Also See Swannanoa, NC: ZIP Codes & Maps
The Swannanoa CDP(1) had a population of 5,161 as of July 1, 2025.
The primary coordinate point for Swannanoa is located at latitude 35.5979 and longitude -82.3998 in Buncombe County. The formal boundaries for the Swannanoa Census Designated Place encompass a land area of 6.39 sq. miles and a water area of 0.03 sq. miles. Buncombe County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5).
The Swannanoa Census Designated Place has a U1 Census Class Code which indicates a census designated place with an official federally recognized name. It also has a Functional Status Code of "S" which identifies a statistical entity.
The Swannanoa Census Designated Place is located within Township of Swannanoa, a minor civil division (MCD) of Buncombe County.
POPULATION | |
|---|---|
| Total Population | 5,161 (100%) |
| Population in Households | 4,693 (90.9%) |
| Population in Families | 3,480 (67.4%) |
| Population in Group Quarters1 | 468 ( 9.1%) |
| Population Density | 810 |
| Diversity Index2 | 48 |
INCOME | |
| Median Household Income | $67,360 |
| Average Household Income | $80,384 |
| % of Income for Mortgage4 | 27% |
| Per Capita Income | $31,079 |
| Wealth Index5 | 65 |
| Socioeconomic Status Index6 | Moderate (49.0) |
HOUSING | |
|---|---|
| Total HU (Housing Units) | 2,193 (100%) |
| Owner Occupied HU | 1,371 (62.5%) |
| Renter Occupied HU | 616 (28.1%) |
| Vacant Housing Units | 206 ( 9.4%) |
| Median Home Value | $292,526 |
| Average Home Value | $336,014 |
| Housing Affordability Index3 | 90 |
HOUSEHOLDS | |
| Total Households | 1,987 |
| Average Household Size | 2.36 |
| Family Households | 1,219 |
| Average Family Size | 3.00 |
GROWTH RATE / YEAR |
2020-2025 | 2025-2030 |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 0.53% | 0.40% |
| Households | 0.92% | 0.41% |
| Families | -0.53% | |
| Median Household Income | 2.76% | |
| Per Capita Income | 2.61% | |
| Owner Occupied HU | 1.01% |
The table below compares Swannanoa to the other 776 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in North Carolina by rank and percentile using July 1, 2025 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.
| Variable Description | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population | # 166 | 79th |
| Population Density | # 304 | 61st |
| Median Household Income | # 312 | 60th |
| Housing Affordability Index | # 385 | 50th |
| Per Capita Income | # 462 | 41st |
| Diversity Index | # 472 | 39th |
Additional comparisons and rankings can be made with a VERY EASY TO USE North Carolina Census Data Comparison Tool.
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