The average cost of a college education in the United States is $35,720 a year — three times higher than it was two decades ago. While rising tuition costs are discouraging many Americans from enrolling, a college education is an investment that can increase access to career opportunities, improve job security, and increase earning potential.
Nationwide, an estimated 32.1% of American adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Educational attainment rates vary considerably across the country, however, and in every state, there is at least one town where the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree is well above the national average.
Using education data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 24/7 Wall St. identified the least educated town in every state. For the purposes of this story, we defined towns as any place covered by the Census within the 50 states and Washington D.C. with a population of at least 1,000 people and less than 25,000 people.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate among adults with a four-year college education was 5.5% 2020. Meanwhile, the jobless rate among those with no more than a high school diploma was 9.0%. In all but a few of towns on this list, the five-year average unemployment rate is lower than the comparable jobless rate across the state as a whole. In some towns, the unemployment rate is effectively zero.
In addition to being better protected from unemployment, Americans with a bachelor’s degree also tend to have higher salaries. The average weekly wage for a college-educated worker in the United States is about 67% higher than it is for those with no more than a high school diploma — and in places with well educated populations, incomes also tend to be higher than average. In nearly every town on this list, the typical household earns more in a year than the statewide median income.
Click here to see the most educated towns in every state
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Alabama: Mountain Brook
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.3% (Alabama: 25.5%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 37.5% (Alabama: 9.5%)
> Median household income: $152,355 (Alabama: $50,536)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.7% (Alabama: 5.9%)
> Population: 20,436
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Alaska: Chena Ridge
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 51.6% (Alaska: 29.6%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 30.2% (Alaska: 11.2%)
> Median household income: $100,744 (Alaska: $77,640)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 0.4% (Alaska: 7.2%)
> Population: 6,111
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Arizona: Paradise Valley
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 70.9% (Arizona: 29.5%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 35.0% (Arizona: 11.1%)
> Median household income: $211,393 (Arizona: $58,945)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.1% (Arizona: 5.9%)
> Population: 14,362
Arkansas: Goshen
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 68.5% (Arkansas: 23.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 20.8% (Arkansas: 8.3%)
> Median household income: $141,389 (Arkansas: $47,597)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.7% (Arkansas: 5.1%)
> Population: 2,593
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California: Stanford
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 93.6% (California: 33.9%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 58.0% (California: 12.8%)
> Median household income: $58,906 (California: $75,235)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.7% (California: 6.1%)
> Population: 16,326
Colorado: Cherry Hills Village
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.3% (Colorado: 40.9%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 39.8% (Colorado: 15.3%)
> Median household income: $250,000+ (Colorado: $72,331)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.0% (Colorado: 4.3%)
> Population: 6,647
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Connecticut: Darien
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 82.9% (Connecticut: 39.3%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 35.2% (Connecticut: 17.5%)
> Median household income: $232,523 (Connecticut: $78,444)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.9% (Connecticut: 6.0%)
> Population: 21,742
Delaware: Greenville
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 76.9% (Delaware: 32.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 39.2% (Delaware: 13.4%)
> Median household income: $114,022 (Delaware: $68,287)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.0% (Delaware: 5.5%)
> Population: 2,467
Florida: Key Biscayne
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 73.3% (Florida: 29.9%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 36.1% (Florida: 11.0%)
> Median household income: $151,310 (Florida: $55,660)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.3% (Florida: 5.6%)
> Population: 12,915
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Georgia: Druid Hills
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 88.0% (Georgia: 31.3%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 51.0% (Georgia: 12.1%)
> Median household income: $129,740 (Georgia: $58,700)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.4% (Georgia: 5.7%)
> Population: 8,365
Hawaii: Maunawili
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 64.9% (Hawaii: 33.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 32.2% (Hawaii: 11.2%)
> Median household income: $141,136 (Hawaii: $81,275)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.3% (Hawaii: 4.3%)
> Population: 1,977
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Idaho: Hidden Spring
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 65.4% (Idaho: 27.6%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 26.5% (Idaho: 9.0%)
> Median household income: $131,094 (Idaho: $55,785)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 0.5% (Idaho: 4.3%)
> Population: 3,164
Illinois: Kenilworth
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 93.1% (Illinois: 34.7%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 51.6% (Illinois: 13.6%)
> Median household income: $227,404 (Illinois: $65,886)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.0% (Illinois: 5.9%)
> Population: 2,460
Indiana: Meridian Hills
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 80.8% (Indiana: 26.5%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 41.5% (Indiana: 9.5%)
> Median household income: $186,750 (Indiana: $56,303)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.5% (Indiana: 4.8%)
> Population: 1,741
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Iowa: Mount Vernon
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 60.2% (Iowa: 28.6%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 21.5% (Iowa: 9.3%)
> Median household income: $71,552 (Iowa: $60,523)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.5% (Iowa: 3.7%)
> Population: 4,451
Kansas: Mission Hills
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 90.2% (Kansas: 33.4%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 43.8% (Kansas: 12.3%)
> Median household income: $250,000+ (Kansas: $59,597)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.8% (Kansas: 4.1%)
> Population: 3,574
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Kentucky: Anchorage
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 82.1% (Kentucky: 24.2%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 40.4% (Kentucky: 10.0%)
> Median household income: $187,946 (Kentucky: $50,589)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.8% (Kentucky: 5.6%)
> Population: 2,376
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Louisiana: Oak Hills Place
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 63.3% (Louisiana: 24.1%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 27.9% (Louisiana: 8.4%)
> Median household income: $85,959 (Louisiana: $49,469)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.1% (Louisiana: 6.5%)
> Population: 8,326
Maine: Falmouth Foreside
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 75.6% (Maine: 31.8%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 39.0% (Maine: 11.8%)
> Median household income: $103,583 (Maine: $57,918)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.3% (Maine: 4.1%)
> Population: 1,611
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Maryland: Chevy Chase
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 93.2% (Maryland: 40.2%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 64.7% (Maryland: 18.6%)
> Median household income: $250,000+ (Maryland: $84,805)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.5% (Maryland: 5.1%)
> Population: 2,973
Massachusetts: Dover
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 80.8% (Massachusetts: 43.7%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 54.1% (Massachusetts: 19.6%)
> Median household income: $216,250 (Massachusetts: $81,215)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.6% (Massachusetts: 4.8%)
> Population: 2,539
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Michigan: East Grand Rapids
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 79.6% (Michigan: 29.1%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 38.0% (Michigan: 11.4%)
> Median household income: $144,922 (Michigan: $57,144)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.5% (Michigan: 5.9%)
> Population: 11,759
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Minnesota: North Oaks
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 74.5% (Minnesota: 36.1%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 37.9% (Minnesota: 12.4%)
> Median household income: $178,816 (Minnesota: $71,306)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 0.7% (Minnesota: 3.6%)
> Population: 5,177
Mississippi: Ridgeland
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 51.6% (Mississippi: 22.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 20.9% (Mississippi: 8.4%)
> Median household income: $60,823 (Mississippi: $45,081)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.5% (Mississippi: 7.5%)
> Population: 24,269
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Missouri: Frontenac
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 82.8% (Missouri: 29.2%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 38.0% (Missouri: 11.2%)
> Median household income: $217,768 (Missouri: $55,461)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.1% (Missouri: 4.6%)
> Population: 3,513
Montana: Big Sky
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 60.7% (Montana: 32.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 16.7% (Montana: 10.6%)
> Median household income: $75,586 (Montana: $54,970)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.3% (Montana: 4.0%)
> Population: 3,058
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Nebraska: Hickman
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 44.1% (Nebraska: 31.9%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 17.4% (Nebraska: 10.9%)
> Median household income: $105,000 (Nebraska: $61,439)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 0.3% (Nebraska: 3.3%)
> Population: 2,447
Nevada: Incline Village
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 56.6% (Nevada: 24.7%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 21.4% (Nevada: 8.6%)
> Median household income: $99,006 (Nevada: $60,365)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.5% (Nevada: 6.2%)
> Population: 8,669
New Hampshire: Hanover
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.4% (New Hampshire: 37.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 52.1% (New Hampshire: 14.3%)
> Median household income: $109,514 (New Hampshire: $76,768)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.0% (New Hampshire: 3.6%)
> Population: 8,508
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New Jersey: Plainsboro Center
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 88.6% (New Jersey: 39.7%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 50.0% (New Jersey: 15.5%)
> Median household income: $102,833 (New Jersey: $82,545)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 0.0% reported (New Jersey: 5.5%)
> Population: 2,771
New Mexico: Sandia Heights
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 79.5% (New Mexico: 27.3%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 51.2% (New Mexico: 12.0%)
> Median household income: $107,104 (New Mexico: $49,754)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.6% (New Mexico: 6.7%)
> Population: 3,571
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New York: Scarsdale
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 89.2% (New York: 36.6%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 57.9% (New York: 16.0%)
> Median household income: $250,000+ (New York: $68,486)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.5% (New York: 5.5%)
> Population: 17,837
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North Carolina: Biltmore Forest
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 81.7% (North Carolina: 31.3%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 40.1% (North Carolina: 11.3%)
> Median household income: $180,781 (North Carolina: $54,602)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.1% (North Carolina: 5.6%)
> Population: 1,473
North Dakota: Horace
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 47.5% (North Dakota: 30.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 14.2% (North Dakota: 8.2%)
> Median household income: $129,231 (North Dakota: $64,894)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 0.3% (North Dakota: 2.8%)
> Population: 2,741
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Ohio: The Village of Indian Hill
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.0% (Ohio: 28.3%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 46.3% (Ohio: 10.7%)
> Median household income: $207,174 (Ohio: $56,602)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.5% (Ohio: 5.3%)
> Population: 5,762
Oklahoma: Nichols Hills
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 82.7% (Oklahoma: 25.5%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 38.6% (Oklahoma: 8.7%)
> Median household income: $186,912 (Oklahoma: $52,919)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.6% (Oklahoma: 5.1%)
> Population: 3,891
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Oregon: Stafford
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 76.3% (Oregon: 33.7%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 23.8% (Oregon: 12.9%)
> Median household income: $125,938 (Oregon: $62,818)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 6.5% (Oregon: 5.5%)
> Population: 1,733
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Pennsylvania: Fox Chapel
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.6% (Pennsylvania: 31.4%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 57.1% (Pennsylvania: 12.4%)
> Median household income: $205,987 (Pennsylvania: $61,744)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.8% (Pennsylvania: 5.3%)
> Population: 5,121
Rhode Island: Kingston
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 68.4% (Rhode Island: 34.2%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 32.1% (Rhode Island: 13.8%)
> Median household income: $96,775 (Rhode Island: $67,167)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 13.4% (Rhode Island: 5.4%)
> Population: 6,513
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South Carolina: Sullivan’s Island
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.6% (South Carolina: 28.1%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 39.8% (South Carolina: 10.3%)
> Median household income: $136,528 (South Carolina: $53,199)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 6.0% (South Carolina: 5.8%)
> Population: 2,203
South Dakota: Vermillion
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 57.6% (South Dakota: 28.8%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 30.3% (South Dakota: 8.9%)
> Median household income: $40,874 (South Dakota: $58,275)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 6.0% (South Dakota: 3.4%)
> Population: 10,753
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Tennessee: Belle Meade
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.9% (Tennessee: 27.3%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 37.7% (Tennessee: 10.1%)
> Median household income: $250,000+ (Tennessee: $53,320)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.2% (Tennessee: 5.3%)
> Population: 2,280
Texas: Rollingwood
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.8% (Texas: 29.9%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 42.1% (Texas: 10.4%)
> Median household income: $193,750 (Texas: $61,874)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.6% (Texas: 5.1%)
> Population: 1,532
Utah: Snyderville
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 73.1% (Utah: 34.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 28.6% (Utah: 11.5%)
> Median household income: $116,932 (Utah: $71,621)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.4% (Utah: 3.6%)
> Population: 6,255
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Vermont: Montpelier
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 61.6% (Vermont: 38.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 32.2% (Vermont: 15.5%)
> Median household income: $65,078 (Vermont: $61,973)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.7% (Vermont: 3.6%)
> Population: 7,477
Virginia: Wolf Trap
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 82.7% (Virginia: 38.8%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 49.1% (Virginia: 16.8%)
> Median household income: $227,022 (Virginia: $74,222)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.8% (Virginia: 4.6%)
> Population: 16,436
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Washington: Medina
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 80.0% (Washington: 36.0%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 35.7% (Washington: 13.6%)
> Median household income: $212,337 (Washington: $73,775)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.5% (Washington: 5.0%)
> Population: 3,267
West Virginia: Bridgeport
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 56.1% (West Virginia: 20.6%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 21.2% (West Virginia: 8.2%)
> Median household income: $84,382 (West Virginia: $46,711)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.8% (West Virginia: 6.5%)
> Population: 8,556
Wisconsin: Shorewood Hills
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.3% (Wisconsin: 30.1%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 62.2% (Wisconsin: 10.4%)
> Median household income: $123,200 (Wisconsin: $61,747)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.9% (Wisconsin: 3.6%)
> Population: 2,277
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Wyoming: Rafter J Ranch
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 64.5% (Wyoming: 27.4%)
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 26.6% (Wyoming: 9.9%)
> Median household income: $108,750 (Wyoming: $64,049)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 0.0% reported (Wyoming: 4.5%)
> Population: 1,750
Methodology
To determine the most educated town in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year estimates of the percentage of adults 25 years and over with at least a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
We used census “place” geographies — a category that includes 29,573 incorporated legal entities and census-designated statistical entities. Of those, 29,319 had boundaries that fell within one of the 50 states, while the rest were in the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico.
We defined towns based on population thresholds — having at least 1,000 people and less than 25,000 people — and 13,332 of the places fell within these thresholds.
Towns were then excluded if bachelor’s degree or higher attainment rates were not available in the 2019 ACS, if the town’s 25 and older population was less than 1,000, or if the sampling error associated with a town’s data was deemed too high.
The sampling error was defined as too high if the coefficient of variation — a statistical assessment of how reliable an estimate is — for a town’s bachelor’s degree or higher attainment rate was above 15% and greater than two standard deviations above the mean CV for all towns’ bachelor’s degree or higher attainment rate. We similarly excluded towns that had a sampling error too high for their 25 and over population estimates, using the same definition.
The remaining 10,738 places were ranked within their state based on the share of adults 25 years and over with at least a bachelor’s degree.
Additional information on the share of adults 25 years and over who have a graduate or professional degree, median household income, unemployment rates for the 16 and older population in the civilian labor force, and population figures are also five-year estimates from the 2019 ACS.
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