CensusEasy
COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Swain County

North Carolina · 12,968 residents · 528 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

With 12,968 people, Swain County is a county in North Carolina. About 14% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Owners hold 77% of the housing stock. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 27%. The median age is 38.8, about 4 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $80,000, having risen by half since 1990.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.8
US median: 35.2
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
12,968
+15%since 1990
from 11,268 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
38.8
+8%since 1990
from 35.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
528 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K12K13K14K15K19902000201020202024Swain County
202414K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.1%(797)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.9%(892)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(891)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.4%(955)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.3%(692)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.2%(1,579)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.5%(1,885)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.1%(1,828)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6411.3%(1,467)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.4%(1,085)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845%(650)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.9%(247)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$28,608
+35%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $16,068 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$14,647
+64%since 1990
from $8,922 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
18.3%
−9.3 ptssince 1990
from 27.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$80,000
+22%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $49,600 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$384
+24%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $235 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
76.8%
+0.5 ptssince 1990
from 76.3% in 1990
23.2% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic70.9%(7,991)
Black1.5%(170)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(83)
Asian0.2%(22)
2000
White, non-Hispanic65.9%(8,544)
Black1.7%(214)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(191)
Asian0.2%(20)

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)
Peruvian1.3%(180)
Puerto Rican0.5%(72)
Guatemalan0.5%(68)
Spaniard0.3%(43)
Asian origin
Thai0.2%(23)
Pakistani0.2%(22)
Ancestry
American24.1%(3,382)
English12.1%(1,691)
Irish7.8%(1,088)
German3.5%(493)
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)
British0.2%(24)
Slovak0.2%(23)
Czech0.2%(22)
Russian0.1%(18)
Swedish0.1%(17)
Norwegian0.1%(12)
Portuguese0.1%(10)
Greek0.1%(9)
Hungarian0.1%(9)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
13.9%
+4.0 ptssince 1990
from 9.9% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
70.5%
+11.6 ptssince 1990
from 59.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
4.1%
+0.8 ptssince 1990
from 3.3% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.4 min
−21%since 1990
from 16.9 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married22.5%(1,121)
Married64%(3,191)
Widowed2%(100)
Divorced11.6%(577)
Women 15+
Never married16.5%(891)
Married59.2%(3,193)
Widowed12.3%(665)
Divorced12%(646)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Swain County

Clay County
Pop 14,052
Las Animas County
Pop 14,391
Screven County
Pop 14,408
Jefferson County
Pop 15,011
Places similar to Swain County
Head to head

Compare Swain County to nearby counties

SWAIN COUNTY VS
Sevier County
Income$62,581+119%
Home value$299,000+274%
Population101,342+623%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SWAIN COUNTY VS
Graham County
Income$49,684+74%
Home value$170,600+113%
Population8,190−42%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SWAIN COUNTY VS
Blount County
Income$77,365+170%
Home value$320,500+301%
Population143,820+926%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SWAIN COUNTY VS
Haywood County
Income$61,912+116%
Home value$279,200+249%
Population63,369+352%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Swain County, North Carolina?

Swain County, North Carolina has about 12,968 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Swain County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Swain County, North Carolina earns about $28,608 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 $80,000, and the typical rent is about $384 a month.

How educated are people in Swain County, North Carolina?

About 13.9% 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 18.3% 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 1,700 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →