Bryson City is a town in Swain County, North Carolina, home to about 1,902 people across 2.2 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28713.
Homes sold for a median of $258 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bryson City. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Bryson City’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)41 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Atlanta, GA128 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL499 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Bryson City; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Bryson City had 1,558 residents in the 2020 census, up 10% since 2000.
It’s the 350th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Swain County grew from 8,401 residents in 1900 to 14,117 in 2020.
Swain County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 26°F. About 58.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Bryson City 4, NC weather station (2 miles away).
3,724 jobs at 382 businesses in Swain County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
57 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Bryson City.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 10 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 2 |
| Dentists | 4 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 9 |
| Mental health providers | 19 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 12 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (4 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (3 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (4 nearby)
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Swain County Schools, Mountain Discovery Charter School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Extension SchoolBryson City | K–12 | 110 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Mountain DiscoveryBryson City | K–8 | 221 | Charter | 1.0 mi |
| Swain County East ElementaryBryson City | K–5 | 338 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| Swain County West ElementaryBryson City | K–6 | 403 | Public | 3.7 mi |
| Swain County Middle SchoolBryson City | 6–8 | 453 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Swain AcademyBryson City | 9–12 | 32 | Alternative Education | 1.9 mi |
| Swain County High SchoolBryson City | 9–12 | 536 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Christian AcademyBryson City | Pre-K–2 | 8 | Baptist | 0.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.