HomeNorth CarolinaSwain County

Swain County, North Carolina

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 0% of Swain County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 1%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 71.3% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 25 flood losses here since 2016. 37% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1989.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

0%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

1%

high water table: limits basements

71%

in drought, October 13, 2026

37%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Swain County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.0%
High water table (limits basements)1.3%
Septic fields very limited85.5%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)1.4%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.0%
Mapped soil357,474 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Soco15%n/a
Stecoah10%n/a
Junaluska8%n/a
Spivey5%n/a
Breakneck4%n/a
Brasstown3%n/a
Sevier County: 0%Graham County: 0%Blount County: 0%Haywood County: 1%Jackson County: 0%Macon County: 0%Cocke County: 1%Jefferson County: 0%Swain County SevierGrahamBlountHaywoodJacksonMaconCockeJeffersonSwain
Swain County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas NC605 (2025-08-27), TN640 (2025-09-02)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 45.63 in, 18.95 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 64.58 in.

USDA rates 85% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 0% and a shallow water table on 1% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Swain County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

Drought

71.3% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 44 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 30 weeks, most recently on the July 21, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse71.3%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

25 flood losses since 2016, $526,706 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 10.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
201810
20191
20205
20210
20221
20230
20247
20251
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202064.58 in
12 months to August 202645.63 in (-18.95)
202553.05 in (-11.53)
Wettest year since 18952013: 85.62 in
Driest year since 18952007: 40.31 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MT LECONTE (6 mi away)28.1

Homes

Housing units8,629
Median year built1989
Built before 198037%
Built 2000 or later28%
Owner-occupied73%
Median value, owner-occupied$207,000
Single-family detached66%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Sevier County, TN 15 mi 0% 7%
Graham County, NC 26 mi 0% 4%
Blount County, TN 27 mi under 1% 5%
Haywood County, NC 27 mi 1% 2%
Jackson County, NC 27 mi 0% 3%
Macon County, NC 29 mi 0% 3%
Cocke County, TN 31 mi 1% 6%
Jefferson County, TN 33 mi 0% 5%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status