Town · North Carolina
Banner Elk, North Carolina
Banner Elk, town, in Avery County, North Carolina. Banner Elk had 1,242 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 16.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,049 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,473 (±202). GEOID 3703500.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,242
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,049 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,473 ±202
Median household income
$86,382
±$37,063 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$458,100
±$21,259 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$849
±$69 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Banner Elk and what county is it in?
Banner Elk is a town in Avery County, North Carolina. It covers 1.9 square miles of land, 554 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Banner Elk, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,242 people lived in Banner Elk on July 1, 2025, up 16.8% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,049 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,473 (±202).
The yearly series starts from the Census Bureau's July 2020 estimate, 1,118, which differs from its April 2020 base of 1,063 (in 2020 the estimates dipped in many college and military towns), so the first step is large; the change since 2020 above is measured from the April base.
| Measure | Banner Elk | Avery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,473 ±202 | 17,680 | no clear change |
| Households | 405 ±121 | 6,791 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.74 ±0.29 | 2.24 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 867 ±218 | 14,201 | +334 |
Banner Elk's population since 2000
From 811 in 2000 to 1,242 in 2025: up 53.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Banner Elk as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Banner Elk?
The median resident of Banner Elk is 20.7 years old; 6.9% are under 18 and 13.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 7.4%. 8.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Banner Elk | Avery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 20.7 ±0.8 | 47.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 6.9% ±4.0 pts | 14.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.3% ±3.6 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Male | 50.2% ±8.5 pts | 53.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.8% ±3.4 pts | 6.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.1% ±6.6 pts | 85.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.4% ±3.4 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±1.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.8% ±4.8 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.0% ±4.3 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.5% ±2.1 pts | 8.4% | – |
| With a disability | 13.2% ±5.0 pts | 17.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.8% ±4.3 pts | 12.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.5% ±1.9 pts | 87.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.5% ±11.1 pts | 25.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 20.5% ±7.5 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 64.0% ±10.9 pts | 86.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 16.2% ±9.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Banner Elk earn?
Half of Banner Elk's 405 households earn less than $86,382 a year (±$37,063), against $61,428 in Avery County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $68,649 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Banner Elk | Avery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,382 ±$37,063 | $61,428 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $132,384 ±$43,116 | $88,834 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,427 ±$11,788 | $35,831 | +$14,340 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.0% ±9.7 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.7% ±34.5 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.5% ±4.2 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.0% ±1.5 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.5% ±3.4 pts | 85.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Banner Elk?
Owners occupy 68.9% of Banner Elk's occupied homes and renters 31.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $458,100 by its owner (±$21,259). The median renter pays $849 a month including utilities, and 48.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Banner Elk | Avery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $458,100 ±$21,259 | $265,800 | +$74,616 |
| Median gross rent | $849 ±$69 | $773 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.7% ±22.0 pts | 32.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,464 ±$1,734 | $1,273 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.9% ±11.7 pts | 83.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.1% ±11.7 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Housing units | 867 ±218 | 14,201 | +334 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 10.6% ±10.9 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.8% ±18.5 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 50.7% ±10.7 pts | 67.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.4% ±1.9 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.7 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.8% ±4.0 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.1% ±4.2 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.4% ±5.8 pts | 5.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Banner Elk work and get to work?
55.5% of Banner Elk's workers drive alone and 31.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 11.6 minutes.
| Measure | Banner Elk | Avery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 35.6% ±8.2 pts | 47.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4% ±2.7 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 55.5% ±15.6 pts | 78.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.8% ±4.2 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 8.3% ±9.1 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 31.5% ±16.9 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 11.6 min ±2.4 | 23.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Banner Elk?
No census tract lies mostly in Banner Elk; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9301Avery County | 3,684 | $66,328 |
| Tract 9302Avery County | 3,220 | $61,927 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Banner Elk) · Census block assignment files
How does Banner Elk compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Banner Elk is the 9,471st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 314th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Banner Elk ranks 104th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 314th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 34th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 343rd | 443 |
| Median household income | 104th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 173rd | 443 |
| Median home value | 51st | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 281st | 395 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61st | 421 |
| Median age | 442nd | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 213th | 443 |
| Work from home | 17th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 438th | 439 |
Banner Elk's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Banner Elk with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Banner Elk?
20 of the 57 figures for Banner Elk on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Banner Elk are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Banner Elk.