Swain County, North Carolina Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Swain County, North Carolina, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Swain County, North Carolina. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Swain County, North Carolina. The estimated population of Swain County, North Carolina is 14,166 people, with a median age of 42.1.

We can look at the total population in Swain County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
14,166
 -0.53% -0.30%
2020
14,241
 -0.13% -
2019
14,260
+0.04%
-
2018
14,254
+0.32%
-
2017
14,208
 - -

Population of Swain County, North Carolina by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
59.5%
62.7%
 -5.10%
Black/African American
0.8%
0.5%
 +60.00%
Native
28.5%
27.6%
 +3.26%
Hispanic
6.3%
4.9%
 +28.57%
Asian
0.6%
0.4%
 +50.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
4.4%
3.9%
 +12.82%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Swain County, North Carolina by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 42.1 -0.47% 40.7 0% 42.9 -1.38%
2020 42.3 +0.95% 40.7 +1.24% 43.5 +0.93%
2019 41.9 +1.21% 40.2 -0.99% 43.1 +1.89%
2018 41.4 +0.73% 40.6 +1.75% 42.3 +0.48%
2017 41.1 - 39.9 - 42.1 -

The median age of Swain County, North Carolina gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 868 +5.98% 992 -15.68% 901 842
10 to 19 848 +3.74% 755 +31.83% 877 1,011
20 to 29 831 +9.89% 941 -17.72% 914 783
30 to 39 889 -29.06% 779 -2.29% 653 751
40 to 49 796 +14.04% 893 +14.1% 912 1,014
50 to 59 996 -9.76% 1,036 -6.72% 895 965
60 to 69 910 -4.57% 914 +7.01% 861 977
70+ 727 +15.35% 1,033 -6.66% 845 965

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Swain County, North Carolina is $48,608.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Swain County.

  • Under 25
    $21,750.00
  • 25 to 44
    $61,365.00
  • 45 to 64
    $60,864.00
  • 65 and over
    $32,692.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Swain County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Swain County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Swain County, North Carolina is currently $65,756.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

1.78% of households in Swain County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Swain County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    26.29%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    25.05%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    14.97%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.93%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    15.99%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.00%
  • $200,000 or more
    1.78%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Swain County is $25,889.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Swain County by the total population of Swain County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Swain County, North Carolina, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Swain County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    12.57%
  • Bachelor's degree
    25.22%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    8.92%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    48.89%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.39%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Swain County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Swain County over the age of 16 is 11,218.

Of those people, a total of 54.40% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Swain County is 50.20%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 683 32.50% 19.80%
20 to 24 years 875 64.60% 13.30%
25 to 29 years 822 85.00% 19.90%
30 to 34 years 800 73.00% 2.90%
35 to 44 years 1,540 76.80% 2.00%
45 to 54 years 1,903 74.10% 8.20%
55 to 59 years 947 69.80% 4.40%
60 to 64 years 987 39.60% 3.60%
65 to 74 years 1,487 22.50% 3.00%
75 years and over 1,174 4.80% 10.70%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Swain County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 7,406 54.70% 7.30%
Black or African American 110 44.50% 53.10%
American Indian and Alaska Native 3,288 52.10% 4.10%
Asian 71 100.00% 69.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 48 14.60% 0.00%
Two or more races 295 73.60% 15.70%
Hispanic or Latino 472 69.90% 8.50%
Not Hispanic or Latino 7,140 53.50% 7.70%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Swain County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Swain County is 5,633, with median earnings of $31,783.00.

Women in Swain County, North Carolina earning approximately 86.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 5,633 $31,783.00
Male 2,742 $35,327.00
Female 2,891 $30,661.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 374 $63,710.00
Business and Financial 261 $39,747.00
Computer and Mathematical 117 $38,603.00
Architecture and Engineering 55 $24,464.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 15 $0.00
Community and Social Service 121 $29,205.00
Legal 83 $33,977.00
Educational and Library 268 $37,647.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 64 $53,611.00
Healthcare Practitioners 434 $46,500.00
Healthcare Support 217 $17,896.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 121 $27,740.00
Law Enforcement 194 $82,891.00
Food Preparation and Serving 359 $21,847.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 494 $20,278.00
Personal Care and Service 242 $31,364.00
Sales 271 $18,656.00
Office and Administrative Support 720 $32,596.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 91 $16,157.00
Construction and Extraction 490 $38,068.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 177 $44,023.00
Production 229 $7,327.00
Transportation and Material Moving 127 $37,546.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 194 $56,515.00 180 $77,917.00
Business and Financial 64 $53,415.00 197 $39,304.00
Computer and Mathematical 66 $41,379.00 51 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 55 $24,464.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 8 $0.00 7 $0.00
Community and Social Service 72 $22,125.00 49 $52,969.00
Legal 36 $42,188.00 47 $27,396.00
Educational and Library 44 $52,292.00 224 $31,118.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 35 $53,681.00 29 $27,386.00
Healthcare Practitioners 69 $100,230.00 365 $39,141.00
Healthcare Support 20 $0.00 197 $18,313.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 121 $27,740.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 79 $68,365.00 115 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 197 $29,219.00 162 $17,500.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 314 $23,698.00 180 $15,859.00
Personal Care and Service 121 $57,411.00 121 $24,837.00
Sales 80 $20,000.00 191 $10,486.00
Office and Administrative Support 53 $21,691.00 667 $33,798.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 91 $16,157.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 448 $39,261.00 42 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 153 $44,961.00 24 $0.00
Production 206 $7,093.00 23 $55,288.00
Transportation and Material Moving 120 $37,778.00 7 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 5,505 households in Swain County, with an average household size of 2.53 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 3,836 families in Swain County with an average family size of 3.04 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 2,668 439 729 1,669
Average Household Size 3 3.38 3.43 1.15
Total Families 2,668 439 729 0
Average Household Size 3 3.09 3.15 0

Poverty

Of the 3,836 families in Swain County, 12.60% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Swain County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 8,401 housing units in Swain County, North Carolina.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 5,505 65.53%
Vacant 2,896 34.47%

12.09% of the total 8,401 housing units in Swain County are rental units. This is approximately 1,016 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,198 are occupied by the owner - or 49.97% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Swain County is $655.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Swain County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    291
  • Less than $500
    227
  • $500 to $999
    590
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    171
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    22
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    6
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Swain County is $169,000.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Swain County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    387
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    783
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    689
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    598
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    930
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    670
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    124
  • $1,000,000 or more
    17

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Swain County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Swain County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    313
  • 1940 to 1949
    284
  • 1950 to 1959
    458
  • 1960 to 1969
    500
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,527
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,341
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,773
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,770
  • 2010 to 2013
    428
  • 2014 or later
    7

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Swain County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    430
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,741
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,952
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,382

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Swain County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Swain County that commute to work in a particular way.

19.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Swain County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    219
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    892
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    963
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    964
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    880
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    112
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    536
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    96
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    58
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    176
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    111
  • 90 or more minutes
    107

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Swain County, North Carolina in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Swain County, North Carolina

We have data for 4 places in Swain County, North Carolina. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.