United States › North Carolina › Swain County COUNTY
Swain County North Carolina · 14,024 residents (2025 est.) · 528 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Swain County is home to 14,013 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The foreign-born share is 3%. Households here earn about 28% less than in North Carolina as a whole. There are 27 people per square mile. The median age is 42.6, about 4 years above the US median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 12,968 in 2000
14,024 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 25 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K 12K 13K 14K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Swain County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $52,349
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,608 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,647 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.445 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 2.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Public administration 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$207,000
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$742
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $384 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.8% in 2000
27.3% rent
from 30.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 65.9%(8,544)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(191)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 59.2%(8,292)
Hispanic / Latino 5.5%(767)
from 59 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 58 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 70.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 26.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 81.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.7%(1,631)
Women 15+
Never married 29.2%(1,814)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 26.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 35.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 22.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 48.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 25.4%(203)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.8%(182)
Share of the 798 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Swain County Head to head
Compare Swain County to nearby counties SWAIN COUNTY VS
Sevier County
Income $62,581 +20%
Home value $299,000 +44%
Population 101,342 +623%
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SWAIN COUNTY VS
Graham County
Income $49,684 −5%
Home value $170,600 −18%
Population 8,190 −42%
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SWAIN COUNTY VS
Blount County
Income $77,365 +48%
Home value $320,500 +55%
Population 143,820 +926%
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SWAIN COUNTY VS
Haywood County
Income $61,912 +18%
Home value $279,200 +35%
Population 63,369 +352%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Swain County, North Carolina? Swain County, North Carolina has about 14,013 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Swain County, North Carolina? The typical household in Swain County, North Carolina earns about $52,349 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Swain County, North Carolina expensive? In Swain County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $207,000, and the typical rent is about $742 a month.
How educated are people in Swain County, North Carolina? About 21.4% of adults age 25 and over in Swain County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Swain County, North Carolina? About 19.1% of people in Swain County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Swain County, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Swain County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,745 residents, a change of about 24 percent over that period.
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