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 (2010 ACS). This list covers the 170 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Fewest graduate degrees, US cities →

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%+5.1 pts

02Carrboro, NCNC20,96233.5%+2.9 pts

03St. James, NCNC7,31828.7%+6.6 pts

04Surf City, NCNC5,14227.4%+18.6 pts

05Davidson, NCNC16,66226.7%+1.2 pts

06Cary, NCNC183,58224.7%+1.7 pts

07Morrisville, NCNC32,46624.2%+4.8 pts

08Boone, NCNC19,92923.9%+0.5 pts

09Porters Neck, NCNC7,65423.6%–

10Cullowhee, NCNC7,97321.9%−6.8 pts

11Durham, NCNC305,56120.1%+1.8 pts

12Marvin, NCNC7,04019.9%−4.2 pts

13Apex, NCNC80,41919.0%+2.0 pts

14Ogden, NCNC8,24918.9%+7.2 pts

15Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89618.2%+5.4 pts

16Westport, NCNC5,91518.2%+5.3 pts

17Pinehurst, NCNC18,67016.7%−0.6 pts

18Cornelius, NCNC35,09416.5%+2.6 pts

19Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63716.2%+7.1 pts

20Hillsborough, NCNC9,77815.7%+3.8 pts

21Raleigh, NCNC506,30615.7%+1.3 pts

22Weddington, NCNC14,51715.5%+3.5 pts

23Summerfield, NCNC11,32715.2%+2.6 pts

24Holly Springs, NCNC50,28815.1%+2.9 pts

25Wake Forest, NCNC58,14714.8%+4.1 pts

26Southern Pines, NCNC17,35714.8%+2.4 pts

27Clemmons, NCNC22,80814.8%+0.4 pts

28Elon, NCNC11,36614.7%–

29Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50514.4%−2.8 pts

30Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87014.3%+7.9 pts

31Gibsonville, NCNC9,87614.3%+6.5 pts

32Greenville, NCNC96,44314.2%−0.2 pts

33Asheville, NCNC93,52314.2%+3.4 pts

34Lewisville, NCNC14,42113.9%+1.2 pts

35Harrisburg, NCNC20,74213.9%+8.8 pts

36Belmont, NCNC16,41513.6%+7.3 pts

37Waxhaw, NCNC23,14013.4%+9.1 pts

38Matthews, NCNC32,76913.1%+0.6 pts

39Black Mountain, NCNC8,49112.9%+2.6 pts

40Charlotte, NCNC964,78412.7%+2.3 pts

41Brevard, NCNC8,09812.6%+2.2 pts

42Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56612.6%+2.4 pts

43Pittsboro, NCNC5,05412.5%+3.8 pts

44Hendersonville, NCNC15,86712.3%+0.6 pts

45Greensboro, NCNC308,66711.9%+1.1 pts

46Huntersville, NCNC68,53511.8%−0.3 pts

47Wilmington, NCNC126,80911.7%+3.3 pts

48Winterville, NCNC10,97311.6%+7.5 pts

49Knightdale, NCNC23,14411.2%+3.3 pts

50Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27111.2%+0.2 pts

51Leland, NCNC35,73111.2%+8.8 pts

52Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54010.9%+3.3 pts

53Pineville, NCNC11,85110.5%+4.2 pts

54Mebane, NCNC21,95210.3%+3.2 pts

55Fletcher, NCNC8,37310.2%+3.2 pts

56Stallings, NCNC17,76010.2%+7.8 pts

57Morganton, NCNC17,8499.8%+2.4 pts

58Mocksville, NCNC6,2829.7%+6.0 pts

59Woodfin, NCNC8,2299.6%+6.3 pts

60Morehead City, NCNC10,4349.5%+4.2 pts

61Murraysville, NCNC16,3399.5%+5.5 pts

62Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5369.4%+2.0 pts

63Hickory, NCNC45,9759.3%+0.7 pts

64Mount Airy, NCNC10,6829.3%+4.2 pts

65Cramerton, NCNC5,7139.0%+1.3 pts

66Etowah, NCNC7,9689.0%+2.7 pts

67Oak Island, NCNC9,3379.0%+2.2 pts

68Garner, NCNC41,5628.9%+2.2 pts

69Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768.6%+2.5 pts

70Rolesville, NCNC12,8398.5%+3.6 pts

71Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7318.5%+1.2 pts

72Aberdeen, NCNC10,0668.4%+1.7 pts

73New Bern, NCNC34,7248.2%+0.9 pts

74High Point, NCNC120,5718.1%+1.6 pts

75Burlington, NCNC61,4968.1%+2.0 pts

76Concord, NCNC114,5988.0%+2.1 pts

77Fayetteville, NCNC209,1208.0%−0.3 pts

78Lumberton, NCNC18,9558.0%+0.2 pts

79Kernersville, NCNC29,1287.9%+0.7 pts

80Cherryville, NCNC6,5237.9%+5.0 pts

81Clinton, NCNC8,4667.9%+2.2 pts

82Salisbury, NCNC36,8797.8%+1.4 pts

83Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.8%+1.7 pts

84Northchase, NCNC5,8967.7%–

85Waynesville, NCNC11,0067.6%+1.6 pts

86Indian Trail, NCNC44,3037.6%+2.3 pts

87Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3867.4%+3.0 pts

88Mills River, NCNC7,5047.4%–

89Jacksonville, NCNC72,7327.3%+1.8 pts

90Kings Grant, NCNC9,0037.3%+2.5 pts

91Wendell, NCNC19,6877.3%+3.2 pts

92Washington, NCNC9,9107.2%+0.9 pts

93Gastonia, NCNC87,0677.2%+1.6 pts

94Shallotte, NCNC5,3357.2%−0.1 pts

95Clayton, NCNC32,6337.0%+1.1 pts

96Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6227.0%+1.7 pts

97Shelby, NCNC23,3096.9%+0.8 pts

98Statesville, NCNC32,1816.9%+1.6 pts

99Laurinburg, NCNC14,5826.9%−0.9 pts

100Hampstead, NCNC9,2926.7%–

101Goldsboro, NCNC35,0126.6%+0.2 pts

102Stokesdale, NCNC6,1336.6%−1.6 pts

103Angier, NCNC9,4106.5%+3.9 pts

104Mount Holly, NCNC19,0336.3%+3.6 pts

105Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.2%+0.4 pts

106Midway, NCNC5,1046.2%–

107Piney Green, NCNC14,0786.1%+1.6 pts

108Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9086.0%+4.6 pts

109Sanford, NCNC34,1385.9%−0.8 pts

110Smithfield, NCNC13,1145.8%−0.2 pts

111Nashville, NCNC5,9115.6%−0.2 pts

112Spring Lake, NCNC11,2525.6%+3.4 pts

113Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8755.5%+2.1 pts

114Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1205.5%−0.5 pts

115Williamston, NCNC5,0865.4%−0.1 pts

116Albemarle, NCNC17,7695.4%+0.3 pts

117Conover, NCNC8,9385.4%+0.1 pts

118Wilson, NCNC49,5725.3%+0.2 pts

119Asheboro, NCNC27,9905.2%+0.1 pts

120Ayden, NCNC5,2635.1%+0.6 pts

121Creedmoor, NCNC5,0465.0%−0.9 pts

122Half Moon, NCNC7,3785.0%−0.0 pts

123Sawmills, NCNC5,1055.0%+2.0 pts

124Walkertown, NCNC6,1205.0%+1.7 pts

125Dallas, NCNC6,3924.9%+3.5 pts

126Dunn, NCNC8,8144.9%+0.8 pts

127Swannanoa, NCNC6,9014.8%+1.9 pts

128Lincolnton, NCNC12,4654.8%−0.2 pts

129Kinston, NCNC19,7054.8%−0.4 pts

130Marion, NCNC7,4404.6%+0.3 pts

131Locust, NCNC6,1204.6%+1.0 pts

132Graham, NCNC20,1314.6%+0.9 pts

133Hope Mills, NCNC18,3244.6%+1.1 pts

134Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4944.6%−1.1 pts

135Lenoir, NCNC18,3724.5%+0.6 pts

136Wrightsboro, NCNC6,2874.5%+1.3 pts

137Monroe, NCNC42,6444.4%−0.5 pts

138Tarboro, NCNC10,9794.3%−0.5 pts

139Lexington, NCNC20,2384.3%+0.0 pts

140Newton, NCNC13,8224.3%+0.4 pts

141Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1174.2%+1.4 pts

142Midland, NCNC5,1514.2%–

143Siler City, NCNC8,1554.2%+2.2 pts

144Hamlet, NCNC5,8704.1%+0.8 pts

145King, NCNC7,9774.0%−1.0 pts

146Selma, NCNC7,4064.0%+1.8 pts

147Thomasville, NCNC27,7333.9%+1.1 pts

148Lillington, NCNC5,0403.8%−0.1 pts

149Oxford, NCNC8,9853.8%−1.8 pts

150Kannapolis, NCNC61,7083.7%+1.0 pts

151Henderson, NCNC15,0133.7%−1.2 pts

152East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3233.6%+2.1 pts

153Archdale, NCNC12,2543.5%+0.9 pts

154Rockingham, NCNC8,8153.4%−1.4 pts

155Havelock, NCNC17,4303.4%+0.0 pts

156Long View, NCNC5,3873.4%+0.3 pts

157Archer Lodge, NCNC5,6493.4%–

158Moyock, NCNC5,6843.4%–

159Reidsville, NCNC14,6923.4%−1.5 pts

160Silver Lake, NCNC6,5633.3%−3.1 pts

161St. Stephens, NCNC9,4573.2%+0.1 pts

162Butner, NCNC8,1122.5%−0.7 pts

163Roxboro, NCNC8,3802.3%−0.5 pts

164Wadesboro, NCNC5,0352.2%−2.4 pts

165Eden, NCNC15,5002.1%−1.4 pts

166Trinity, NCNC7,2742.0%−0.8 pts

167Zebulon, NCNC11,9331.8%−2.0 pts

168Forest City, NCNC7,4101.7%−1.6 pts

169Unionville, NCNC7,3220.9%−2.7 pts

170Bessemer City, NCNC5,8340.0%−2.4 pts

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

Download CSV (full list, 170 rows)

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