Swain County
Also known as Swain County, North Carolina, Swain County, NC
county in North Carolina, United States
Key facts
- Country
- United States
- State
- North Carolina
- Named after
- David L. Swain
- Seat
- Bryson City
- Largest community
- Cherokee
- Total
- 540.25 sq mi (1,399.2 km )
- Land
- 527.73 sq mi (1,366.8 km )
- Water
- 12.52 sq mi (32.4 km ) 2.32%
- Estimate 2025
- 14,024
- Density
- 26.75/sq mi (10.33/km )
- Time zone
- UTC−5 ( Eastern )
- Summer dst
- UTC−4 ( EDT )
- Congressional district
Article
Swain County is a county located on the far western border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,117. Its county seat is Bryson City.
Four rivers flow through the mountainous terrain of Swain County: the Nantahala River, Oconaluftee River, Tuckaseegee River, and the Little Tennessee River. Their valleys have been occupied for thousands of years by various societies of Indigenous peoples, including the South Appalachian Mississippian culture era, and the Cherokee people. Native Americans, mostly members of the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, comprise 29% of the population in Swain County.