ggplot(acs_tract_nc, aes(x = pct_bachelors_or_more, y = median_hh_inc)) +
  geom_point() +
  geom_smooth(method = "lm", se = TRUE) +
  labs(
    x = "Percent Bachelor's Degree or More",
    y = "Median Household Income",
    title = "Median Household Income vs. Educational Attainment"
  ) +
  theme_minimal()

1 Describing Results

The OLS regression shows a strong, positive, and statistically significant association between educational attainment and median household income across North Carolina census tracts (β = 1,225.32, p < 0.001). A 1-percentage-point increase in the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree or more is associated with an estimated $1,225 increase in median household income. The model explains 54.6% of the variance in income (R² = 0.546), indicating that education is a powerful predictor. However, these results are associative and should not be interpreted as causal without controlling for additional socioeconomic and spatial factors.