RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Most graduate degrees, North Carolina cities · 2010

North Carolina cities ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2023 ACS). This list covers the 170 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, NCNC63,56545.6%+12%

02Carrboro, NCNC20,96233.5%+10%

03St. James, NCNC7,31828.7%+30%

04Surf City, NCNC5,14227.4%+212%

05Davidson, NCNC16,66226.7%+5%

06Cary, NCNC183,58224.7%+7%

07Morrisville, NCNC32,46624.2%+25%

08Boone, NCNC19,92923.9%+2%

09Porters Neck, NCNC7,65423.6%–

10Cullowhee, NCNC7,97321.9%−24%

11Durham, NCNC305,56120.1%+10%

12Marvin, NCNC7,04019.9%−17%

13Apex, NCNC80,41919.0%+12%

14Ogden, NCNC8,24918.9%+61%

15Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89618.2%+42%

16Westport, NCNC5,91518.2%+41%

17Pinehurst, NCNC18,67016.7%−4%

18Cornelius, NCNC35,09416.5%+19%

19Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63716.2%+78%

20Hillsborough, NCNC9,77815.7%+32%

21Raleigh, NCNC506,30615.7%+9%

22Weddington, NCNC14,51715.5%+29%

23Summerfield, NCNC11,32715.2%+21%

24Holly Springs, NCNC50,28815.1%+23%

25Wake Forest, NCNC58,14714.8%+39%

26Southern Pines, NCNC17,35714.8%+20%

27Clemmons, NCNC22,80814.8%+2%

28Elon, NCNC11,36614.7%–

29Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50514.4%−16%

30Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87014.3%+122%

31Gibsonville, NCNC9,87614.3%+83%

32Greenville, NCNC96,44314.2%−1%

33Asheville, NCNC93,52314.2%+32%

34Lewisville, NCNC14,42113.9%+9%

35Harrisburg, NCNC20,74213.9%+171%

36Belmont, NCNC16,41513.6%+115%

37Waxhaw, NCNC23,14013.4%+211%

38Matthews, NCNC32,76913.1%+5%

39Black Mountain, NCNC8,49112.9%+25%

40Charlotte, NCNC964,78412.7%+22%

41Brevard, NCNC8,09812.6%+22%

42Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56612.6%+24%

43Pittsboro, NCNC5,05412.5%+43%

44Hendersonville, NCNC15,86712.3%+5%

45Greensboro, NCNC308,66711.9%+10%

46Huntersville, NCNC68,53511.8%−3%

47Wilmington, NCNC126,80911.7%+39%

48Winterville, NCNC10,97311.6%+184%

49Knightdale, NCNC23,14411.2%+41%

50Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27111.2%+2%

51Leland, NCNC35,73111.2%+360%

52Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54010.9%+43%

53Pineville, NCNC11,85110.5%+67%

54Mebane, NCNC21,95210.3%+45%

55Fletcher, NCNC8,37310.2%+45%

56Stallings, NCNC17,76010.2%+315%

57Morganton, NCNC17,8499.8%+33%

58Mocksville, NCNC6,2829.7%+164%

59Woodfin, NCNC8,2299.6%+191%

60Morehead City, NCNC10,4349.5%+78%

61Murraysville, NCNC16,3399.5%+139%

62Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5369.4%+27%

63Hickory, NCNC45,9759.3%+8%

64Mount Airy, NCNC10,6829.3%+83%

65Cramerton, NCNC5,7139.0%+17%

66Etowah, NCNC7,9689.0%+42%

67Oak Island, NCNC9,3379.0%+33%

68Garner, NCNC41,5628.9%+33%

69Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768.6%+41%

70Rolesville, NCNC12,8398.5%+71%

71Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7318.5%+16%

72Aberdeen, NCNC10,0668.4%+26%

73New Bern, NCNC34,7248.2%+12%

74High Point, NCNC120,5718.1%+25%

75Burlington, NCNC61,4968.1%+33%

76Concord, NCNC114,5988.0%+35%

77Fayetteville, NCNC209,1208.0%−3%

78Lumberton, NCNC18,9558.0%+2%

79Kernersville, NCNC29,1287.9%+9%

80Cherryville, NCNC6,5237.9%+170%

81Clinton, NCNC8,4667.9%+38%

82Salisbury, NCNC36,8797.8%+21%

83Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.8%+28%

84Northchase, NCNC5,8967.7%–

85Waynesville, NCNC11,0067.6%+27%

86Indian Trail, NCNC44,3037.6%+44%

87Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3867.4%+69%

88Mills River, NCNC7,5047.4%–

89Jacksonville, NCNC72,7327.3%+33%

90Kings Grant, NCNC9,0037.3%+51%

91Wendell, NCNC19,6877.3%+76%

92Washington, NCNC9,9107.2%+14%

93Gastonia, NCNC87,0677.2%+28%

94Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.2%−2%

95Clayton, NCNC32,6337.0%+19%

96Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6227.0%+33%

97Shelby, NCNC23,3096.9%+13%

98Statesville, NCNC32,1816.9%+31%

99Laurinburg, NCNC14,5826.9%−12%

100Hampstead, NCNC9,2926.7%–

101Goldsboro, NCNC35,0126.6%+4%

102Stokesdale, NCNC6,1336.6%−19%

103Angier, NCNC9,4106.5%+148%

104Mount Holly, NCNC19,0336.3%+136%

105Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.2%+7%

106Midway, NCNC5,1046.2%–

107Piney Green, NCNC14,0786.1%+37%

108Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9086.0%+335%

109Sanford, NCNC34,1385.9%−12%

110Smithfield, NCNC13,1145.8%−3%

111Nashville, NCNC5,9115.6%−3%

112Spring Lake, NCNC11,2525.6%+149%

113Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8755.5%+61%

114Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1205.5%−9%

115Williamston, NCNC5,0865.4%−2%

116Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.4%+7%

117Conover, NCNC8,9385.4%+1%

118Wilson, NCNC49,5725.3%+4%

119Asheboro, NCNC27,9905.2%+1%

120Ayden, NCNC5,2635.1%+13%

121Creedmoor, NCNC5,0465.0%−15%

122Half Moon, NCNC7,3785.0%−0%

123Sawmills, NCNC5,1055.0%+69%

124Walkertown, NCNC6,1205.0%+50%

125Dallas, NCNC6,3924.9%+252%

126Dunn, NCNC8,8144.9%+19%

127Swannanoa, NCNC6,9014.8%+67%

128Lincolnton, NCNC12,4654.8%−5%

129Kinston, NCNC19,7054.8%−7%

130Marion, NCNC7,4404.6%+8%

131Locust, NCNC6,1204.6%+27%

132Graham, NCNC20,1314.6%+23%

133Hope Mills, NCNC18,3244.6%+33%

134Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4944.6%−20%

135Lenoir, NCNC18,3724.5%+14%

136Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2874.5%+42%

137Monroe, NCNC42,6444.4%−10%

138Tarboro, NCNC10,9794.3%−11%

139Lexington, NCNC20,2384.3%+1%

140Newton, NCNC13,8224.3%+11%

141Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1174.2%+49%

142Midland, NCNC5,1514.2%–

143Siler City, NCNC8,1554.2%+113%

144Hamlet, NCNC5,8704.1%+25%

145King, NCNC7,9774.0%−21%

146Selma, NCNC7,4064.0%+80%

147Thomasville, NCNC27,7333.9%+37%

148Lillington, NCNC5,0403.8%−3%

149Oxford, NCNC8,9853.8%−32%

150Kannapolis, NCNC61,7083.7%+35%

151Henderson, NCNC15,0133.7%−25%

152East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3233.6%+146%

153Archdale, NCNC12,2543.5%+33%

154Rockingham, NCNC8,8153.4%−29%

155Havelock, NCNC17,4303.4%+1%

156Long View, NCNC5,3873.4%+8%

157Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6493.4%–

158Moyock, NCNC5,6843.4%–

159Reidsville, NCNC14,6923.4%−30%

160Silver Lake, NCNC6,5633.3%−48%

161St. Stephens, NCNC9,4573.2%+4%

162Butner, NCNC8,1122.5%−21%

163Roxboro, NCNC8,3802.3%−18%

164Wadesboro, NCNC5,0352.2%−52%

165Eden, NCNC15,5002.1%−39%

166Trinity, NCNC7,2742.0%−30%

167Zebulon, NCNC11,9331.8%−53%

168Forest City, NCNC7,4101.7%−49%

169Unionville, NCNC7,3220.9%−74%

170Bessemer City, NCNC5,8340.0%−100%

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

Download CSV (full list, 170 rows)

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