Ranking of North Carolina Cities and Places By Percentage of Population Aged 25 years and above with an Educational attainment of High School Graduate or Equivalent in 2021 (ACS-5Yrs)

Updated on September 3, 2025.

Based on the US Census ACS-5Yrs estimates, in 2021, the percentage of the population of North Carolina (aged 25 years and above) who had an educational attainment of High School Graduate or Equivalent was 25.23%. Among all North Carolina cities and places with a population of 10K or higher, Kings Mountain city had the highest percentage of its population (aged 25 years and above) with an educational attainment of High School Graduate or Equivalent (38.73%), followed by Eden city (37.10%), and Kinston city (35.82%).

The chart below shows the top 10 North Carolina cities and places (with a population of 10K+), and the table below shows the ranking of all North Carolina cities and places (with a population of 10K+).

You can see similar information for other educational attainments.

You can also see similar information for other states and for the United States.

Ranking of North Carolina Cities and Places By Percentage of Population (Aged 25yrs+) with an Educational Attainment of High School Graduate or Equivalent in 2021
Kings Mountain city
Eden city
Kinston city
Roanoke Rapids city
Rocky Mount city
Tarboro town
Henderson city
Laurinburg city
Thomasville city
Lenoir city
Ranking of North Carolina Cities and Places By Percentage of Population (Aged 25yrs+) with an Educational Attainment of High School Graduate or Equivalent in 2021
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Rank City of Place Percentage of Population (Aged 25yrs+) (%)
1 Kings Mountain city 38.73
2 Eden city 37.10
3 Kinston city 35.82
4 Roanoke Rapids city 35.03
5 Rocky Mount city 34.93
6 Tarboro town 34.76
7 Henderson city 34.45
8 Laurinburg city 33.99
9 Thomasville city 33.54
10 Lenoir city 33.35
11 Graham city 33.28
12 Lexington city 31.74
13 Reidsville city 31.67
14 Newton city 31.53
15 Albemarle city 31.48
16 Goldsboro city 31.32
17 Wilson city 30.96
18 Shelby city 30.94
19 Havelock city 29.89
20 Piney Green CDP 29.87
21 Lincolnton city 29.22
22 Asheboro city 29.05
23 Archdale city 29.04
24 Monroe city 28.96
25 Jacksonville city 28.92
26 Hope Mills town 28.25
27 Salisbury city 28.04
28 Statesville city 27.92
29 Gastonia city 27.69
30 Smithfield town 27.40
31 Elizabeth City city 27.24
32 Kannapolis city 26.94
33 Lumberton city 26.62
34 Sanford city 25.61
35 Burlington city 25.59
36 Fayetteville city 25.04
37 Clayton town 25.02
38 Winston-Salem city 24.90
39 Mount Holly city 24.72
40 Indian Trail town 24.59
41 Leland town 24.38
42 Spring Lake town 24.18
43 Waynesville town 23.93
44 Kernersville town 23.77
45 Hickory city 23.67
46 High Point city 23.63
47 Mount Airy city 23.57
48 Mebane city 22.94
49 Morganton city 22.75
50 Concord city 22.55
51 New Bern city 22.31
52 Mint Hill town 22.09
53 Greenville city 21.72
54 Greensboro city 21.31
55 Anderson Creek CDP 20.76
56 Hendersonville city 20.72
57 Mooresville town 20.40
58 Lewisville town 20.17
59 Garner town 19.93
60 Wilmington city 19.68
61 Belmont city 18.80
62 Pineville town 18.16
63 Asheville city 17.64
64 Winterville town 17.56
65 Fuquay-Varina town 17.50
66 Murraysville CDP 17.17
67 Harrisburg town 16.96
68 Charlotte city 16.86
69 Summerfield town 16.79
70 Stallings town 16.54
71 Durham city 16.25
72 Knightdale town 15.72
73 Raleigh city 15.70
74 Waxhaw town 15.67
75 Clemmons village 15.63
76 Myrtle Grove CDP 15.44
77 Boone town 15.03
78 Southern Pines town 14.76
79 Matthews town 14.48
80 Huntersville town 14.17
81 Elon town 13.70
82 Wake Forest town 13.34
83 Spout Springs CDP 11.88
84 Lake Norman of Iredell CDP 11.87
85 Cornelius town 11.75
86 Pinehurst village 11.32
87 Weddington town 9.85
88 Apex town 9.56
89 Morrisville town 8.97
90 Holly Springs town 8.70
91 Cary town 8.41
92 Chapel Hill town 7.15
93 Carrboro town 7.14
94 Davidson town 5.98