County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Swain County
- What is the median household income in Swain County?
- The median household income in Swain County is $55,429 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Swain County?
- The poverty rate in Swain County is 14.3% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Swain County?
- $209,800 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Swain County?
- The median gross rent in Swain County is $715 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Swain County residents have a college degree?
- 21.3% of adults in Swain County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
14,065
Median Income
$55,429
Median Home Value
$209,800
Poverty Rate
14.3%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
8.3%
Median Age
42.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$16,112 (+41%)
Home Value:
+$70,700 (+50.8%)
Poverty Rate:
+2.8 pp (+24.3%)
Bachelor's+:
+3.1 pp (+17%)
Unemployment:
+1.4 pp (+20.3%)
Demographics
Total Population
14,065
Median Age
42.0
Female
51.7%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%
White (non-Hisp.) 60.3%
Black 1.5%
Asian 0.4%
Two or More 7.3%
Other 0.2%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
2.9%
Puerto Rican
1.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$55,429
±$6,686
-$14,475 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$71,587
Median Family Income
$76,089
Poverty Rate
14.3%
+4.9 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
23.6%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
14.4%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
24.1%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
6.3%
$10–15k
7.5%
$15–25k
10.6%
$25–35k
8.8%
$35–50k
12.4%
$50–75k
14.0%
$75–100k
10.7%
$100–150k
20.1%
$150–200k
5.3%
$200k+
4.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
8,529
Owner-Occupied
73.3%
Renter-Occupied
26.7%
Vacancy Rate
31.6%
Median Home Value
$209,800
-$49,600 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$715
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
16.1%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
32.0%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
8.8%
$50–100k
14.7%
$100–200k
12.2%
$200–300k
27.8%
$300–500k
19.6%
$500k–$1M
3.4%
$1M+
1.7%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
19.3%
$500–1k
57.7%
$1–1.5k
17.6%
$1.5–2k
2.6%
$2–2.5k
2.7%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
9.4%
1 vehicle
31.6%
2 vehicles
30.7%
3+
28.3%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
67.1%
Single-fam. att.
0.8%
2–4 units
2.0%
5–19 units
2.0%
20+ units
0.2%
Mobile home
25.3%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
3.4%
1940–1969
3.4%
1970–1999
17.8%
2000–2009
21.3%
2010+
5.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
87.1%
Bachelor's or Higher
21.3%
-13.4 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
9.0%
Some College / Associate
21.7%
Less Than High School
4.1%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
55.8%
Unemployment Rate
8.3%
+3.5 pp vs. state
Work from Home
5.4%
Self-Employed
5.7%
Government Workers
29.7%
Private For-Profit
64.5%
Industry
Arts/Entmt.
23.5%
Edu/Health
22.9%
Public Admin
11.0%
Construction
9.0%
Retail
7.9%
Prof. Services
6.3%
Agriculture
3.4%
Manufacturing
2.4%
Wholesale
2.3%
Transportation
2.2%
Finance
2.1%
Information
0.9%
Occupation
Food Prep
32.1%
Management
30.2%
Sales
16.9%
Construction
14.8%
Production
6.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
20.5 min
Drove Alone
81.6%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
1.3%
Work from Home
5.4%
Walked
1.2%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
5,837
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
44.5%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
13.2%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
4.9%
5–9
5.9%
10–14
7.2%
15–19
6.6%
20–24
6.2%
25–34
11.3%
35–44
11.7%
45–54
13.0%
55–64
5.8%
65–74
7.7%
75–84
11.4%
85+
6.2%
Under 18: 22.0%
Working age (18–64): 78.0%
65 and over: 19.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
1.6%
Naturalized Citizen
57.3%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
0.8%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
49.8%
Asia
37.0%
Africa
8.4%
Europe
1.3%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
5.7%
With a Disability
16.8%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
76.8%
Uninsured
23.2%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
75.8%
Has a Computer
87.0%
Same House 1 Year Ago
87.2%
Moved from Abroad
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Swain County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Swain County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 151 | 269 |
| Other flows - South | 150 | 257 |
| Other flows - West | 36 | 50 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 26 | 48 |