College enrollment has declined steadily in the United States in recent years. With rising tuition costs and surging student debt, enrollment rates have fallen at an average of nearly 2% a year since 2010. While four years of higher education may not be for everyone, Americans without a bachelor’s degree tend to be far more limited in their career opportunities, job security, and earning potential.
Nationwide, an estimated 32.1% of American adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher. But across the United States, there are towns where over 80% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Using education data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 24/7 Wall St. identified the most educated towns in the United States. 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 most of the towns on this list, the five-year average unemployment rate is lower than the comparable national rate of 5.3%.
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 all but one town on this list, the typical household earns more in a year than the national median household income of $62,843. Many of these towns even rank among the wealthiest communities in the United States.
Click here to see the best educated towns in the country
Click here to read our detailed methodology
50. Terrace Park, Ohio
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 38.1% — 193rd highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $175,000 — 160th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.9% — 1,132nd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,294
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49. Sands Point, New York
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 44.7% — 72nd highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.3% — 4,729th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,862
48. West Menlo Park, California
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 55.2% — 12th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $214,167 — 64th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.7% — 6,671st lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 4,160
47. East Hills, New York
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 47.5% — 43rd highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $224,583 — 48th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.3% — 1,621st lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 7,147
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46. Hanover, New Hampshire
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 52.1% — 21st highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $109,514 — 961st highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.0% — 2,570th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 8,508
45. Piedmont, California
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 45.7% — 62nd highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $224,659 — 47th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.9% — 4,092nd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 11,317
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44. Chappaqua, New York
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 46.3% — 55th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 8.0% — 8,776th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 1,434
43. Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 39.8% — 145th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $136,528 — 407th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 6.0% — 7,010th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,203
42. Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 57.1% — 10th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $205,987 — 83rd highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.8% — 2,288th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 5,121
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41. Barton Creek, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 34.6% — 305th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $160,988 — 218th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.9% — 1,132nd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,930
40. Cayuga Heights, New York
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 66.2% — 2nd highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $112,917 — 860th highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.4% — 4,887th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 3,689
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39. Spring Valley Village, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 41.5% — 117th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $206,654 — 81st highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.3% — 614th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 4,282
38. Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 35.9% — 271st highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $216,875 — 56th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.9% — 4,092nd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 4,094
37. Piney Point Village, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 49.2% — 35th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.8% — 1,023rd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 3,425
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36. Cherry Hills Village, Colorado
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 39.8% — 145th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.0% — 2,570th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 6,647
35. Upper Montclair, New Jersey
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.5%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 44.8% — 70th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $211,221 — 74th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.7% — 3,753rd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 11,589
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34. Belle Meade, Tennessee
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.9%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 37.7% — 208th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.2% — 536th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,280
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33. Mountain Brook, Alabama
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 37.5% — 213th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $152,355 — 266th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.7% — 935th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 20,436
32. Kensington, California
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 48.6% — 37th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $146,563 — 313th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.4% — 4,887th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 5,329
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31. Princeton Junction, New Jersey
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 51.5% — 24th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $231,094 — 41st highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.3% — 6,154th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,336
30. Los Altos Hills, California
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 56.7% — 11th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.2% — 2,893rd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 8,505
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29. Belvedere, California
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 42.1% — 108th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $245,208 — 31st highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.8% — 2,288th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,134
28. West Lake Hills, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 44.1% — 79th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $187,569 — 117th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 6.8% — 7,866th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 3,311
27. Mountain Lakes, New Jersey
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 48.5% — 38th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $241,667 — 32nd highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.1% — 4,410th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 4,270
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26. Larchmont, New York
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 52.3% — 20th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $215,375 — 61st highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.3% — 6,154th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 6,096
25. Chevy Chase, Maryland
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 86.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 54.2% — 13th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $181,929 — 130th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.8% — 2,288th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 9,622
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24. Highland Park, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 86.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 39.0% — 174th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $211,136 — 75th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.4% — 699th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 9,168
23. Southside Place, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 86.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 48.2% — 41st highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.1% — 2,732nd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 1,652
22. West University Place, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 86.9%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 52.6% — 19th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.6% — 1,995th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 15,603
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21. The Village of Indian Hill, Ohio
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 46.3% — 55th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $207,174 — 79th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.5% — 5,027th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 5,762
20. Hunters Creek Village, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 38.2% — 190th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 6.6% — 7,659th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 4,825
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19. Shorewood Hills, Wisconsin
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 62.2% — 5th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $123,200 — 642nd highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.9% — 2,427th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,277
18. Rollingwood, Texas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 42.1% — 108th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $193,750 — 97th highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.6% — 1,995th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 1,532
17. Glencoe, Illinois
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 54.1% — 14th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $248,851 — 27th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.6% — 1,995th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 8,888
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16. Short Hills, New Jersey
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 53.7% — 16th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.8% — 6,779th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 13,428
15. Druid Hills, Georgia
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 88.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 51.0% — 29th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $129,740 — 507th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.4% — 699th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 8,365
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14. Friendship Heights Village, Maryland
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 88.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 61.0% — 7th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $113,490 — 846th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.2% — 2,893rd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 5,396
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13. Plainsboro Center, New Jersey
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 88.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 50.0% — 31st highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $102,833 — 1,217th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 0.0% reported — 1st lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,771
12. Ladera, California
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 88.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 48.3% — 39th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.9% — 6,895th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 1,607
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11. Munsey Park, New York
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 88.9%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 45.9% — 59th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.4% — 6,289th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,722
10. Scarsdale, New York
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 89.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 57.9% — 9th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.5% — 1,856th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 17,837
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9. Loyola, California
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 89.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 51.8% — 22nd highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $246,563 — 29th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.3% — 3,083rd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 3,367
8. Mission Hills, Kansas
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 90.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 43.8% — 84th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 1.8% — 1,023rd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 3,574
7. Brookmont, Maryland
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 90.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 67.5% — 1st highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $239,943 — 34th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 6.6% — 7,659th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 3,921
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6. Cabin John, Maryland
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 91.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 61.7% — 6th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $182,279 — 127th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.8% — 5,473rd lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,121
5. Winnetka, Illinois
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 92.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 51.1% — 27th highest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.4% — 1,739th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 12,428
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4. Chevy Chase Village, Maryland
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 92.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 64.4% — 4th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 2.1% — 1,371st lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 1,937
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3. Kenilworth, Illinois
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 93.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 51.6% — 23rd highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $227,404 — 44th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 5.0% — 5,746th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,460
2. Chevy Chase, Maryland
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 93.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 64.7% — 3rd highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $250,000+ — 1st highest of 10,733 towns (tied)
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 3.5% — 3,417th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 2,973
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1. Stanford, California
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 93.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 58.0% — 8th highest of 10,738 towns
> Median household income: $58,906 — 4,964th highest of 10,733 towns
> Estimated unemployment rate 2015-2019: 4.7% — 5,328th lowest of 10,738 towns (tied)
> Population: 16,326
Methodology
To determine America’s most educated towns, 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. We only considered the 29,320 places that had boundaries that fell within one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.
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 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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