The island has almost none of the mainland amenities. There are no stores, no liquor sales, and no amusements, except those that people create for themselves. The year-round population is about 350 people, with over 1000 people in the summertime.

Swan's, a large island of some 7,000 acres, has a highly irregular shoreline that provides secure and interesting anchorages for visiting boaters. It is hilly, but not particularly high. There is a quarry for swimming as well as places to visit on foot or bicycle. The island has three little villages, Atlantic in Mackerel Cove on the north coast, Swan's Island, on the shores of Burnt Coat Harbor in the south and Minturn.

Lobstering is the main occupation on Swan's Island. The economy of the island is mostly dependent on the income derived from lobstering. Swan's Island has about 40 full-time lobstermen and women, and many part-timers, including school children who fish from small skiffs in the summer.