| | Roanoke, VA | Columbia, NC | United States |
| Population | 99,578 | 498 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 52.4% | 55.2% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 47.6% | 44.8% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 38 | 48.6 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 96,722 | 856 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 94,911 | 819 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 96,397 | 836 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | 4.4% | -8.2% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 2.8% | -10.1% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 2,342.0 | 414.0 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 42.5 | 1.2 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.3 | 0.0 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Roanoke, VA | Columbia, NC | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 6.7% | 3.4% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 6.3% | 6.4% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 6.1% | 11.8% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 3.3% | 3.6% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 2.9% | 0.4% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 4.5% | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 15.5% | 8.2% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 10.0% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 10.4% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 6.8% | 3.6% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 6.2% | 2.6% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 10.2% | 23.3% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 3.7% | 6.6% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 2.8% | 5.2% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Roanoke, VA | Columbia, NC | United States |
| White | 57.4% | 39.2% | 59.4% |
| Black | 28.6% | 38.2% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 3.1% | 0.0% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 3.7% | 2.4% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 6.6% | 20.3% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Roanoke, VA | Columbia, NC | United States |
| Married Population | 36.5% | 50.0% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 34.3% | 46.9% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 2.2% | 3.1% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 63.5% | 50.0% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 39.7% | 28.5% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 15.8% | 5.6% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 8.0% | 15.9% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.29 | 1.95 | 2.60 |
| Households | 42,766 | 253 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 22,075 | 130 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 19.1% | 20.8% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 38.8% | 34.6% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 20,691 | 123 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 25.8% | 40.8% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 16.3% | 3.8% | 10.8% |