Swain County, North Carolina

2 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 14,065
Median household income: $55,429
Median home value: $209,800

Swain County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 14,065. 2 cities and places have their primary county here. At $55,429, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

From 2019 to 2023, Swain County's population declined 1.4% from 14,260 to 14,065, while its median household income rose 41.0% from $39,317 to $55,429.

67.1% of homes are single-family detached houses. The typical home was built around 1989.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 14,065
Median age: 42.6 yrs
Median household income: $55,429
Median home value: $209,800
Median gross rent: $715
Housing units: 8,529
Homeownership rate: 73.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 21.3%
Unemployment rate: 8.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

14,26014,065

Median household income

$39,317$55,429

Median home value

$139,100$209,800

Median gross rent

$642$715

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	14,260	$39,317	$139,100	$642
2020	14,241	$45,554	$149,300	$616
2021	14,166	$48,608	$169,000	$655
2022	14,130	$52,818	$178,900	$690
2023	14,065	$55,429	$209,800	$715

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 54.9%

5 to 1717.2%

18 to 248.7%

25 to 3411.3%

35 to 4411.7%

45 to 5413.0%

55 to 6413.5%

65 to 7411.4%

75 and over8.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	683	4.9%
5 to 17	2,417	17.2%
18 to 24	1,225	8.7%
25 to 34	1,596	11.3%
35 to 44	1,650	11.7%
45 to 54	1,828	13.0%
55 to 64	1,895	13.5%
65 to 74	1,608	11.4%
75 and over	1,163	8.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	8,487	60.3%
Black or African American	212	1.5%
American Indian & Alaska Native	3,971	28.2%
Asian	56	0.4%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	5	0.0%
Two or more races	616	4.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	718	5.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma12.9%

High school graduate35.2%

Some college or associate's30.7%

Bachelor's degree12.3%

Graduate or professional degree9.0%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,252	12.9%
High school graduate	3,424	35.2%
Some college or associate's	2,992	30.7%
Bachelor's degree	1,196	12.3%
Graduate or professional degree	876	9.0%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 21 min

Drove alone81.6%

Carpooled8.6%

Public transit1.3%

Walked1.2%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home5.4%

Other means1.9%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	4,624	81.6%
Carpooled	486	8.6%
Public transit	74	1.3%
Walked	69	1.2%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	309	5.4%
Other means	108	1.9%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,073	38.7%
15 to 29 min	1,950	36.4%
30 to 44 min	838	15.6%
45 to 59 min	213	4.0%
60+ min	287	5.4%

Households

Average household size: 2.35
Poverty rate: 21.1% (2,890 of 13,729)

	Count	Share
Family households	3,923	67.2%
Nonfamily households	1,914	32.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1989

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	5,837	68.4%
Vacant	2,692	31.6%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	4,276	73.3%
Renter-occupied	1,561	26.7%

1-unit, detached67.1%

1-unit, attached0.8%

2 to 4 units3.6%

5 to 19 units2.0%

20 or more units0.2%

Mobile home & other26.2%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	5,727	67.1%
1-unit, attached	72	0.8%
2 to 4 units	308	3.6%
5 to 19 units	172	2.0%
20 or more units	15	0.2%
Mobile home & other	2,235	26.2%

Geography

County GEOID: 37173
State: North Carolina
Land area: 528 sq mi
Water area: 13 sq mi
Center point: 35.5688, -83.4656