Swain County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Swain County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Swain County Well below averageLess wealthy than 74% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Swain County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,019 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,479 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.5% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.5% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.3% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Swain County is about 24% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing faster in Swain County (6.5%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Swain County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the North Carolina average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Swain County, North Carolina grew by 67.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,019 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Swain County
| Metric | Swain County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.535 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,442 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,830 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 5.1% | 16.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Swain County, it is 0.535, lower than North Carolina's 0.547, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 5% more than women's income in Swain County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 5% wage gap accumulates to roughly $91,420 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Swain County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 23% to 5% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2023 women out-earned men by 6%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,782 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Swain County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.0% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 495 people are unemployed in Swain County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Swain County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Swain County, North Carolina has fallen from 9.3% to 7.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 6.0% in 2020.
Swain County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Swain County, NC is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 14,014 residents against a local median of 43,786. Where Swain County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 116% above the local median of 3.5% at 7.6%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 6.5%/yr against a local median of 4.9%/yr, 34% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Swain County, NC is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 4.2% on unemployment, so Swain County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Swain County, NC has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swain County, NC | 14,014 | $55,019 #5/6 | 6.5%/yr #1/6 | 7.6% #6/6 | 0.535 #6/6 |
| Sevier County, TN | 99,652 | $62,889 | 4.9%/yr | 3.3% | 0.515 |
| Macon County, NC | 37,947 | $59,398 | 5.2%/yr | 2.8% | 0.511 |
| Graham County, NC | 8,067 | $49,669 | 4.6%/yr | 7.0% | 0.505 |
| Jackson County, NC | 43,786 | $55,909 | 4.2%/yr | 4.9% | 0.533 |
| Blount County, TN | 139,333 | $78,165 | 5.9%/yr | 3.5% | 0.519 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Swain County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than North Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Swain County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Swain County, North Carolina?
Swain County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $55,019, about 24% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Swain County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Swain County, North Carolina rose 68%, from $32,766 to $55,019. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Carolina as a whole: +68% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Swain County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Swain County, North Carolina was $56,049, up 5% from $53,214 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Swain County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Swain County, North Carolina was $45,615. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $55,019.
Is unemployment high in Swain County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Swain County, North Carolina is 7.6%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Swain County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Swain County is 0.535. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Swain County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Swain County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 23% to 5% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2023 women out-earned men by 6%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,782 since 2009.
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