Editing Swain County, North Carolina

{{Short description|County in North Carolina, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Swain County
 | state                = North Carolina
 | seal                 = Swain County seal.png
 | founded              = 1871
 | named for            = [[David L. Swain]]
 | seat wl              = Bryson City
 | largest city wl      = Cherokee
 | city type            = community
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 540.25
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 527.73
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 12.52
 | area percentage      = 2.32
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 14117
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 13916 {{loss}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = 26.75
 | coordinates          = {{coord|35.57|-83.47|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}}
 | web                  = www.swaincountync.gov
 | ex image             = The modern Swain County, N.C., courthouse and administrative building.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Swain County Courthouse
 | district             = 11th
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | motto                = "A natural gem set in the Great Smoky Mountains."<br/>"Live here. Play here. Thrive here."
}}

'''Swain County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located on the far western border of the [[U.S. state]] of [[North Carolina]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 14,117.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> Its [[county seat]] is [[Bryson City, North Carolina|Bryson City]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

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.

==History==
[[File:Swain-county-courthouse-nc1.jpg|thumb|Former [[Swain County Courthouse]] in Bryson City]]
This area was occupied for thousands of years by cultures of indigenous peoples, who successively settled in the valleys of the three rivers and their tributaries. During the [[Woodland culture|Woodland]] and [[South Appalachian Mississippian culture]] period, the latter beginning about 1000 CE, the peoples built earthwork [[platform mounds]] as their central public architecture. The more influential villages were each organized around a single mound with smaller villages nearby. The earliest European explorers, including two Spanish expeditions of the mid-to-late 16th century, are believed to have encountered Mississippian [[chiefdom]]s in some parts of the interior of the Southeast.

The historic [[Cherokee people]] emerged as a culture, and they became the primary occupants of a large homeland taking in what is now known as western Virginia, western North and South Carolina, southeastern Tennessee, northeast Georgia and northern Alabama. Numerous Cherokee towns were located along the [[Tuckaseegee River]] in this area, including [[Kituwa]] above the confluence with the [[Little Tennessee River]]. It is considered the Cherokee 'mother town'. The [[Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians]] (EBCI) acquired the Kituwa mound and former town site in 1996, and preserve it as sacred ground.

After the American Revolutionary War, more European Americans moved into this territory, seeking new lands west of the Appalachian Mountains. They came into increasing conflict with the Cherokee and other tribes whose territory they encroached on. Under President [[Andrew Jackson]], Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]] of 1830, to force the [[Five Civilized Tribes]] out of the Southeast. He used federal army forces to round up and accompany most of the Cherokee to [[Indian Territory]] west of the Mississippi River (the area was later admitted in 1907 as the state of Oklahoma).

Population growth was slow in the more isolated Swain County. It was not organized by European Americans until 1871 during the [[Reconstruction era]], when it was formed from parts of [[Jackson County, North Carolina|Jackson]] and [[Macon County, North Carolina|Macon]] counties. It was named for [[David L. Swain]], [[governor of North Carolina]] from 1832 to 1835 during the time of [[Indian Removal]], and president of the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina]] from 1835 to 1868.

Present-day [[Bryson City, North Carolina|Bryson City]], designated as the county seat, developed on both sides of the Tuckaseegee River, which passes and completely surrounds the Bryson City Island Park. After that, it enters Fontana Lake and flows into the Little Tennessee River.

In 1868 the federal government recognized the [[Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians]], made up of people who had stayed at the time of removal and their descendants. In the 1870s, they purchased within what is now Swain County the land area that became known the "Qualla Boundary" land trust.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ncpedia.org/qualla-boundary|title = Qualla Boundary &#124; NCpedia}}</ref><ref>Cherokee Indians - Part 1: Overview | NCpediawww.ncpedia.org › cherokee › "These people and their descendants were recognized in 1868 by the federal government as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. In the early 2000s these Cherokee, living on the Qualla Boundary in the western part of the state, were the only Indian tribe in North Carolina fully recognized by the federal government."</ref> They are the only federally recognized tribe in North Carolina.

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q496197|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Swain County}}
[[File:Oconaluftee River in Swain Co., NC IMG 4884.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Oconaluftee River in Cherokee]]
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Swain county has a total area of {{convert|540.25|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|527.73|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|12.52|sqmi}} (2.32%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2022 |title=2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_counties_37.txt |access-date=September 9, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

The county is located in far [[Western North Carolina]] in the [[Great Smoky Mountains]]. It holds more of the [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]] than any other county in North Carolina or Tennessee. The highest point in the county is [[Kuwohi]], elevation {{convert|6,643|ft}}, located on the NC/TN border. Kuwohi is the third-highest peak in North Carolina. A walkable observation tower is located on its summit. The highest mountain in North Carolina and in the United States east of the Mississippi River is [[Mount Mitchell]], {{convert|6,684|ft}}, located northeast of [[Asheville, North Carolina]], in Yancey County.<ref>Mount Mitchell State Park, North Carolina State Park System; www.ncparks.gov.</ref>

Three rivers ultimately feed the Little Tennessee River, which flows through the mountains into Tennessee. The [[Nantahala River]] is one of the most popular [[whitewater rafting]] rivers in the nation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greatsmokies.com/|title=Travel Guide to Bryson City and the Great Smoky Mountains|website=Swain County NC Chamber of Commerce|access-date=March 17, 2018}}</ref> It is a tributary of the Little Tennessee River.

As of 2024, Swain County has 3,930 acres of agricultural land – the fourth-lowest amount in the state.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |date=2024-10-15 |title=County facing challenges to local economy |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/index.php/local-newsletter/county-facing-challenges-local-economy |access-date=2024-10-17 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |pages=1A,8A}}</ref>

===Cherokee reserve===
The [[Oconaluftee River]] flows through Swain County and the town of [[Cherokee, North Carolina|Cherokee]], where the federally recognized [[Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians]] is based. Their [[Qualla Boundary]] occupies territory in both Swain and Jackson counties. The Oconaluftee is a tributary of the [[Tuckaseegee River]]. Ancient Cherokee towns were located along both of these rivers. The Tuckaseegee flows into the [[Little Tennessee River]] before it leaves North Carolina. It also had important Cherokee towns, each developed around an earthwork mound. The Cherokee built their communal [[townhouse]] on top of these mounds.

===National protected areas===
* [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] (part)
* [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]] (part)
* [[Nantahala National Forest]] (part)

===State and local protected areas/sites===
* [[Nantahala National Forest Game Land]] (part)<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands">{{Cite web |title=NCWRC Game Lands |url=https://www.ncpaws.org/ncwrcmaps/gamelands |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=www.ncpaws.org}}</ref>
* [[Needmore Game Land]] (part)<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands"/>
* [[Shuckstack|Shuckstack Fire Tower]]
* [[William H. Silver Game Land]] (part)<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands"/>

===Major water bodies===
* [[Brush Creek (North Carolina)|Brush Creek]]
* [[Bunches Creek (North Carolina)|Bunches Creek]]
* [[Cullasaja River]]
* [[Deep Creek (North Carolina)|Deep Creek]]
* [[Fingerlake (North Carolina)|Fingerlake]]
* [[Fontana Lake]]
* [[Forney Creek (North Carolina)|Forney Creek]]
* [[Licklog Creek (North Carolina)|Licklog Creek]]
* [[Little Tennessee River]]
* [[Nantahala River]]
* [[Noland Creek (North Carolina)|Noland Creek]]
* [[Oconaluftee River]]
* [[Pigeon Creek (North Carolina)|Pigeon Creek]]
* [[Tuckasegee River]]
* [[Wesser Creek (North Carolina)|Wesser Creek]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Sevier County, Tennessee]] – north
* [[Haywood County, North Carolina|Haywood County]] – east
* [[Jackson County, North Carolina|Jackson County]] – southeast
* [[Macon County, North Carolina|Macon County]] – south
* [[Graham County, North Carolina|Graham County]] – southwest
* [[Blount County, Tennessee]] – northwest

===Major highways===
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|19}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Conn|19|dab1=Bryson City}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Truck|19|dab1=Bryson City–Lake Junaluska}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|74}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|129}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|441}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|441|dab1=Cherokee}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|28}}

===Major infrastructure===
* [[Bryson City Depot]]
* [[Great Smoky Mountains Railroad]], freight and heritage railroad company based in Bryson City
* Sossamon Field, in Bryson City
* Swain Public Transit, providing requested transportation services in county

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 3784
|1890= 6577
|1900= 8401
|1910= 10403
|1920= 13224
|1930= 11568
|1940= 12177
|1950= 9921
|1960= 8387
|1970= 7861
|1980= 10283
|1990= 11268
|2000= 12968
|2010= 13981
|2020= 14117
|estyear=2023
|estimate=13916
|estref=<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 19, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 19, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nc190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=January 19, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=January 19, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37173.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 30, 2013|archive-date=January 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129224222/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37173.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/swaincountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Swain County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 22, 2024}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Swain County, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Swain County, North Carolina |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US37173&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Swain County, North Carolina |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US37173&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Swain County, North Carolina |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US37173&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|8,544
|9,168
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,541
|65.89%
|65.57%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |60.50%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|214
|75
|style='background: #ffffe6; |102
|1.65%
|0.54%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.72%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|3,711
|3,587
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,030
|28.62%
|25.66%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |28.55%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|20
|66
|style='background: #ffffe6; |53
|0.15%
|0.47%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.38%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10
|0.00%
|0.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.07%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|9
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6; |44
|0.07%
|0.01%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.31%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|279
|540
|style='background: #ffffe6; |745
|2.15%
|3.86%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.28%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|191
|540
|style='background: #ffffe6; |592
|1.47%
|3.86%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.19%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''12,968'''
|'''13,981'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''14,117'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 14,117 people, 5,620 households, and 3,615 families residing in the county.

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 12,968 people, 5,137 households, and 3,631 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|25|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 7,105 housing units at an average density of {{convert|14|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 66.33% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.70% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 29.03% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.15% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.49% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.28% from two or more races. 1.47% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 16.3% were of [[United States|American]], 8.0% [[Irish people|Irish]], 7.6% [[Scotch-Irish American|Scots-Irish]], 6.9% [[German people|German]] and 6.6% [[English people|English]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]]. 95.2% spoke [[English language|English]], 2.9% [[Cherokee language|Cherokee]] and 1.3% [[Spanish language|Spanish]] as their first language.

There were 5,137 households, out of which 30.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.30% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 25.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,608, and the median income for a family was $33,786. Males had a median income of $26,570 versus $20,722 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $14,647. About 13.30% of families and 18.30% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 25.60% of those under age 18 and 19.10% of those age 65 or over.

==Politics, law and government==
===Politics===
Swain has voted Republican the last six Presidential elections, but historically has been a swing county, with no candidate from either major party obtaining under 37 percent of the county's vote between 1976 and 2012, and no margin larger than twelve percentage points occurring in any election between 1984 and 2012. In 2016 [[Donald Trump]] won the county by twenty-three percentage points with the typical strong anti-Democratic swing of most counties in [[Appalachia]], though his margin decreased in the 2020 election. Swain was solidly Democratic during the Third Party System, but the [[Populist movement (United States, 19th Century)|Populist movement]] dramatically increased the success of progressive Republicans between 1896 and 1928. However, the victory in the county of [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive Party]] candidate [[Theodore Roosevelt]] in 1912 and subsequent dominance of liberal Democrats like [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]] suggest that the county's voters were drawn more to the relatively progressive agendas of these candidates than they were to any party label.

{{PresHead|place=Swain County, North Carolina|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 17, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,311|2,643|98|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,161|2,780|127|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,565|2,196|363|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,976|2,618|134|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,900|2,806|92|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,593|2,419|32|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,224|2,097|49|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,444|1,869|409|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,640|2,117|573|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|1,795|1,821|9|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,012|2,000|10|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|1,457|1,987|76|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,608|2,151|12|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,052|1,101|31|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,494|1,227|537|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,534|2,294|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,112|2,171|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|2,026|1,794|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|1,680|1,949|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,389|1,908|70|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,505|2,110|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,425|2,422|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,084|2,619|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,893|2,412|19|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,484|1,723|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|2,178|1,769|24|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,239|1,434|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,128|829|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Progressive|220|766|858|North Carolina}}

===County government===
====Board of Commissioners====
Swain County is governed by an elected Board of Commissioners. The County Manager oversees the day-to-day management of the county and supervises the administration of all County offices, departments, boards, commissions and agencies. The county manager attends all meetings of the Board of Commissioners, recommends measures that he considers expedient, and executes decisions made by the Board. As of 2024, Swain County has the lowest per-capita tax levy in the state – $535 per person – and the second lowest total levy ($7.4 million in tax revenue).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |date=2024-10-23 |title=Tax rates are not that high in the county |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/tax-rates-are-not-high-county |access-date=2024-10-25 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=A1}}</ref>

Swain County is a member of the regional [[Councils of governments in North Carolina|Southwestern Commission]] council of governments.

====Qualla Boundary government====
The town of Cherokee is within the [[Qualla Boundary]], land purchased by the [[Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians]] in the 1870s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ncpedia.org/qualla-boundary|title = Qualla Boundary &#124; NCpedia}}</ref> It has its own government, consisting of an elected chief and elected council members from each community within the tribe. The tribe is considered sovereign and only adheres to its own laws and the laws of the [[Federal government of the United States|federal government]]. This allows the town of Cherokee to have a casino, despite casinos being outlawed in North Carolina. This was conditional on the adoption of a tribal-state gaming compact agreed to by both the tribe and the state, as well as approved by the federal government.

===Policing and law enforcement===
The Swain County Sheriff provides court protection, jail administration, patrol and detective services for the unincorporated areas of the county. Bryson City has a municipal police department.

==Education==
[[Swain County Schools]] serves all of the county except for the part in the Qualla Boundary, which is in [[Cherokee Central Schools]].<ref name=SwainSDmap>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37173_swain/DC20SD_C37173.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718224350/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37173_swain/DC20SD_C37173.pdf |archive-date=July 18, 2021 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Swain County, NC|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 18, 2021}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37173_swain/DC20SD_C37173_SD2MS.txt Text list]: "Eastern Cherokee Reservation" refers to the area which has Cherokee Central Schools.</ref> [[Swain County High School]] serves the former and [[Cherokee Central High School]] serves the latter.

==Media==
The ''[[Smoky Mountain Times]]'' is published in Bryson City.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 8, 2023 |title=Smoky Mountain Times |url=https://www.thesmokymountaintimes.com/ |access-date=July 8, 2023 |website=Smoky Mountain Times}}</ref> In 1889 and 1890 the community was served by the ''Swain County Herald''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Swain County Herald (Charleston, N.C.) |url=https://www.digitalnc.org/newspapers/swain-county-herald-charleston-n-c/ |access-date=July 8, 2023 |website=DigitalNC |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Communities==
[[File:Map of Swain County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG|thumb|300px|Map of Swain County with municipal and township labels]]

===Town===
* [[Bryson City, North Carolina|Bryson City]] (county seat)

===Census-designated places===
* [[Cherokee, North Carolina|Cherokee]] (largest community; capital of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians within the Qualla Boundary)
* [[Whittier, North Carolina|Whittier]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Almond, North Carolina|Almond]]
* [[Deals Gap, North Carolina|Deals Gap]]
* [[Ela, North Carolina|Ela]]
* [[Hewitt, North Carolina|Hewitt]]
* [[Lauada, North Carolina|Lauada]]
* [[Ravensford, North Carolina|Ravensford]]
* [[Wesser, North Carolina|Wesser]]

===Townships===
* Charleston
* Forneys Creek
* [[Nantahala, North Carolina|Nantahala]]

==See also==
* [[List of counties in North Carolina]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Swain County, North Carolina]]
* [[Great Smoky Mountains Expressway]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Swain County}}
* {{osmrelation|2528747}}
* {{official website|http://swaincountync.gov}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090413101750/http://brysoncitync.info/ History of Bryson City and Swain County North Carolina]
* [http://www.ncgenweb.us/swain/ NCGenWeb Swain County], genealogy resources for the county

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Swain County, North Carolina
|North     = [[Sevier County, Tennessee]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Haywood County, North Carolina|Haywood County]]
|Southeast = [[Jackson County, North Carolina|Jackson County]]
|South     = [[Macon County, North Carolina|Macon County]]
|Southwest = [[Graham County, North Carolina|Graham County]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Blount County, Tennessee]]
}}
{{Swain County, North Carolina}}
{{North Carolina}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Swain County, North Carolina| ]]
[[Category:1871 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1871]]