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 (2023 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01Orange County, NCNC152,49823.5%−13%

02Durham County, NCNC347,24014.4%−18%

03Watauga County, NCNC54,78612.0%−17%

04Wake County, NCNC1,257,23510.9%−24%

05Jackson County, NCNC45,0399.2%−21%

06Pitt County, NCNC182,9368.3%−10%

07Forsyth County, NCNC401,7187.7%−18%

08Chatham County, NCNC85,1117.3%−37%

09Guilford County, NCNC562,2347.2%−20%

10Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3837.2%−32%

11Polk County, NCNC20,5337.1%−26%

12Buncombe County, NCNC277,4176.7%−26%

13Henderson County, NCNC122,3756.3%−26%

14Dare County, NCNC38,2456.1%−28%

15Moore County, NCNC110,6196.0%−37%

16New Hanover County, NCNC245,9595.9%−32%

17Transylvania County, NCNC34,2115.9%−35%

18Carteret County, NCNC70,4695.1%−24%

19Cumberland County, NCNC338,4735.1%−15%

20Avery County, NCNC18,1104.7%−10%

21Graham County, NCNC8,1904.4%+13%

22Clay County, NCNC12,2394.4%−29%

23Macon County, NCNC39,2324.3%−24%

24Haywood County, NCNC63,3694.3%−28%

25Craven County, NCNC105,0254.3%−26%

26Madison County, NCNC22,5534.3%−34%

27Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2014.1%−15%

28Union County, NCNC267,6744.0%−30%

29Wayne County, NCNC122,2783.9%−17%

30Wilson County, NCNC81,1503.8%−2%

31Lee County, NCNC70,2583.8%−35%

32Alamance County, NCNC186,1773.8%−30%

33Alleghany County, NCNC11,4793.6%+5%

34Onslow County, NCNC217,1753.6%−19%

35Burke County, NCNC88,6553.6%−10%

36Pender County, NCNC72,1113.6%−2%

37Davie County, NCNC45,8553.6%−29%

38Pamlico County, NCNC12,7583.5%−32%

39Chowan County, NCNC14,0823.5%−33%

40Scotland County, NCNC33,3223.5%−34%

41Hertford County, NCNC19,0153.5%−3%

42Cleveland County, NCNC103,3253.5%−19%

43Rowan County, NCNC155,0963.4%−12%

44Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7253.4%−28%

45Iredell County, NCNC211,7983.4%−29%

46Catawba County, NCNC170,1723.3%−29%

47Robeson County, NCNC119,9413.3%−10%

48Swain County, NCNC14,0243.3%−20%

49Mitchell County, NCNC15,0623.3%−23%

50Camden County, NCNC11,3153.2%−38%

51Harnett County, NCNC150,1373.2%−7%

52Nash County, NCNC99,3653.2%−34%

53Beaufort County, NCNC44,6703.1%−39%

54Rutherford County, NCNC65,7453.1%−20%

55Lenoir County, NCNC55,8373.1%−16%

56Brunswick County, NCNC174,7023.1%−39%

57Ashe County, NCNC27,5143.1%−21%

58Yancey County, NCNC19,0843.0%−29%

59Johnston County, NCNC256,4483.0%−18%

60Columbus County, NCNC50,4872.9%−11%

61Surry County, NCNC72,2872.9%−11%

62Perquimans County, NCNC13,4902.9%−22%

63Cherokee County, NCNC30,8302.9%−26%

64Gaston County, NCNC246,5582.9%−24%

65McDowell County, NCNC45,1982.9%+9%

66Montgomery County, NCNC26,4032.9%+7%

67Granville County, NCNC61,4212.9%−22%

68Wilkes County, NCNC66,2332.8%−22%

69Lincoln County, NCNC98,6542.8%−17%

70Caldwell County, NCNC81,1052.8%−12%

71Greene County, NCNC20,7002.7%−12%

72Rockingham County, NCNC94,1952.7%−16%

73Hyde County, NCNC4,5542.7%−12%

74Davidson County, NCNC180,1822.6%−21%

75Richmond County, NCNC42,0412.5%−26%

76Currituck County, NCNC33,1582.5%−16%

77Sampson County, NCNC61,5042.5%−22%

78Franklin County, NCNC82,0372.5%−27%

79Stanly County, NCNC68,8302.4%−33%

80Warren County, NCNC18,8982.4%−47%

81Northampton County, NCNC16,4912.3%−1%

82Vance County, NCNC42,6382.3%−29%

83Randolph County, NCNC149,5162.3%−21%

84Martin County, NCNC21,6012.3%−31%

85Anson County, NCNC21,7582.2%−15%

86Caswell County, NCNC22,5632.2%−3%

87Gates County, NCNC10,2342.2%−2%

88Halifax County, NCNC46,5342.2%−30%

89Bladen County, NCNC30,0072.2%−31%

90Alexander County, NCNC36,9582.1%−19%

91Bertie County, NCNC17,0862.1%−17%

92Jones County, NCNC9,5752.1%−21%

93Duplin County, NCNC51,5712.0%−35%

94Yadkin County, NCNC38,3252.0%−31%

95Person County, NCNC40,6362.0%−23%

96Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1211.9%−20%

97Hoke County, NCNC56,9391.9%−43%

98Washington County, NCNC10,6381.7%−56%

99Stokes County, NCNC46,1261.6%−30%

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5371.6%−42%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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