Swanton is located in
Franklin County, 10 miles north of
St. Albans along Highway 7 on the banks of the Missisquoi River near
Lake Champlain.
Swanton is one of the few places in Vermont where Native Americans are known to have had a permanent settlement. In the past, smuggling was one of Swanton's most lucrative businesses. This town near the Vermont-Quebec border was the scene of controversy when enterprising Vermonters drove cattle across the border into Canada and sold them to British soldiers during the War of 1812. Twentieth-century smugglers followed in their predecessors' footsteps during Prohibition.
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is nearby.
The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 2,594, an increase of 234 since 1990.
Swanton is part of the Burlington, Vermont metro area.
