Swain County, North Carolina

NC · FIPS 37173 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 14,013 #2,225 / 3,222
31th
Median Household Income $52,349 -30.3% #2,640 / 3,222
18th
Median Age 42.6 years +9.5% #1,330 / 3,222
59th
Median Home Value $207,000 -26.6% #1,336 / 3,222
58th
Median Gross Rent $742 -36.2% #2,518 / 3,222
22th
Poverty Rate 19.1% +51.6% #2,580 / 3,222
20th

Demographics

Swain County has a population of 14,013, making it the #2,225 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

97.2%
Native Born
2.8%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in Swain County is $52,349, ranking #2,640 out of 3,222 counties — 30.3% below the national median. The poverty rate is 19.1% and unemployment stands at 7.6%.

Median Household Income
$52,349 −30.3% vs nat'l
Rank #2,640 of 3,222
18th percentile
Per Capita Income
$31,803 −22.9% vs nat'l
Rank #2,133 of 3,222
34th percentile
Poverty Rate
19.1% +51.6% vs nat'l
Rank #2,580 of 3,222
20th percentile
Unemployment Rate
7.6% +43.5% vs nat'l
Rank #2,903 of 3,222
10th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
21.4% −36.4% vs nat'l
Rank #1,744 of 3,222
46th percentile
Mean Commute Time
22.4 min −19.0% vs nat'l
Rank #2,466 of 3,222
23th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

Rankings →

Housing

The median home value in Swain County is $207,000 (-26.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $742/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.7%.

Median Home Value
$207,000 −26.6% vs nat'l
Rank #1,336 of 3,222
58th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$742 −36.2% vs nat'l
Rank #2,518 of 3,222
22th percentile
Homeownership Rate
72.7% +12.8% vs nat'l
Rank #1,915 of 3,222
41th percentile
72.7% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

76.2% of residents in Swain County have health insurance coverage, which is 17.0% below the national rate.

76.2% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
76.2% −17.0% vs nat'l
Rank #3,179 of 3,222
1th percentile

About Swain County, North Carolina

Swain County, North Carolina has a total population of 14,013, making it the 2,225th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Swain County is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Swain County is $52,349, which ranks #2,640 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 30.3% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 19.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.6%.

The median home value in Swain County is $207,000, 26.6% below the national median. Renters in Swain County pay a median gross rent of $742 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Swain County, 21.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 36.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 76.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.4 min.

Swain County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 59.2% of the population, followed by American Indian (non-Hispanic) (27.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (5.5%).

All data for Swain County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.