Swain County, North Carolina Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 88th-largest in North Carolina

The population of Swain County, North Carolina is 14,065 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 88th-largest county in North Carolina. The median household income is $55,429, the median home value is $209,800, and the median age is 42.6.

The population of Swain County has declined 0.4% since 2010 (14,006 → 13,945), a -0.03% annualized rate.

Swain County within North Carolina · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

14,065

Population

-0.03%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$55,429

Median Income

$209,800

Median Home Value

Swain County covers 528 sq mi of land at 26.7 people per square mile.

About Swain County, NC

The poverty rate is what most separates Swain County from the typical county: 14.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line, against 12.4% nationally. With 14,065 residents, Swain County is a county in North Carolina.

Earnings trail the nation, with the median household making $55,429, below the US median of $78,538. The poverty rate is 14.3%, above the national 12.4%. Median home value is $209,800, with typical rent around $715.

Roughly 21.3% of adults have a bachelor’s, below the national 35.0%. Remote work is on the lower side here, at 5.4%, below the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 21 minutes each way.

The elevated poverty rate is the context for the rest of the profile in Swain County: it pulls on median income, housing tenure, and the share of residents with a college degree.

Swain County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Swain County had a population of 14,006 in 2010 and 13,945 in 2024, a -0.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 14,325 in 2015. Average annual growth rate: -0.03%.

Swain County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

13,945

Population (2024)

14,006

Population (2010)

14,325

Peak (2015)

-0.03%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	14,006	-	-	estimate
2011	14,005	-1	-0.01%	estimate
2012	14,054	+49	+0.35%	estimate
2013	13,976	-78	-0.56%	estimate
2014	14,238	+262	+1.87%	estimate
2015	14,325	+87	+0.61%	estimate
2016	14,189	-136	-0.95%	estimate
2017	14,268	+79	+0.56%	estimate
2018	14,259	-9	-0.06%	estimate
2019	14,312	+53	+0.37%	estimate
2020	14,103	-209	-1.46%	estimate
2021	14,126	+23	+0.16%	estimate
2022	13,968	-158	-1.12%	estimate
2023	13,923	-45	-0.32%	estimate
2024	13,945	+22	+0.16%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	61.2%
Black or African American	1.5%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	31.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

42.6

Median Age

51.7%

Female

48.3%

Male

19.7%

Age 65+

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%

55–59

5.8%

60–64

7.7%

65–74

11.4%

75–84

6.2%

85+

2.1%

Children (under 15): 18.0% · Seniors (65+): 19.7%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$55,429$-14,475 vs state
Mean household income	$74,336
Per-capita income	$31,040
Poverty rate	14.3%+4.9% vs state
Unemployment rate	4.6%
Employment-to-population	51.2%

Top Industries by Employment

Education & health care

23.5%

Professional & business services

22.9%

Public administration

11.0%

Construction

9.0%

Finance & real estate

6.3%

Arts, entertainment & food

6.0%

Agriculture

3.4%

Manufacturing

2.4%

The largest employment sector in Swain County is education & health care, accounting for 23.5% of workers.

How residents commute

1.3%

Drive alone

1.2%

Carpool

81.6%

Public transit

5.4%

Work from home

20.5 min

Avg commute

Housing

$209,800$-49,600 vs state

Median home value

$715

Median rent

73.3%

Homeownership rate

8,529

Total housing units

68.4%

Occupied

31.6%

Vacant

26.7%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

76.8%

With health insurance

87.0%

With broadband internet

28.6%

Foreign-born

5.7%

Veterans (18+)

16.8%

With a disability

93.5%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

87.1%

High School+

21.3%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in North Carolina

Charlotte (886,283)Raleigh (470,763)Greensboro (298,564)Durham (288,465)Winston-Salem (250,887)Fayetteville (209,692)Cary (176,686)Wilmington (118,578)High Point (115,263)Concord (106,518)All North Carolina cities →

Other counties in North Carolina

Wake County (1,151,009)Mecklenburg County (1,130,906)Guilford County (542,987)Forsyth County (386,740)Cumberland County (336,749)Durham County (329,405)Buncombe County (271,790)Union County (244,975)Gaston County (231,485)Cabarrus County (231,262)All North Carolina counties →

Part of North Carolina

North Carolina demographic profile All North Carolina data →

Metro areas in North Carolina

Charlotte (2,712,818)Virginia Beach (1,782,590)Raleigh (1,449,594)Greensboro (779,894)Winston (683,637)Durham (594,291)Wilmington (440,578)Asheville (410,817)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Swain County, North Carolina has a population of 14,065 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 88th-largest county in North Carolina. Population density is 27 people per square mile.

The population of Swain County has declined 0.4% since 2010 (14,006 → 13,945), a -0.03% annualized rate.

The median household income in Swain County, North Carolina is $55,429, with mean (average) household income of $74,336 and per-capita income of $31,040. 14.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Swain County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (61.2%), Hispanic or Latino (31.9%), Black or African American (1.5%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Swain County, North Carolina is 42.6 years. Residents are 51.7% female and 48.3% male.

The median home value in Swain County is $209,800 and median monthly rent is $715. 73.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 8,529 total housing units, 31.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Swain County, North Carolina is education, health care, and social assistance, employing 23.5% of workers. The unemployment rate is 4.6%.

Charlotte is among the largest cities associated with Swain County, North Carolina, with a population of 886,283.