Swain County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Swain County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 97% below the North Carolina median Cheapest county in North Carolina$9,346
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Median rent 40% below the North Carolina median Cheaper than 93% of counties in North Carolina$741
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Swain County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $9,346 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 26.3% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $741 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.8% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Swain County is about 97% lower than in North Carolina. Rent is about 40% lower than the North Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2016-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Swain County, up about 26.3% and 2.8% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Swain County rose about 26.4% between 2015 and 2024, from $586 to $741. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 0.2 yearly household incomes in Swain County.
Buying the median-priced home in Swain County costs roughly 1.1 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Swain County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Swain County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $9,346 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $55,019 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 0.2 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2016 and 2024, the median home price in Swain County fell about 86.5%, while median household income rose about 58.4% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Swain County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 50.7% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 19.1% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 30.3% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
Swain County has a homeownership rate of 50.7%, lower than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 30.3%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Swain County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.27 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1988 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.1 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Swain County was built around 1988. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.1 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Swain County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Swain County, NC is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 14,014 residents against a local median of 71,719. Where Swain County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 97% below the local median of $349,349 at $9,346.
Median rent tells the same story from another angle: $741 against a local median of $988, 25% below it. The counties themselves spread $505,839 on median home price, so Swain County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Swain County, NC has the 5th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swain County, NC | 14,014 | $9,346 #5/5 | $741 #5/5 | 72.7% #3/5 |
| Sevier County, TN | 99,652 | $363,698 | $1,072 | 70.7% |
| Macon County, NC | 37,947 | $173,347 | $803 | 77.6% |
| Jackson County, NC | 43,786 | $679,186 | $904 | 60.8% |
| Blount County, TN | 139,333 | $334,999 | $1,090 | 77.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Swain County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Swain County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Swain County, North Carolina is $9,346, lower than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Swain County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Swain County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $9,346. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Swain County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Swain County, North Carolina is $741 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Swain County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Swain County, North Carolina was $616 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Swain County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Swain County, North Carolina is about 1.1, meaning it would take roughly 1.1 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Swain County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Swain County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Swain County, up about 26.3% and 2.8% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Swain County, North Carolina?
50.7% of households in Swain County, North Carolina own their home, lower than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Swain County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Swain County, North Carolina is 30.3%, higher than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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