| | Banner Elk, NC | Sparta, NC | United States |
| Population | 1,350 | 1,924 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 58.2% | 50.1% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 41.8% | 50.0% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 21.5 | 48.2 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 1,027 | 1,739 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 811 | 1,817 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 933 | 1,957 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | 33.4% | -5.2% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 16.0% | -12.0% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 706.4 | 802.3 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.0 | 0.0 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Banner Elk, NC | Sparta, NC | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 1.7% | 4.0% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 0.4% | 8.5% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 2.1% | 4.2% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 0.3% | 3.1% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 37.5% | 3.2% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 22.2% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 5.0% | 10.9% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 4.9% | 8.2% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 5.9% | 14.6% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 2.2% | 8.8% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 2.1% | 6.5% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 10.4% | 10.8% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 3.9% | 8.3% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 1.3% | 4.4% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Banner Elk, NC | Sparta, NC | United States |
| White | 85.1% | 81.1% | 59.4% |
| Black | 4.9% | 2.0% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 3.5% | 0.5% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 2.3% | 3.4% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 4.0% | 12.5% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Banner Elk, NC | Sparta, NC | United States |
| Married Population | 22.3% | 40.6% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 20.8% | 38.1% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 1.5% | 2.5% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 77.7% | 59.4% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 69.9% | 26.1% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 4.3% | 21.0% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 3.6% | 12.3% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 1.76 | 2.20 | 2.60 |
| Households | 328 | 833 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 186 | 495 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 10.8% | 17.0% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 71.0% | 34.3% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 142 | 338 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 11.3% | 27.9% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 7.0% | 20.8% | 10.8% |