RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most graduate degrees, North Carolina counties · 2020

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, NCNC152,49834.8%+28%

02Durham County, NCNC347,24023.7%+36%

03Wake County, NCNC1,257,23520.5%+44%

04Chatham County, NCNC85,11120.1%+73%

05Watauga County, NCNC54,78619.4%+34%

06Buncombe County, NCNC277,41716.3%+83%

07Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38315.6%+49%

08Moore County, NCNC110,61914.6%+56%

09New Hanover County, NCNC245,95914.5%+66%

10Guilford County, NCNC562,23413.2%+46%

11Forsyth County, NCNC401,71812.9%+36%

12Transylvania County, NCNC34,21112.8%+42%

13Jackson County, NCNC45,03912.7%+10%

14Dare County, NCNC38,24512.7%+50%

15Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72512.3%+161%

16Polk County, NCNC20,53312.2%+27%

17Pitt County, NCNC182,93611.7%+27%

18Carteret County, NCNC70,46911.5%+72%

19Henderson County, NCNC122,37511.5%+35%

20Union County, NCNC267,67411.4%+102%

21Madison County, NCNC22,55311.3%+74%

22Haywood County, NCNC63,36910.8%+81%

23Brunswick County, NCNC174,70210.5%+107%

24Pender County, NCNC72,1119.7%+169%

25Pamlico County, NCNC12,7589.7%+86%

26Craven County, NCNC105,0259.5%+65%

27Clay County, NCNC12,2399.5%+54%

28Avery County, NCNC18,1109.0%+72%

29Iredell County, NCNC211,7989.0%+90%

30Cumberland County, NCNC338,4738.9%+49%

31Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2018.8%+83%

32Cherokee County, NCNC30,8308.6%+119%

33Yancey County, NCNC19,0848.3%+97%

34Alleghany County, NCNC11,4798.2%+137%

35Beaufort County, NCNC44,6708.2%+59%

36Davie County, NCNC45,8558.2%+63%

37Chowan County, NCNC14,0828.2%+57%

38Macon County, NCNC39,2328.2%+43%

39Swain County, NCNC14,0248.1%+96%

40Perquimans County, NCNC13,4908.1%+116%

41Alamance County, NCNC186,1777.9%+47%

42Granville County, NCNC61,4217.8%+112%

43Mitchell County, NCNC15,0627.4%+75%

44Lincoln County, NCNC98,6547.2%+114%

45Cleveland County, NCNC103,3257.2%+68%

46Onslow County, NCNC217,1757.2%+62%

47Harnett County, NCNC150,1377.2%+111%

48Currituck County, NCNC33,1587.1%+132%

49Johnston County, NCNC256,4486.9%+91%

50Gaston County, NCNC246,5586.9%+80%

51Catawba County, NCNC170,1726.9%+45%

52Hertford County, NCNC19,0156.8%+91%

53Wilson County, NCNC81,1506.7%+71%

54Nash County, NCNC99,3656.5%+36%

55Ashe County, NCNC27,5146.5%+67%

56Camden County, NCNC11,3156.4%+21%

57Richmond County, NCNC42,0416.3%+82%

58Rutherford County, NCNC65,7456.2%+59%

59Wayne County, NCNC122,2786.2%+31%

60Lee County, NCNC70,2586.2%+6%

61Burke County, NCNC88,6556.0%+52%

62Vance County, NCNC42,6385.9%+81%

63Franklin County, NCNC82,0375.8%+73%

64Hoke County, NCNC56,9395.8%+77%

65Bertie County, NCNC17,0865.7%+122%

66Martin County, NCNC21,6015.6%+70%

67Surry County, NCNC72,2875.6%+71%

68Davidson County, NCNC180,1825.6%+73%

69Rowan County, NCNC155,0965.5%+42%

70Warren County, NCNC18,8985.5%+23%

71McDowell County, NCNC45,1985.4%+104%

72Caswell County, NCNC22,5635.4%+135%

73Scotland County, NCNC33,3225.3%−0%

74Bladen County, NCNC30,0075.3%+72%

75Montgomery County, NCNC26,4035.1%+91%

76Rockingham County, NCNC94,1955.1%+58%

77Stanly County, NCNC68,8304.9%+37%

78Wilkes County, NCNC66,2334.9%+35%

79Caldwell County, NCNC81,1054.9%+55%

80Northampton County, NCNC16,4914.8%+105%

81Gates County, NCNC10,2344.8%+117%

82Halifax County, NCNC46,5344.8%+55%

83Robeson County, NCNC119,9414.7%+29%

84Person County, NCNC40,6364.7%+82%

85Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1214.6%+94%

86Randolph County, NCNC149,5164.6%+55%

87Lenoir County, NCNC55,8374.5%+23%

88Graham County, NCNC8,1904.4%+12%

89Duplin County, NCNC51,5714.4%+39%

90Sampson County, NCNC61,5044.3%+32%

91Alexander County, NCNC36,9584.2%+60%

92Columbus County, NCNC50,4874.2%+27%

93Stokes County, NCNC46,1264.2%+84%

94Jones County, NCNC9,5753.4%+28%

95Anson County, NCNC21,7583.2%+21%

96Yadkin County, NCNC38,3252.7%−7%

97Greene County, NCNC20,7002.7%−12%

98Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5372.7%−3%

99Hyde County, NCNC4,5542.6%−16%

100Washington County, NCNC10,6382.1%−44%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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