When people ask, why Ashland is such a special place, it doesn’t take long for someone to answer that it is partly because we have people who chose to live here that hold educational attainment in high regard. It’s true. Education is deeply valued by residents and supported through all levels from preschool to K-12, to higher education and life-long learning programs.
According to the 2009-2013 American Community Survey, Ashland’s residents are highly-educated. The charts illustrate the distribution of population over 25 years by education level completed and compares Ashland to Jackson County and Oregon.
In 2009-2013, an estimated 97.6 percent of people in Ashland, 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 56.7 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Only 2.4 percent have never received a high school diploma. An estimated 89.1 percent of people in Jackson County, 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 24.8 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher. 10.9 percent have never received a high school diploma. And finally, an estimated 89.4 percent of people in Oregon, 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 29.7 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher. 10.6 percent have never received a high school diploma.
