knightdale, NCNC23,1447.9%+1.1 pts

46Gibsonville, NCNC9,8767.8%+5.5 pts

47Lumberton, NCNC18,9557.8%+1.9 pts

48Laurinburg, NCNC14,5827.8%+2.5 pts

49Cramerton, NCNC5,7137.7%+3.4 pts

50Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5407.6%–

51Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5367.4%+3.4 pts

52Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7317.4%+2.8 pts

53Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.4%−0.2 pts

54Morganton, NCNC17,8497.3%+0.7 pts

55New Bern, NCNC34,7247.3%+3.0 pts

56Kernersville, NCNC29,1287.3%+3.4 pts

57Mebane, NCNC21,9527.2%+4.8 pts

58Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.1%+3.4 pts

59Sanford, NCNC34,1386.7%+2.2 pts

60Oak Island, NCNC9,3376.7%–

61Aberdeen, NCNC10,0666.7%+2.4 pts

62Garner, NCNC41,5626.7%+1.4 pts

63High Point, NCNC120,5716.5%+2.1 pts

64Salisbury, NCNC36,8796.5%+0.0 pts

65Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8706.5%−0.1 pts

66Goldsboro, NCNC35,0126.4%+1.2 pts

67Silver Lake, NCNC6,5636.4%+2.2 pts

68Washington, NCNC9,9106.3%+2.3 pts

69Etowah, NCNC7,9686.3%+2.6 pts

70Belmont, NCNC16,4156.3%+2.4 pts

71Pineville, NCNC11,8516.3%+1.7 pts

72Shelby, NCNC23,3096.1%+0.5 pts

73Mint Hill, NCNC29,4766.1%+2.2 pts

74Mooresville, NCNC55,8426.1%+2.7 pts

75Burlington, NCNC61,4966.1%+0.9 pts

76Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1206.1%+1.9 pts

77Waynesville, NCNC11,0066.0%−0.2 pts

78Creedmoor, NCNC5,0465.9%+2.3 pts

79Concord, NCNC114,5985.9%+1.6 pts

80Smithfield, NCNC13,1145.9%+0.4 pts

81Clayton, NCNC32,6335.9%+0.4 pts

82Nashville, NCNC5,9115.8%+2.2 pts

83Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1655.7%+0.9 pts

84Clinton, NCNC8,4665.7%+0.6 pts

85Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4945.7%–

86Gastonia, NCNC87,0675.7%+1.1 pts

87Williamston, NCNC5,0865.6%+2.3 pts

88Oxford, NCNC8,9855.6%+1.5 pts

89Jacksonville, NCNC72,7325.5%−0.1 pts

90Morehead City, NCNC10,4345.3%+2.1 pts

91Conover, NCNC8,9385.3%+0.7 pts

92Statesville, NCNC32,1815.3%−0.2 pts

93Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.3%+3.3 pts

94Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6225.2%+1.2 pts

95Harrisburg, NCNC20,7425.1%+1.4 pts

96Kinston, NCNC19,7055.1%+0.8 pts

97Wilson, NCNC49,5725.1%−0.2 pts

98Asheboro, NCNC27,9905.1%+1.5 pts

99Mount Airy, NCNC10,6825.1%+2.1 pts

100Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.1%+2.0 pts

101King, NCNC7,9775.1%+2.5 pts

102Half Moon, NCNC7,3785.1%+2.5 pts

103Lincolnton, NCNC12,4655.0%+1.3 pts

104Rolesville, NCNC12,8395.0%+0.7 pts

105Monroe, NCNC42,6445.0%−0.0 pts

106Henderson, NCNC15,0134.9%+2.0 pts

107Kings Grant, NCNC9,0034.9%–

108Rockingham, NCNC8,8154.8%−0.8 pts

109Tarboro, NCNC10,9794.8%+1.3 pts

110Reidsville, NCNC14,6924.8%+0.7 pts

111Wadesboro, NCNC5,0354.6%+0.7 pts

112Ayden, NCNC5,2634.5%+1.1 pts

113Piney Green, NCNC14,0784.5%+3.0 pts

114Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3864.4%+0.7 pts

115Waxhaw, NCNC23,1404.3%−0.2 pts

116Marion, NCNC7,4404.3%−0.3 pts

117Lexington, NCNC20,2384.2%+1.1 pts

118Wendell, NCNC19,6874.1%−0.0 pts

119Dunn, NCNC8,8144.1%+0.9 pts

120Winterville, NCNC10,9734.1%+0.5 pts

121Lenoir, NCNC18,3724.0%+0.2 pts

122Murraysville, NCNC16,3394.0%–

123Lillington, NCNC5,0403.9%−1.2 pts

124Newton, NCNC13,8223.8%+0.9 pts

125Zebulon, NCNC11,9333.8%+0.9 pts

126Graham, NCNC20,1313.7%+1.0 pts

127Mocksville, NCNC6,2823.7%−1.3 pts

128Unionville, NCNC7,3223.6%–

129Locust, NCNC6,1203.6%+2.3 pts

130Eden, NCNC15,5003.5%+0.7 pts

131Hope Mills, NCNC18,3243.4%+0.1 pts

132Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8753.4%−1.5 pts

133Havelock, NCNC17,4303.4%+0.4 pts

134Forest City, NCNC7,4103.3%+0.9 pts

135Hamlet, NCNC5,8703.3%+0.8 pts

136Woodfin, NCNC8,2293.3%+1.7 pts

137Walkertown, NCNC6,1203.3%−0.1 pts

138Butner, NCNC8,1123.2%+1.3 pts

139Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2873.2%+2.2 pts

140Long View, NCNC5,3873.1%+1.4 pts

141St. Stephens, NCNC9,4573.1%+1.1 pts

142Sawmills, NCNC5,1053.0%+2.1 pts

143Cherryville, NCNC6,5232.9%−0.3 pts

144Thomasville, NCNC27,7332.9%+0.3 pts

145Swannanoa, NCNC6,9012.9%−0.9 pts

146Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1172.9%+0.4 pts

147Roxboro, NCNC8,3802.8%+0.6 pts

148Trinity, NCNC7,2742.8%+1.6 pts

149Kannapolis, NCNC61,7082.8%+0.4 pts

150Mount Holly, NCNC19,0332.7%+1.2 pts

151Archdale, NCNC12,2542.6%−0.4 pts

152Angier, NCNC9,4102.6%+0.4 pts

153Stallings, NCNC17,7602.5%+0.7 pts

154Leland, NCNC35,7312.4%+2.2 pts

155Bessemer City, NCNC5,8342.4%+0.4 pts

156Spring Lake, NCNC11,2522.3%+0.2 pts

157Selma, NCNC7,4062.2%−1.7 pts

158Siler City, NCNC8,1552.0%−0.2 pts

159East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3231.5%+0.1 pts

160Dallas, NCNC6,3921.4%−1.8 pts

161Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9081.4%−0.1 pts

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

Download CSV (full list, 161 rows)

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS