Data / Rankings / High school graduate or higher, population 25 and over / US counties

US counties by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over

Petroleum County had the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over of 3135 counties in 2021, at 99.4%. Kenedy County had the lowest, at 18.5%. The median was 89.2% and the figure for the United States was 88.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest99.4Petroleum County
Lowest18.5Kenedy County
Median89.23135 counties
United States88.9History

Map of counties, 2021

%, 2021. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Petroleum County: 99.4 %Petroleum County99.4Ouray County: 98.6 %Ouray County98.6Denali Borough: 98.4 %Denali Borough98.4Loup County: 98.3 %Loup County98.3Custer County: 98.3 %Custer County98.3San Miguel County: 98.3 %San Miguel County98.3Los Alamos County: 98.2 %Los Alamos County98.2Gunnison County: 98 %Gunnison County98Mineral County: 97.9 %Mineral County97.9Douglas County: 97.9 %Douglas County97.9Morgan County: 97.8 %Morgan County97.8Teller County: 97.8 %Teller County97.8Haines Borough: 97.7 %Haines Borough97.7Garfield County: 97.6 %Garfield County97.6Lake of the Woods County: 97.6 %Lake of the Woods County97.6Pitkin County: 97.5 %Pitkin County97.5Park County: 97.5 %Park County97.5Gallatin County: 97.5 %Gallatin County97.5Ozaukee County: 97.4 %Ozaukee County97.4Clear Creek County: 97.4 %Clear Creek County97.4Falls Church city: 97.3 %Falls Church city97.3Cherry County: 97.3 %Cherry County97.3Hamilton County: 97.2 %Hamilton County97.2Delaware County: 97.2 %Delaware County97.2Kiowa County: 97.1 %Kiowa County97.1Story County: 96.9 %Story County96.9Rich County: 96.8 %Rich County96.8Garfield County: 96.7 %Garfield County96.7Hamilton County: 96.7 %Hamilton County96.7Routt County: 96.7 %Routt County96.7Platte County: 96.6 %Platte County96.6Sully County: 96.6 %Sully County96.6La Plata County: 96.6 %La Plata County96.6Broomfield County: 96.6 %Broomfield County96.6Park County: 96.6 %Park County96.6San Juan County: 96.6 %San Juan County96.6Cook County: 96.5 %Cook County96.5Latah County: 96.5 %Latah County96.5Bremer County: 96.5 %Bremer County96.5Madison County: 96.5 %Madison County96.5Petroleum County: 99.4 %Petroleum County99.4Ouray County: 98.6 %Ouray County98.6Denali Borough: 98.4 %Denali Borough98.4Loup County: 98.3 %Loup County98.3Custer County: 98.3 %Custer County98.3San Miguel County: 98.3 %San Miguel County98.3Los Alamos County: 98.2 %Los Alamos County98.2Gunnison County: 98 %Gunnison County98Mineral County: 97.9 %Mineral County97.9Douglas County: 97.9 %Douglas County97.9Morgan County: 97.8 %Morgan County97.8Teller County: 97.8 %Teller County97.8Haines Borough: 97.7 %Haines Borough97.7Garfield County: 97.6 %Garfield County97.6Lake of the Woods County: 97.6 %Lake of the Woods County97.6Pitkin County: 97.5 %Pitkin County97.5Park County: 97.5 %Park County97.5Gallatin County: 97.5 %Gallatin County97.5Ozaukee County: 97.4 %Ozaukee County97.4Clear Creek County: 97.4 %Clear Creek County97.4Falls Church city: 97.3 %Falls Church city97.3Cherry County: 97.3 %Cherry County97.3Hamilton County: 97.2 %Hamilton County97.2Delaware County: 97.2 %Delaware County97.2Kiowa County: 97.1 %Kiowa County97.1Story County: 96.9 %Story County96.9Rich County: 96.8 %Rich County96.8Garfield County: 96.7 %Garfield County96.7Hamilton County: 96.7 %Hamilton County96.7Routt County: 96.7 %Routt County96.7Platte County: 96.6 %Platte County96.6Sully County: 96.6 %Sully County96.6La Plata County: 96.6 %La Plata County96.6Broomfield County: 96.6 %Broomfield County96.6Park County: 96.6 %Park County96.6San Juan County: 96.6 %San Juan County96.6Cook County: 96.5 %Cook County96.5Latah County: 96.5 %Latah County96.5Bremer County: 96.5 %Bremer County96.5Madison County: 96.5 %Madison County96.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Petroleum County99.4
2Ouray County98.6
3Denali Borough98.4
4Loup County98.3
5Custer County98.3
5San Miguel County98.3
7Los Alamos County98.2
8Gunnison County98
9Mineral County97.9
10Douglas County97.9
11Morgan County97.8
11Teller County97.8
13Haines Borough97.7
14Garfield County97.6
15Lake of the Woods County97.6
16Pitkin County97.5
17Park County97.5
18Gallatin County97.5
19Ozaukee County97.4
20Clear Creek County97.4
21Falls Church city97.3
22Cherry County97.3
23Hamilton County97.2
24Delaware County97.2
25Kiowa County97.1
26Story County96.9
27Rich County96.8
28Garfield County96.7
29Hamilton County96.7
30Routt County96.7
31Platte County96.6
32Sully County96.6
33La Plata County96.6
34Broomfield County96.6
34Park County96.6
34San Juan County96.6
37Cook County96.5
38Latah County96.5
39Bremer County96.5
40Madison County96.5
41Lexington city96.5
42Dolores County96.4
42Keweenaw County96.4
44Wabaunsee County96.4
45Madison County96.4
45Waukesha County96.4
47Hinsdale County96.4
48Meagher County96.4
49Elbert County96.4
49Leelanau County96.4
51Missoula County96.3
52Larimer County96.3
53St. Croix County96.3
54Benton County96.3
54Hughes County96.3
56Johnson County96.3
57Douglas County96.3
57Washington County96.3
59Brookings County96.2
59Johnson County96.2
61Steele County96.2
62Nantucket County96.2
63Carver County96.2
64Wayne County96.2
65Smith County96.2
66Jefferson County96.1
67Riley County96.1
68Dane County96.1
69McCone County96.1
70Sweet Grass County96.1
70Wasatch County96.1
72Teton County96
73Oconee County96
74McLean County96
75Livingston County96
76Logan County95.9
77Rock County95.9
78Dallas County95.9
79Winneshiek County95.9
80Albany County95.9
80Dodge County95.9
82Lincoln County95.9
83Iowa County95.8
83Sheridan County95.8
85Hot Springs County95.8
86Dukes County95.8
86Sheridan County95.8
88Williamson County95.8
89Comanche County95.8
89Warren County95.8
91Daggett County95.8
91Haakon County95.8
93Lane County95.7
94Iron County95.7
94Menard County95.7
94Washtenaw County95.7
97Kittson County95.7
97San Juan County95.7
99Wallace County95.7
100Hunterdon County95.7
100Pottawatomie County95.7
102Barnstable County95.7
102Davis County95.7
104Cumberland County95.7
105Dickinson County95.7
105La Crosse County95.7
107Arthur County95.6
107Lewis and Clark County95.6
109Washington County95.6
110Madison County95.6
111James City County95.6
111Poquoson city95.6
113Cedar County95.6
113Dickinson County95.6
115Eau Claire County95.5
115Lincoln County95.5
115Rockingham County95.5
118Carbon County95.5
118Sarpy County95.5
120Butler County95.5
121Boulder County95.5
121Door County95.5
121Fallon County95.5
121Meade County95.5
125Island County95.5
125Rawlins County95.5
127Clay County95.5
128Bayfield County95.4
129Chugach Census Area95.4
129Houston County95.4
131Grundy County95.4
132Juneau City and Borough95.4
133Richland County95.4
134Emmet County95.4
134Johnson County95.4
134St. Charles County95.4
137Howard County95.4
138Grand Forks County95.4
138Park County95.4
138Sussex County95.4
141Whitman County95.4
142Douglas County95.3
143Chisago County95.3
144Fergus County95.3
145Howard County95.3
145Keya Paha County95.3
145Monroe County95.3
148Dare County95.3
148Marquette County95.3
148Miami County95.3
151Clinton County95.3
151Hampshire County95.3
153Cass County95.3
154York County95.2
155Hancock County95.2
155Mills County95.2
157Kitsap County95.2
158Republic County95.2
159Garfield County95.2
160Hanson County95.2
161Grand Traverse County95.2
162Jefferson County95.1
163Nevada County95.1
163Utah County95.1
165Hendricks County95.1
166Pierce County95.1
166Vilas County95.1
168Allegheny County95.1
168Carroll County95.1
168Dakota County95.1
171Boyd County95.1
171Chattahoochee County95.1
171Medina County95.1
174Eureka County95.1
175McDonough County95.1
175Pennington County95.1
177Summit County95
178Ada County95
178Sublette County95
180Cloud County95
180Washington County95
180Yellowstone County95
183Chittenden County95
184Boone County95
185Hitchcock County95
186Dawson County95
187Nicollet County95
187Ottawa County95
187Wheeler County95
190Olmsted County95
190Tompkins County95
190Wood County95
193Flathead County94.9
193Judith Basin County94.9
195Scott County94.9
196Eaton County94.9
197Dawes County94.9
198Linn County94.9
198Westmoreland County94.9
200Arlington County94.9
200Burleigh County94.9
202Clay County94.9
203Clay County94.9
204Fayette County94.9
204Jefferson County94.9
206Catron County94.8
207Barnes County94.8
207Mitchell County94.8
207Placer County94.8
210Boone County94.8
210Grand Isle County94.8
210Kearney County94.8
213Sitka City and Borough94.8
214Blue Earth County94.8
214Le Sueur County94.8
216Calumet County94.8
216Stanton County94.8
218Portage County94.8
219Champaign County94.8
219Harding County94.8
219Menominee County94.8
219Sioux County94.8
223Fremont County94.7
224Boise County94.7
224Bristol Bay Borough94.7
226Adair County94.7
226St. Johns County94.7
226Trego County94.7
229Midland County94.7
230El Dorado County94.7
230Saunders County94.7
232Jones County94.7
232Oneida County94.7
234Montgomery County94.7
235Oakland County94.7
236St. Louis County94.6
237Washington County94.6
238Warren County94.6
239Yakutat City and Borough94.6
240Putnam County94.6
241Pope County94.6
242Beaver County94.6
242Morris County94.6
242Plumas County94.6
242Warrick County94.6
242Wright County94.6
247Beaverhead County94.5
247Iowa County94.5
247Summit County94.5
250Adams County94.5

Showing the top 250 of 3135. The Excel download has every row.

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. 9 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2021 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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 (US counties by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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, US counties by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-counties?period=2021. 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. US counties by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-counties?period=2021.

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, US counties by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_counties_by_high_2021,
  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: US counties by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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: US counties by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Petroleum County, with 99.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Kenedy County, with 18.5% in 2021.

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. 9 counties have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.

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

US counties: more rankings