United States › Kansas › Cherokee County COUNTY
Cherokee County Kansas · 19,105 residents (2025 est.) · 588 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Cherokee County is home to 19,151 people in Kansas. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. The typical home is worth $100,100, having more than doubled since 2000. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 76% of the housing stock. Density works out to 33 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 22,605 in 2000
19,105 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 36 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K 20K 21K 22K 23K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cherokee County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $57,668
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,505 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,710 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.442 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.2%
Public administration 2.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Education & health services 0.8%
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$100,100
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $48,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$799
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $381 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.1% in 2000
24.5% rent
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.40 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.7 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 91.6%(20,700)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(291)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.3%(16,337)
from 21 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 16 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
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 25.6%(1,955)
Women 15+
Never married 23.1%(1,854)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 65.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.3% 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) 22.1%(205)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.8%(193)
Share of the 929 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
Ottawa County
Income $49,947 −13%
Home value $123,300 +23%
Population 30,438 +59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Crawford County
Income $52,844 −8%
Home value $132,600 +32%
Population 39,008 +104%
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CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Labette County
Income $56,325 −2%
Home value $94,600 −5%
Population 19,685 +3%
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CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Jasper County
Income $60,694 +5%
Home value $166,900 +67%
Population 127,428 +567%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Cherokee County, Kansas? Cherokee County, Kansas has about 19,151 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cherokee County, Kansas? The typical household in Cherokee County, Kansas earns about $57,668 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cherokee County, Kansas expensive? In Cherokee County, Kansas, the median home is worth about $100,100, and the typical rent is about $799 a month.
How educated are people in Cherokee County, Kansas? About 19.4% of adults age 25 and over in Cherokee County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cherokee County, Kansas? About 14.1% of people in Cherokee County, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cherokee County, Kansas grown since 1990? Yes, Cherokee County, Kansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,223 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.
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