Swannanoa is a community in Buncombe County, North Carolina, home to about 6,901 people across 6.4 square miles. Its ZIP code is 28778.
Homes sold for a median of $256 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Swannanoa. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Swannanoa’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)87 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)15 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC93 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA499 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Swannanoa; 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.
Swannanoa had 5,021 residents in the 2020 census, up 22% since 2000.
It’s the 135th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Buncombe County grew from 44,288 residents in 1900 to 269,452 in 2020.
Buncombe County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 76°F in summer, and winter lows average 25°F. About 53 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 29 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Swannanoa 2 Sse, NC weather station (3 miles away).
127,409 jobs at 9,863 businesses in Buncombe County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
32 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Swannanoa.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 3 |
|---|---|
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 2 |
| Mental health providers | 25 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 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 (3 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles 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 Buncombe County Schools, ArtSpace Charter. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams ElementarySwannanoa | Pre-K–5 | 451 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| ArtSpace Charter SchoolSwannanoa | K–8 | 402 | Charter | 2.0 mi |
| Owen MiddleSwannanoa | 6–8 | 457 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Community High SchoolSwannanoa | 7–12 | 127 | Alternative Education | 1.0 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville Christian AcademySwannanoa | Pre-K–12 | 757 | Other religious | 0.9 mi |
| The Learning Community SchoolSwannanoa | K–8 | 116 | Nonsectarian | 1.1 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.