County profile · North Carolina
Swain County, NC market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Swain County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 14,024
- −0.6% since 2020
- Households
- 6,013
- Median household income
- $52,349
- +33.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $207,000
- Jobs located here
- 6,242
- Highest market score
- 71
- Insurance agencies, #424 of 2,272 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Swain County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Swain County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 14,024 people live in Swain County, in 6,013 households. Population estimates show Swain County declined 0.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Swain County is $52,349 a year, 35% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 33.2% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Swain County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 131, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (59).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Swain County are for insurance agencies (71), medical and dental practices (66) and gas stations (45). Swain County ranks #424 of 2,272 scored counties for insurance agencies.
For its number of households, Swain County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for grocery and convenience stores (51% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for medical and dental practices (72% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Swain County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Swain County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 71 | #424 of 2,272 | 5 | 8.3 | $3.1M | 246 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 66 | #465 of 2,394 | 14 | 23.3 | $426K | 279 | 3 |
| Gas stations | 45 | #1,388 of 2,358 | 8 | 13.3 | $2.3M | 95 | 11 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 43 | #1,363 of 2,210 | 7 | 11.6 | $1.4M | 164 | 6 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 41 | #1,459 of 2,222 | 6 | 10.0 | $3.3M | 108 | 13 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 40 | #1,477 of 2,088 | 5 | 8.3 | $694K | 105 | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 38 | #1,462 of 2,087 | 6 | 10.0 | $1.7M | 132 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 37 | #1,796 of 2,378 | 19 | 31.6 | $290K | 65 | 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 35 | #1,938 of 2,385 | 20 | 33.3 | $237K | 111 | 5 |
| Auto repair and car care | 34 | #1,893 of 2,401 | 27 | 44.9 | $204K | 76 | 8 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 30 | #2,028 of 2,405 | 27 | 44.9 | $735K | 111 | 19 |
| Spas and skin care | 29 | #1,546 of 1,769 | 5 | 8.3 | $946K | 108 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 28 | #2,071 of 2,339 | 12 | 20.0 | $394K | 92 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 24 | #2,126 of 2,402 | 17 | 28.3 | $2M | 58 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 23 | #1,973 of 2,261 | 9 | 15.0 | $3.7M | 47 | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 21 | #2,152 of 2,176 | 21 | 34.9 | Index only | 72 | 7 |
| Real estate | 21 | #2,207 of 2,229 | 22 | 36.6 | Index only | 86 | 14 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 19 | #2,297 of 2,405 | 63 | 104.8 | $315K | 85 | 41 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 13 | #2,040 of 2,063 | 9 | 15.0 | $2.2M | 60 | 9 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 11 | #1,879 of 1,889 | 9 | 15.0 | $2.2M | 53 | 9 |
| Grocery stores | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 6.7 | $8.3M | 90 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 6.7 | $868K | 67 | Under 3 |
| Pet businesses | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 6.7 | $1.2M | 133 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 6.7 | $5M | 98 | 13 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 5.0 | $1.8M | 73 | 3 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $1.1M | Too few | 4 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $3.9M | Too few | 7 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $3.9M | Too few | 10 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $2.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $2.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $2.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $4.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $5.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $6M | Too few | 3 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $875K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $3.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | Index only | Too few | 6 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 4 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home repair trades | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 10 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 6 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in Swain County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $5.5M | $917 | 96 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $18.1M | $3,011 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $19.8M | $3,299 | 81 |
| Groceries | $33.3M | $5,544 | 88 |
| Personal care products and services | $4.7M | $787 | 78 |
| Child care and other personal services | $2.3M | $375 | 65 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $3.5M | $577 | 59 |
| Medical and dental services | $6M | $991 | 77 |
| Pets | $4.7M | $774 | 85 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $10.1M | $1,680 | 82 |
| Vehicle insurance | $15.4M | $2,565 | 131 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $15M | $2,497 | 83 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $7.9M | $1,312 | 93 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $81.9M | $13,622 | 82 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Swain County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 14,024−0.6% since 2020
- Households
- 6,013
- Median age
- 41.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 73%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 528 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 27
- Median household income
- $52,349+33.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $74,062
- Median home value
- $207,000
- Jobs located here
- 6,242
- Daytime population
- 14,755Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Swain County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Swain County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in North Carolina 8
- Jackson County, NC43,771 people
- Macon County, NC37,941 people
- Graham County, NC8,072 people
- Haywood County, NC62,662 people
- Clay County, NC11,610 people
- Transylvania County, NC33,691 people
- Cherokee County, NC29,562 people
- Buncombe County, NC274,360 people
Questions
How fast is Swain County, NC growing?
Population estimates put Swain County at 14,024 people in 2025, down 0.6% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 6,013 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 33.2%, before inflation.
How much do households in Swain County, NC spend?
Households in Swain County spend about $81.9M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $33.3M on groceries and $19.8M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Swain County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 131, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (59).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Swain County, NC?
Of the business types scored in Swain County, insurance agencies (71), medical and dental practices (66) and gas stations (45) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #424 of 2,272 scored counties.
How does Swain County, NC compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Swain County is $52,349, 35% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $207,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for grocery and convenience stores (51% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for medical and dental practices (72% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 20 of the 56 business types have a score in Swain County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Swain County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Swain County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Swain County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.