Most Educated Cities in North Carolina
Cities ranked by highest percentage of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher · 50 cities · Updated 2026-04-05
This ranking shows the most educated cities in North Carolina based on data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. All 50 cities are sorted by highest percentage of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher from highest to lowest. Grandfather Village leads the ranking with a value of 88.0% and a population of 25.
The top three cities are Grandfather Village (88.0%), Biltmore Forest (85.3%), and Bald Head Island (84.2%). Data is updated nightly from official Census APIs. Click any city name to view its full demographic profile, or see the national most educated cities ranking to compare across all 50 states. You can also explore all cities in North Carolina.
| Rank | City | Value | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Grandfather Village | 88.0% | 25 |
| #2 | Biltmore Forest | 85.3% | 1,536 |
| #3 | Bald Head Island | 84.2% | 149 |
| #4 | Blue Clay Farms | 82.4% | 179 |
| #5 | Glenwood | 81.5% | 181 |
| #6 | Marvin | 79.7% | 6,542 |
| #7 | Briar Chapel | 79.4% | 6,084 |
| #8 | Fearrington Village | 77.9% | 2,535 |
| #9 | Governors Club | 77.6% | 1,772 |
| #10 | Chapel Hill | 77.2% | 59,889 |
| #11 | Seven Devils | 76.2% | 390 |
| #12 | Davidson | 75.6% | 14,852 |
| #13 | Carolina Meadows | 75.4% | 536 |
| #14 | Morrisville | 73.9% | 30,471 |
| #15 | Governors Village | 73.0% | 2,148 |
| #16 | Valle Crucis | 72.9% | 243 |
| #17 | Wrightsville Beach | 71.6% | 2,679 |
| #18 | Lake Santeetlah | 71.4% | 116 |
| #19 | Holden Beach | 71.2% | 1,047 |
| #20 | Carrboro | 70.4% | 21,170 |
| #21 | Cary | 70.2% | 176,686 |
| #22 | Rodanthe | 68.8% | 306 |
| #23 | Walnut Creek | 68.0% | 1,684 |
| #24 | Holly Springs | 67.7% | 43,429 |
| #25 | Porters Neck | 67.5% | 7,102 |
| #26 | Lake Norman of Iredell | 66.7% | 12,496 |
| #27 | Apex | 66.6% | 67,765 |
| #28 | Rolesville | 66.5% | 10,200 |
| #29 | Buies Creek | 66.0% | 3,613 |
| #30 | Indian Beach | 66.0% | 229 |
| #31 | Weaverville | 66.0% | 4,618 |
| #32 | Weddington | 65.9% | 13,468 |
| #33 | St. James | 65.7% | 6,901 |
| #34 | Duck | 64.5% | 662 |
| #35 | Ocean Isle Beach | 64.4% | 796 |
| #36 | Forest Hills | 64.2% | 366 |
| #37 | Topsail Beach | 63.2% | 444 |
| #38 | Pine Knoll Shores | 62.8% | 1,387 |
| #39 | Pinehurst | 62.0% | 17,992 |
| #40 | Hillsborough | 61.8% | 9,656 |
| #41 | Brandywine Bay | 61.1% | 1,404 |
| #42 | Trent Woods | 60.8% | 4,086 |
| #43 | Bayshore | 60.6% | 2,870 |
| #44 | Whispering Pines | 60.3% | 5,081 |
| #45 | Blowing Rock | 59.9% | 848 |
| #46 | Laurel Park | 59.8% | 2,391 |
| #47 | Cornelius | 59.6% | 32,009 |
| #48 | Summerfield | 59.4% | 11,031 |
| #49 | Washington Park | 59.3% | 470 |
| #50 | Sugar Mountain | 58.9% | 503 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What city has the most educated in North Carolina?
Grandfather Village ranks #1 for most educated cities in North Carolina with a value of 88.0% and a population of 25.
How many cities are ranked for most educated cities in North Carolina?
There are 50 cities ranked for most educated cities in North Carolina. Rankings are based on data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
How does North Carolina compare to other states for most educated cities?
You can compare North Carolina's city rankings to other states or view the national ranking at our national most educated cities page, which lists the top 100 cities across all 50 states.