Census-designated place · North Carolina
Swannanoa, North Carolina
Swannanoa, census-designated place, in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Swannanoa had 6,901 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,072). GEOID 3766280.
Residents, 2020-2024
6,901
±1,072 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,021
Median household income
$69,760
±$11,858 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$287,500
±$27,857 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$788
±$462 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Swannanoa and what county is it in?
Swannanoa is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Buncombe County, North Carolina. It covers 6.4 square miles of land, 788 residents per square mile in 2020.
Swannanoa is in the Asheville, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Swannanoa, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Swannanoa's population at 6,901 (±1,072). The 2020 Census counted 5,021 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Swannanoa is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Swannanoa | Buncombe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,901 ±1,072 | 274,360 | +2,774 |
| Households | 1,834 ±310 | 101,855 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.52 ±0.40 | 2.62 | +1.28 |
| Housing units | 2,298 ±380 | 134,483 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Swannanoa?
The median resident of Swannanoa is 37.1 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 16.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 23.9%. 15.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Swannanoa | Buncombe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 ±5.0 | 42.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.5% ±5.6 pts | 17.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.4% ±5.5 pts | 21.2% | – |
| Male | 52.5% ±4.6 pts | 48.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 23.9% ±10.5 pts | 8.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 69.9% ±10.5 pts | 80.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.3 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±2.6 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 15.8% ±3.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 21.0% ±8.9 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.1% ±4.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
| With a disability | 11.0% ±3.8 pts | 14.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.4% ±9.0 pts | 10.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 74.2% ±5.6 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 27.4% ±5.1 pts | 45.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.7% ±3.7 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.4% ±3.9 pts | 88.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.7% ±1.8 pts | 3.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Swannanoa earn?
Half of Swannanoa's 1,834 households earn less than $69,760 a year (±$11,858), against $74,436 in Buncombe County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $39,712 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $30,048 after inflation. 16.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Swannanoa | Buncombe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,760 ±$11,858 | $74,436 | +$30,048 |
| Mean household income | $79,750 ±$11,458 | $105,560 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,414 ±$4,440 | $43,371 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.8% ±8.8 pts | 11.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 28.8% ±22.1 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.4% ±5.2 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.0% ±1.5 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.3% ±8.8 pts | 90.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Swannanoa?
Owners occupy 78.6% of Swannanoa's occupied homes and renters 21.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $287,500 by its owner (±$27,857). The median renter pays $788 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Swannanoa | Buncombe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $287,500 ±$27,857 | $391,800 | +$119,264 |
| Median gross rent | $788 ±$462 | $1,362 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.2% ±25.5 pts | 41.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,466 ±$275 | $1,785 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.6% ±9.0 pts | 66.2% | +14.6 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.4% ±9.0 pts | 33.8% | – |
| Housing units | 2,298 ±380 | 134,483 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 15.9% ±10.4 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.9% ±6.1 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 85.2% ±4.7 pts | 63.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.4% ±4.2 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 4.4% ±5.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.6% ±5.8 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.5% ±8.0 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.5% ±2.1 pts | 4.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Swannanoa work and get to work?
80.9% of Swannanoa's workers drive alone and 13.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 14.8%.
| Measure | Swannanoa | Buncombe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 49.7% ±6.4 pts | 59.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 14.8% ±4.1 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.9% ±8.4 pts | 70.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 4.5% ±3.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.7% ±7.0 pts | 17.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.9 min ±2.1 | 21.1 min | +2.8 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Swannanoa?
1 census tract lies mostly in Swannanoa, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 30.02Buncombe County | 10,257 | $75,038 |
| Tract 31.08Buncombe County | 2,168 | $51,458 |
| Tract 31.07Buncombe County | 3,613 | $84,519 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Swannanoa) · Census block assignment files
How does Swannanoa compare with other places in North Carolina?
Swannanoa ranks 182nd of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 135th | 443 |
| Residents per square mile | 264th | 443 |
| Median household income | 182nd | 434 |
| Per capita income | 369th | 443 |
| Median home value | 172nd | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 321st | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 158th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 198th | 421 |
| Median age | 318th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 132nd | 443 |
| Work from home | 145th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 384th | 439 |
Swannanoa's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Swannanoa with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Swannanoa?
15 of the 57 figures for Swannanoa on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Swannanoa are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.