RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most graduate degrees, North Carolina counties · 1990

North Carolina counties ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (1990 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS –

01Orange County, NCNC152,49823.5%–

02Durham County, NCNC347,24014.4%–

03Watauga County, NCNC54,78612.0%–

04Wake County, NCNC1,257,23510.9%–

05Jackson County, NCNC45,0399.2%–

06Pitt County, NCNC182,9368.3%–

07Forsyth County, NCNC401,7187.7%–

08Chatham County, NCNC85,1117.3%–

09Guilford County, NCNC562,2347.2%–

10Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3837.2%–

11Polk County, NCNC20,5337.1%–

12Buncombe County, NCNC277,4176.7%–

13Henderson County, NCNC122,3756.3%–

14Dare County, NCNC38,2456.1%–

15Moore County, NCNC110,6196.0%–

16New Hanover County, NCNC245,9595.9%–

17Transylvania County, NCNC34,2115.9%–

18Carteret County, NCNC70,4695.1%–

19Cumberland County, NCNC338,4735.1%–

20Avery County, NCNC18,1104.7%–

21Graham County, NCNC8,1904.4%–

22Clay County, NCNC12,2394.4%–

23Macon County, NCNC39,2324.3%–

24Haywood County, NCNC63,3694.3%–

25Craven County, NCNC105,0254.3%–

26Madison County, NCNC22,5534.3%–

27Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2014.1%–

28Union County, NCNC267,6744.0%–

29Wayne County, NCNC122,2783.9%–

30Wilson County, NCNC81,1503.8%–

31Lee County, NCNC70,2583.8%–

32Alamance County, NCNC186,1773.8%–

33Alleghany County, NCNC11,4793.6%–

34Onslow County, NCNC217,1753.6%–

35Burke County, NCNC88,6553.6%–

36Pender County, NCNC72,1113.6%–

37Davie County, NCNC45,8553.6%–

38Pamlico County, NCNC12,7583.5%–

39Chowan County, NCNC14,0823.5%–

40Scotland County, NCNC33,3223.5%–

41Hertford County, NCNC19,0153.5%–

42Cleveland County, NCNC103,3253.5%–

43Rowan County, NCNC155,0963.4%–

44Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7253.4%–

45Iredell County, NCNC211,7983.4%–

46Catawba County, NCNC170,1723.3%–

47Robeson County, NCNC119,9413.3%–

48Swain County, NCNC14,0243.3%–

49Mitchell County, NCNC15,0623.3%–

50Camden County, NCNC11,3153.2%–

51Harnett County, NCNC150,1373.2%–

52Nash County, NCNC99,3653.2%–

53Beaufort County, NCNC44,6703.1%–

54Rutherford County, NCNC65,7453.1%–

55Lenoir County, NCNC55,8373.1%–

56Brunswick County, NCNC174,7023.1%–

57Ashe County, NCNC27,5143.1%–

58Yancey County, NCNC19,0843.0%–

59Johnston County, NCNC256,4483.0%–

60Columbus County, NCNC50,4872.9%–

61Surry County, NCNC72,2872.9%–

62Perquimans County, NCNC13,4902.9%–

63Cherokee County, NCNC30,8302.9%–

64Gaston County, NCNC246,5582.9%–

65McDowell County, NCNC45,1982.9%–

66Montgomery County, NCNC26,4032.9%–

67Granville County, NCNC61,4212.9%–

68Wilkes County, NCNC66,2332.8%–

69Lincoln County, NCNC98,6542.8%–

70Caldwell County, NCNC81,1052.8%–

71Greene County, NCNC20,7002.7%–

72Rockingham County, NCNC94,1952.7%–

73Hyde County, NCNC4,5542.7%–

74Davidson County, NCNC180,1822.6%–

75Richmond County, NCNC42,0412.5%–

76Currituck County, NCNC33,1582.5%–

77Sampson County, NCNC61,5042.5%–

78Franklin County, NCNC82,0372.5%–

79Stanly County, NCNC68,8302.4%–

80Warren County, NCNC18,8982.4%–

81Northampton County, NCNC16,4912.3%–

82Vance County, NCNC42,6382.3%–

83Randolph County, NCNC149,5162.3%–

84Martin County, NCNC21,6012.3%–

85Anson County, NCNC21,7582.2%–

86Caswell County, NCNC22,5632.2%–

87Gates County, NCNC10,2342.2%–

88Halifax County, NCNC46,5342.2%–

89Bladen County, NCNC30,0072.2%–

90Alexander County, NCNC36,9582.1%–

91Bertie County, NCNC17,0862.1%–

92Jones County, NCNC9,5752.1%–

93Duplin County, NCNC51,5712.0%–

94Yadkin County, NCNC38,3252.0%–

95Person County, NCNC40,6362.0%–

96Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1211.9%–

97Hoke County, NCNC56,9391.9%–

98Washington County, NCNC10,6381.7%–

99Stokes County, NCNC46,1261.6%–

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5371.6%–

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS