Data / Rankings / High school graduate or higher, population 25 and over / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over

Dare County had the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over of 100 counties in 2022, at 94.9%. Greene County had the lowest, at 76.1%. The median was 87.2% and the figure for North Carolina was 89.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest94.9Dare County
Lowest76.1Greene County
Median87.2100 counties
North Carolina89.4History

Map of counties, 2022

Alamance County: 88.3 %Alexander County: 86 %Alleghany County: 82.3 %Anson County: 82.5 %Ashe County: 87 %Avery County: 86.9 %Beaufort County: 86.8 %Bertie County: 80.5 %Bladen County: 88.2 %Brunswick County: 93.5 %Buncombe County: 92.1 %Burke County: 84.8 %Cabarrus County: 92 %Caldwell County: 81.9 %Camden County: 92.3 %Carteret County: 92.1 %Caswell County: 83.7 %Catawba County: 87.4 %Chatham County: 89.4 %Cherokee County: 91.2 %Chowan County: 86.6 %Clay County: 88.3 %Cleveland County: 86.8 %Columbus County: 85.6 %Craven County: 90.9 %Cumberland County: 92.3 %Currituck County: 92.8 %Dare County: 94.9 %Davidson County: 86.6 %Davie County: 89.8 %Duplin County: 80.3 %Durham County: 90.7 %Edgecombe County: 85.6 %Forsyth County: 89.2 %Franklin County: 86.9 %Gaston County: 87.6 %Gates County: 90.5 %Graham County: 84.1 %Granville County: 85.8 %Greene County: 76.1 %Guilford County: 90.1 %Halifax County: 81.1 %Harnett County: 88.2 %Haywood County: 90.4 %Henderson County: 91.6 %Hertford County: 83.9 %Hoke County: 88.9 %Hyde County: 81 %Iredell County: 90.9 %Jackson County: 89.3 %Johnston County: 89.5 %Jones County: 85.8 %Lee County: 85.2 %Lenoir County: 82.1 %Lincoln County: 89.8 %McDowell County: 86.2 %Macon County: 89.5 %Madison County: 88.9 %Martin County: 82 %Mecklenburg County: 90.9 %Mitchell County: 89.8 %Montgomery County: 83.9 %Moore County: 92.8 %Nash County: 86.6 %New Hanover County: 93.5 %Northampton County: 83.5 %Onslow County: 92 %Orange County: 93.4 %Pamlico County: 90 %Pasquotank County: 89.7 %Pender County: 90.2 %Perquimans County: 86.4 %Person County: 88.4 %Pitt County: 90.2 %Polk County: 92.8 %Randolph County: 84 %Richmond County: 82.7 %Robeson County: 78.4 %Rockingham County: 83.6 %Rowan County: 87.4 %Rutherford County: 85.9 %Sampson County: 82.6 %Scotland County: 82.2 %Stanly County: 86 %Stokes County: 87.5 %Surry County: 82 %Swain County: 85.1 %Transylvania County: 93.8 %Tyrrell County: 77.3 %Union County: 90.5 %Vance County: 84.7 %Wake County: 94 %Warren County: 85.5 %Washington County: 85.8 %Watauga County: 92.5 %Wayne County: 85.7 %Wilkes County: 81.5 %Wilson County: 83.4 %Yadkin County: 86.5 %Yancey County: 88.5 %
  • Under 83
  • 83 to 86
  • 86 to 87
  • 87 to 90
  • 90 to 91
  • 91 and over
%, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2022

Dare County: 94.9 %Dare County94.9Wake County: 94 %Wake County94Transylvania County: 93.8 %Transylvania County93.8Brunswick County: 93.5 %Brunswick County93.5New Hanover County: 93.5 %New Hanover County93.5Orange County: 93.4 %Orange County93.4Currituck County: 92.8 %Currituck County92.8Moore County: 92.8 %Moore County92.8Polk County: 92.8 %Polk County92.8Watauga County: 92.5 %Watauga County92.5Cumberland County: 92.3 %Cumberland County92.3Camden County: 92.3 %Camden County92.3Buncombe County: 92.1 %Buncombe County92.1Carteret County: 92.1 %Carteret County92.1Onslow County: 92 %Onslow County92Cabarrus County: 92 %Cabarrus County92Henderson County: 91.6 %Henderson County91.6Cherokee County: 91.2 %Cherokee County91.2Mecklenburg County: 90.9 %Mecklenburg County90.9Craven County: 90.9 %Craven County90.9Iredell County: 90.9 %Iredell County90.9Durham County: 90.7 %Durham County90.7Gates County: 90.5 %Gates County90.5Union County: 90.5 %Union County90.5Haywood County: 90.4 %Haywood County90.4Pender County: 90.2 %Pender County90.2Pitt County: 90.2 %Pitt County90.2Guilford County: 90.1 %Guilford County90.1Pamlico County: 90 %Pamlico County90Davie County: 89.8 %Davie County89.8Lincoln County: 89.8 %Lincoln County89.8Mitchell County: 89.8 %Mitchell County89.8Pasquotank County: 89.7 %Pasquotank County89.7Johnston County: 89.5 %Johnston County89.5Macon County: 89.5 %Macon County89.5Chatham County: 89.4 %Chatham County89.4Jackson County: 89.3 %Jackson County89.3Forsyth County: 89.2 %Forsyth County89.2Madison County: 88.9 %Madison County88.9Hoke County: 88.9 %Hoke County88.9Dare County: 94.9 %Dare County94.9Wake County: 94 %Wake County94Transylvania County: 93.8 %Transylvania County93.8Brunswick County: 93.5 %Brunswick County93.5New Hanover County: 93.5 %New Hanover County93.5Orange County: 93.4 %Orange County93.4Currituck County: 92.8 %Currituck County92.8Moore County: 92.8 %Moore County92.8Polk County: 92.8 %Polk County92.8Watauga County: 92.5 %Watauga County92.5Cumberland County: 92.3 %Cumberland County92.3Camden County: 92.3 %Camden County92.3Buncombe County: 92.1 %Buncombe County92.1Carteret County: 92.1 %Carteret County92.1Onslow County: 92 %Onslow County92Cabarrus County: 92 %Cabarrus County92Henderson County: 91.6 %Henderson County91.6Cherokee County: 91.2 %Cherokee County91.2Mecklenburg County: 90.9 %Mecklenburg County90.9Craven County: 90.9 %Craven County90.9Iredell County: 90.9 %Iredell County90.9Durham County: 90.7 %Durham County90.7Gates County: 90.5 %Gates County90.5Union County: 90.5 %Union County90.5Haywood County: 90.4 %Haywood County90.4Pender County: 90.2 %Pender County90.2Pitt County: 90.2 %Pitt County90.2Guilford County: 90.1 %Guilford County90.1Pamlico County: 90 %Pamlico County90Davie County: 89.8 %Davie County89.8Lincoln County: 89.8 %Lincoln County89.8Mitchell County: 89.8 %Mitchell County89.8Pasquotank County: 89.7 %Pasquotank County89.7Johnston County: 89.5 %Johnston County89.5Macon County: 89.5 %Macon County89.5Chatham County: 89.4 %Chatham County89.4Jackson County: 89.3 %Jackson County89.3Forsyth County: 89.2 %Forsyth County89.2Madison County: 88.9 %Madison County88.9Hoke County: 88.9 %Hoke County88.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Dare County94.9-0.4 pts
2Wake County94+0.3 pts
3Transylvania County93.8+1.8 pts
4Brunswick County93.5+0.8 pts
5New Hanover County93.5-0.3 pts
6Orange County93.4-0.3 pts
7Currituck County92.8+0.6 pts
8Moore County92.8+0.5 pts
9Polk County92.8+0.1 pts
10Watauga County92.5-0.6 pts
11Cumberland County92.3+0.3 pts
12Camden County92.3+2.3 pts
13Buncombe County92.1+0.3 pts
14Carteret County92.10 pts
15Onslow County92+0.3 pts
16Cabarrus County92+1.3 pts
17Henderson County91.6-0.1 pts
18Cherokee County91.2+1.3 pts
19Mecklenburg County90.9+0.1 pts
20Craven County90.9+1.2 pts
21Iredell County90.9-0.2 pts
22Durham County90.7+0.8 pts
23Gates County90.5+1.1 pts
24Union County90.5+0.3 pts
25Haywood County90.4+0.7 pts
26Pender County90.2+0.9 pts
27Pitt County90.2+0.3 pts
28Guilford County90.1-0.1 pts
29Pamlico County90+0.5 pts
30Davie County89.8-0.4 pts
31Lincoln County89.8+0.9 pts
31Mitchell County89.8+1.5 pts
33Pasquotank County89.7+0.5 pts
34Johnston County89.5+0.8 pts
35Macon County89.5+0.6 pts
36Chatham County89.4-0 pts
37Jackson County89.3+0.1 pts
38Forsyth County89.2-0 pts
39Madison County88.9-0.6 pts
40Hoke County88.9+1.2 pts
41Yancey County88.5+0.6 pts
42Person County88.4+0.6 pts
43Clay County88.3-0.5 pts
44Alamance County88.3+0.6 pts
45Harnett County88.2-0.2 pts
46Bladen County88.2+3.2 pts
47Gaston County87.6+0.9 pts
48Stokes County87.5+1.2 pts
49Rowan County87.4+0.5 pts
50Catawba County87.4+0.9 pts
51Ashe County87-0 pts
52Avery County86.9+0.8 pts
53Franklin County86.9+0.4 pts
54Beaufort County86.8-0.9 pts
55Cleveland County86.8+0.4 pts
56Chowan County86.6+2.1 pts
57Nash County86.6-0.8 pts
58Davidson County86.6+0.8 pts
59Yadkin County86.5+0.8 pts
60Perquimans County86.4+0.1 pts
61McDowell County86.2+0.8 pts
62Alexander County86+1 pts
62Stanly County86-0.1 pts
64Rutherford County85.9+0.4 pts
65Granville County85.8-0.2 pts
66Jones County85.8+2.4 pts
67Washington County85.8+2.2 pts
68Wayne County85.7-0.1 pts
69Columbus County85.6+1.6 pts
70Edgecombe County85.6+1 pts
71Warren County85.5-0.3 pts
72Lee County85.2-0.5 pts
73Swain County85.1+0.1 pts
74Burke County84.8+1.5 pts
75Vance County84.7+0.2 pts
76Graham County84.1+1.5 pts
77Randolph County84+0.1 pts
78Montgomery County83.9+1.6 pts
79Hertford County83.9+0.1 pts
80Caswell County83.7+1.2 pts
81Rockingham County83.6-0.1 pts
82Northampton County83.5+2.5 pts
83Wilson County83.4+1.2 pts
84Richmond County82.70 pts
85Sampson County82.6+0.8 pts
86Anson County82.50 pts
87Alleghany County82.3+2.8 pts
88Scotland County82.2+0.9 pts
89Lenoir County82.1+1 pts
90Surry County82+1 pts
91Martin County82-0.5 pts
92Caldwell County81.9+0.4 pts
93Wilkes County81.5+0.3 pts
94Halifax County81.1+1.3 pts
95Hyde County81+2.3 pts
96Bertie County80.5+0.4 pts
97Duplin County80.3+0.6 pts
98Robeson County78.4+0.4 pts
99Tyrrell County77.3+1.1 pts
100Greene County76.1-1.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 25 and over who hold a regular high school diploma, a GED or alternative credential, or any higher level of education, as a percentage of all people aged 25 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Measures the adult population, not students: it is not the high school graduation rate of a class. Not comparable with the EU share below upper secondary education, which covers ages 25 to 64.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in North Carolina by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/north-carolina-counties?period=2022. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in North Carolina by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/north-carolina-counties?period=2022.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/north-carolina-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/north-carolina-counties?period=2022. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/north-carolina-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/north-carolina-counties?period=2022.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in North Carolina by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"high_school_graduate_share","level":"province","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=high_school_graduate_share&level=province&within=North%20Carolina&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over?

Dare County, with 94.9% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over?

Greene County, with 76.1% in 2022.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

High school graduate or higher, population 25 and over: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings