How big does a swamp white oak get and how long does it live?
Usually 50 to 60 ft tall and as wide in a landscape, occasionally 70 to 75 ft, with a documented lifespan up to 300 years — a tree you plant for the next owner, not for yourself. Growth is slow to moderate, so most subdivision-planted swamp white oaks in central Indiana are still small enough to be an easy low-bracket removal for decades yet.
Spread below ground too
Shallow to medium depth and very wide spreading — wider than the crown — which is precisely why it survives saturated clay subsoil that kills deeper-rooted species, and the wetter the site the shallower it stays. It has no meaningful taproot, so it transplants and establishes easily for an oak, but those broad surface roots will eventually run under and lift a narrow sidewalk or a thin driveway apron.
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