| | Highlands, NC | Morganton, NC | United States |
| Population | 1,105 | 17,389 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 53.2% | 52.3% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 46.8% | 47.7% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 60.2 | 37.6 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 931 | 16,823 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 909 | 17,310 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 948 | 15,085 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | 8.3% | -4.0% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 3.8% | 10.2% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 180.4 | 903.6 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 6.1 | 19.2 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.1 | 0.0 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Highlands, NC | Morganton, NC | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 0.0% | 7.4% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 0.7% | 7.1% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 1.8% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 4.1% | 3.1% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 6.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 5.4% | 13.3% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 9.2% | 11.6% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 8.1% | 9.8% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 10.2% | 5.2% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 14.3% | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 21.6% | 10.8% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 13.6% | 5.1% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 1.4% | 4.6% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Highlands, NC | Morganton, NC | United States |
| White | 89.4% | 62.4% | 59.4% |
| Black | 3.3% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 0.7% | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.0% | 2.2% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 0.8% | 1.3% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 5.8% | 19.4% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Highlands, NC | Morganton, NC | United States |
| Married Population | 48.4% | 43.7% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 47.2% | 39.3% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 1.2% | 4.4% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 51.6% | 56.3% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 28.0% | 37.8% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 17.9% | 10.9% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 5.7% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 1.56 | 2.55 | 2.60 |
| Households | 689 | 6,395 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 289 | 4,104 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 13.5% | 21.4% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 69.9% | 35.7% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 400 | 2,291 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 12.5% | 25.3% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 4.2% | 17.5% | 10.8% |