United States › Alabama › Cherokee County COUNTY
Cherokee County Alabama · 26,413 residents (2025 est.) · 554 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Cherokee County is a county of 25,443 people in Alabama. The median age is 47.5, about 9 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. 81% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 2%. The typical home is worth $179,700, having roughly tripled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 55%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 23,988 in 2000
26,413 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 44 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K 21K 23K 25K 27K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cherokee County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,863
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,874 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,543 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.439 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.8%
Public administration 2.4%
Education & health services 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$179,700
+55%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$762
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $362 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 81.7% in 2000
18.9% rent
from 30.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 92.4%(22,164)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(204)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.4%(22,997)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(469)
from 19 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 27 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 9.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 63.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 20.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 56.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 60.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 67.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 24.4%(2,613)
Women 15+
Never married 18.1%(1,973)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 17.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 42.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 18.8%(279)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.5%(275)
Share of the 1,485 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Cherokee County Head to head
Compare Cherokee County to nearby counties CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Etowah County
Income $54,563 +1%
Home value $167,100 −7%
Population 103,886 +293%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Calhoun County
Income $55,029 +2%
Home value $156,600 −13%
Population 115,834 +339%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Polk County
Income $58,515 +9%
Home value $187,600 +4%
Population 45,514 +72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
DeKalb County
Income $51,204 −5%
Home value $152,700 −15%
Population 74,085 +180%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Cherokee County, Alabama? Cherokee County, Alabama has about 25,443 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cherokee County, Alabama? The typical household in Cherokee County, Alabama earns about $53,863 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cherokee County, Alabama expensive? In Cherokee County, Alabama, the median home is worth about $179,700, and the typical rent is about $762 a month.
How educated are people in Cherokee County, Alabama? About 16.5% of adults age 25 and over in Cherokee County, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cherokee County, Alabama? About 14.8% of people in Cherokee County, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cherokee County, Alabama grown since 1990? Yes, Cherokee County, Alabama has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,900 residents, a change of about 30 percent over that period.
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