Swannanoa, North Carolina

Swannanoa is a census-designated place (CDP) in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,576 at the 2010 census.[3] The community is named for the Swannanoa River, which flows through the settlement. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

"Swannanoa, NC" redirects here. For Swannanoa, North Canterbury, see Swannanoa, New Zealand.

Swannanoa, North Carolina
Census-designated place
Location in Buncombe County and the state of North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°36′17″N 82°23′17″W
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Buncombe
Area
• Total	6.43 sq mi (16.66 km^2)
• Land	6.40 sq mi (16.57 km^2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.09 km^2)
Elevation	2,195 ft (669 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	4,576
• Density	715/sq mi (276.1/km^2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	28778
Area code(s)	828
FIPS code	37-66280[1]
GNIS feature ID	0995757[2]

History

Alexander Inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.[4]

Geography

Swannanoa is located in eastern Buncombe County at 35°36′17″N 82°23′17″W (35.604808, -82.387921),[5] between Asheville and Black Mountain. Interstate 40 passes through the main commercial area of Swannanoa, which is focused around the Ingles supermarket and gas station. The old commercial area sits beside an empty lot where the old Beacon Manufacturing Co. plant once sat. The Beacon Plant was the center of the Swannanoa community, built by the late Charles D. Owen, Sr. It was closed in 2002, and burned almost completely to the ground on September 3, 2003. The local high school is Charles D. Owen High School. Brad Johnson was a graduate of Charles D. Owen High School. He went on to play in the National Football League for the Super Bowl XXXVII Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.7 km²), of which 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²), or 0.53%, is water.[3]

Demographics

At the 2000 census,[1] there were 4,132 people, 1,652 households and 1,113 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 649.5 per square mile (250.8/km²). There were 1,774 housing units at an average density of 278.9 per square mile (107.7/km²). The racial makeup was 91.53% White, 5.06% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.52% of the population.

There were 1,652 households of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.86.

27.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median household income was $31,218 and the median family income was $39,980. Males had a median income of $27,561 and females $22,939. The per capita income was $16,804. About 8.5% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (formerly the North Carolina Department of Corrections) operates the Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women in Swannanoa. It opened on July 7, 2008, taking women previously at the Black Mountain Correctional Center for Women.[6]

The North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention formerly operated the Swannanoa Valley Youth Development Center in Swannanoa for delinquent boys, including those without sufficient English fluency. It opened in 1961.[7]

Higher education

Warren Wilson College is located west of the Swannanoa CDP.

References

1. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Fairview CDP, North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
4. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
6. "Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women". North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Retrieved December 17, 2015. "Street Address 55 Lake Eden Road Black Mountain, N.C. 28711"
7. "Swannanoa Valley YDC" (Archive). North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. April 28, 2006. Retrieved December 16, 2015.