The U.S. Census Bureau has released new data from the American Community Survey (ACS) showing notable changes in educational attainment and other key demographic indicators across metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas between the 2015-2019 and 2020-2024 periods.
According to the ACS 5-year estimates, the percentage of adults age 25 and over with a bachelor’s degree or higher in metropolitan areas increased from 34.2% to 37.8%. Erik Hernandez, a Census Bureau statistician, stated, “Over the last five years, we’ve noticed a significant increase in the percentage of adults completing higher education. 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.”
Some regions saw particularly large shifts. The Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area had one of the largest increases among adults with at least a bachelor’s degree, rising from 45.3% to 53.4%. In contrast, Springfield, MA was the only metro area where educational attainment declined, dropping from 32.8% to 29.3%.
Micropolitan areas also saw progress: about half reported gains in educational attainment for those aged 25 and older. The Taos, NM micro area had one of the most significant increases in this group—from 28.7% to 38.5%.
When looking at fields of study among college graduates age 25 and over:
– The Gadsden, AL metro area saw one of the highest increases in graduates with degrees in education.
– Enid, OK had a notable rise in graduates with science and engineering degrees.
– Carson City, NV reported one of the largest increases among those with arts or humanities degrees.
The ACS is recognized as an important source for local statistics on more than forty topics related to people and housing nationwide.
Income data show that median household income rose by an inflation-adjusted rate of about 4.4%, reaching $80,734 during the latest period measured by ACS estimates (2020–2024). Most counties did not see statistically significant changes in income levels; however, some counties recorded either increases or decreases compared to previous years.
Poverty rates decreased nationally from 13.4% (2015–2019) to 12.5% (2020–2024). During this period:
– The poverty rate dropped in many counties but rose for those aged sixty-five and older in most places.
– For children under eighteen, poverty fell significantly in hundreds of counties but increased elsewhere.
Access to technology also improved according to ACS data: every metropolitan area surveyed showed growth in households subscribing to broadband internet between these two periods except for select micro areas like Greenville, MS—which experienced a decline.
Other findings highlight shifts such as growth in household numbers within major cities including New York City and Los Angeles since earlier survey cycles beginning in 2005–2009; an increase in never-married adults; changes regarding language spoken at home; and various field-specific trends among college graduates.
The next release from ACS will be Public Use Microdata Sample files scheduled for March 5, 2026. Full datasets are available through multiple platforms including data.census.gov and API resources provided by the Census Bureau.
Definitions used for metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas follow standards set by the United States Office of Management and Budget based on urban population size and economic integration measures.
All highlighted comparisons were tested for statistical significance at a confidence level of ninety percent unless otherwise noted.
