Population 12,818 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Swannanoa
Household size in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.07 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.69 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Swannanoa are large by national standards, averaging 3.07 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.39, even as the national average fell. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.2 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.6 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Swannanoa is 43.2 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.2, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Swannanoa (9.0%), below the national share of 11.6%. Swannanoa has a lower share of single-parent households than most North Carolina cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Swannanoa
Renters in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.3% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.6% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.8% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.4% of households in Swannanoa rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About four in ten owners (41.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the northwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.9 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.0% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +9.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 20.0% of the housing in Swannanoa, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 9.7 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Swannanoa are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. Still, homes here are older than in North Carolina overall, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $828 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $760 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $814 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $936 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$108 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Swannanoa runs $936 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $108 a month since 2006–10, up 13%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.6% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Swannanoa
Bachelor's degrees in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.3% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.6% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.8% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.6 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Swannanoa as nationally: 36.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 15.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.4% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.8% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Swannanoa never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.5 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Swannanoa
| Period | Swannanoa | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in Swannanoa is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Swannanoa compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swannanoa | 3.07 | 43.2 | 9.0% | 24.4% | 20.0% | 1986 | $936 | 36.8% | 85.9% | 5.2% |
| Summerhaven | 3.49 | 38.5 | 7.3% | 18.7% | 21.4% | 1985 | $767 | 39.2% | 76.0% | 9.6% |
| Black Mountain | 2.48 | 52.9 | 4.9% | 26.4% | 32.8% | 1984 | $1,352 | 53.2% | 91.6% | 3.7% |
| Fairview | 2.68 | 47.8 | 10.3% | 15.8% | 24.0% | 1996 | $1,241 | 50.2% | 97.3% | 2.0% |
| Montreat | 2.21 | 33.3 | 3.6% | 37.2% | 52.6% | 1977 | $1,373 | 50.6% | 94.6% | 5.3% |
| Ridgecrest | 2.15 | 39.0 | 5.6% | 29.2% | 45.8% | 1981 | $1,156 | 48.2% | 91.2% | 11.9% |
| Graphite | 2.52 | 44.4 | 5.6% | 34.5% | 47.9% | 1974 | $1,031 | 46.5% | 92.7% | 2.4% |
| Gerton | 2.22 | 54.7 | 6.3% | 24.7% | 44.3% | 1993 | $604 | 39.9% | 88.8% | 4.8% |
| Asheville | 2.56 | 42.6 | 8.5% | 41.2% | 24.1% | 1982 | $1,365 | 52.3% | 93.9% | 4.1% |
| Biltmore Forest | 2.70 | 50.5 | 2.2% | 5.8% | 24.4% | 1960 | $1,564 | 87.2% | 98.2% | 2.7% |
| Dillingham | 2.12 | 42.2 | 4.3% | 36.3% | 33.5% | 1984 | $1,003 | 33.7% | 85.0% | 0.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Middleton, MA · Maywood, NJ · Mcdonald, PA · McGregor, TX · McLeansville, NC · Memphis, FL · Mendham, NJ · Mentone, CA · Metropolis, IL · Middlebury, VT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Swannanoa. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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