COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Swain County

North Carolina · 11,268 residents · 528 sq mi

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Swain County is a county of 11,268 people in North Carolina. 27.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 40% less than in North Carolina as a whole. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. About 10% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $49,600.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.8

US median: 33.0

Less educated

10% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 18%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

11,268

−13%vs 2000

vs 12,968 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.8

−8%vs 2000

vs 38.8 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

528 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202414K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.3%(711)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 96.9%(772)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.1%(803)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198.4%(945)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.8%(648)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.6%(1,644)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.4%(1,507)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5411.7%(1,313)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.5%(1,187)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 748.7%(980)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.2%(591)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.5%(167)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$16,068

−26%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $28,608 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$8,922

−39%vs 2000

vs $14,647 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

27.6%

+9.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 18.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$49,600

−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $80,000 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$235

−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $384 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

76.3%

−0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 76.8% in 2000

23.7% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic65.9%(8,544)

Black1.7%(214)

Hispanic / Latino1.5%(191)

Asian0.2%(20)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic70.9%(7,991)

Black1.5%(170)

Hispanic / Latino0.7%(83)

Asian0.2%(22)

Other27.4%(3,085)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican2.8%(388)

South American1.3%(180)

Peruvian1.3%(180)

Puerto Rican0.5%(72)

Central American0.5%(70)

Guatemalan0.5%(68)

Spaniard0.3%(43)

Honduran0%(2)

Asian origin

Thai0.2%(23)

Pakistani0.2%(22)

Ancestry

American24.1%(3,382)

English12.1%(1,691)

Irish7.8%(1,088)

German3.5%(493)

Scotch-Irish3%(422)

Scottish1.1%(153)

Dutch0.6%(87)

Italian0.5%(67)

Arab0.4%(58)

Lebanese0.4%(58)

Polish0.4%(56)

Welsh0.4%(56)

+ 15 more ancestry groups with data

French0.4%(52)

Lithuanian0.3%(45)

Subsaharan African0.2%(33)

British0.2%(24)

Slovak0.2%(23)

Czech0.2%(22)

Russian0.1%(18)

Swedish0.1%(17)

Norwegian0.1%(12)

French Canadian0.1%(10)

Portuguese0.1%(10)

Greek0.1%(9)

Hungarian0.1%(9)

Canadian0%(3)

Austrian0%(2)

RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Scotch-Irish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

9.9%

−4.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

59.0%

−11.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 70.5% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.3%

−0.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.1% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

16.9 min

+26%vs 2000

vs 13.4 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married29.7%(1,631)

Married55.4%(3,048)

Widowed4.7%(257)

Divorced10.2%(563)

Women 15+

Never married29.2%(1,814)

Married45.9%(2,855)

Widowed11.3%(702)

Divorced13.6%(843)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

23.8%

−3.1 ptssince 2013

from 26.9% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

36.7%

+1.5 ptssince 2020

from 35.2% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

10.0%

−3.4 ptssince 2020

from 13.4% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

20.5%

−1.1 ptssince 2020

from 21.6% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

23.2%

+0.7 ptssince 2020

from 22.5% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.0%

−0.3 ptssince 2020

from 2.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

45.3%

−3.2 ptssince 2020

from 48.5% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

41.2%

+0.9 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)22.8%(182)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era19.5%(156)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War5.5%(44)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

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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