The U.S. Census Bureau has released new American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates showing a notable increase in educational attainment among adults age 25 and over in metropolitan statistical areas. The percentage of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree rose from 34.2% during the 2015-2019 period to 37.8% in the 2020-2024 period.
“Over the last five years, we’ve noticed a significant increase in the percentage of adults completing higher education,” said Erik Hernandez, a Census Bureau statistician. “Approximately 89% of metro areas experienced an increase in the percentage of population 25 years and over with a bachelor’s degree or higher when compared to the 2015-2019 period.”
The Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area saw one of the largest increases, moving from 45.3% to 53.4%. Conversely, Springfield, MA was the only metro area that reported a decline, dropping from 32.8% to 29.3%.
Micropolitan statistical areas also saw gains: about half (50.8%) noted an increase for adults with at least a bachelor’s degree. The Taos, NM micro area had one of the most significant rises—from 28.7% to 38.5%.
In terms of specific fields among college graduates age 25 and over:
– Gadsden, AL metro area recorded one of the largest increases for those with education degrees (24.5% to 29.1%), while Elizabethtown, KY saw one of the biggest drops (19% to 13%).
– For science and engineering degrees, Enid, OK had the highest gain (24.8% to 33%), while Carson City, NV experienced a decrease (37.6% to 31%).
– Among arts and humanities graduates, Carson City had an increase (19.5% to 27.5%), but Enid declined from 21.7% to 15.6%.
The ACS is unique as it provides local-level data on more than forty topics about people and housing across four nonoverlapping periods since its start: users can now compare data sets for trends spanning back fifteen years.
Other findings include:
– The U.S median household income reached $80,734 for the period between 2020–2024.
– Adjusted for inflation, national median household income increased by about 4.4 percent from 2015–2019 to 2020–2024.
– However, most counties—about seventy-two percent—did not see statistically significant changes in median household income; some counties did see increases or decreases.
– Most counties’ median incomes remain below the national figure.
Nationally, poverty rates dropped from 13.4 percent in 2015–2019 to 12.5 percent in 2020–2024.
Significant changes were observed at county levels: out of all U.S counties,
poverty decreased in six hundred sixty-three counties and increased in one hundred ninety-five between these two periods.
For children under eighteen years old,
the poverty rate fell in seven hundred fifty-nine counties but rose in one hundred forty-four.
For seniors sixty-five and older,
the poverty rate went up in eight hundred nineteen counties and down in seventy-seven.
Broadband internet access also improved:
all metropolitan areas included in both survey periods reported increased shares of households with broadband subscriptions;
Brownsville-Harlingen TX led with an increase from fifty-seven point five percent
to eighty-four point four percent.
A few micropolitan areas such as Greenville MS showed declines.
Other demographic shifts include growth in total households within major cities like New York City,
Los Angeles,
Chicago,
and Phoenix since
2005–2009;
also,
shares of never-married men and women have risen notably over time—for example,
Houston TX saw never-married women rise from thirty-two point seven percent
to forty-one percent.
The ACS will release Public Use Microdata Sample files on March
5,
2026.
Further details on methodology—including how metropolitan/micropolitan areas are defined—are available on Census Bureau websites.
All results are tested for statistical significance at ninety-percent confidence unless otherwise stated.
Erik Hernandez concluded by noting that these statistics rely on widespread participation across communities nationwide.
