COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Cherokee County

Kansas · 21,374 residents · 588 sq mi

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The short version

With 21,374 people, Cherokee County is a county in Kansas. The typical home is worth $26,500. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. Households here earn about 30% less than in Kansas as a whole. About 10% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Renters pay $260 a month at the median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.7

US median: 33.0

Less educated

10% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 28%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

21,374

−5%vs 2000

vs 22,605 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.7

−3%vs 2000

vs 37.0 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

588 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202419K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.8%(1,445)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.9%(1,695)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.3%(1,559)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.2%(1,538)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246%(1,290)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3413.8%(2,947)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.5%(2,881)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.6%(2,265)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.3%(1,989)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.4%(2,005)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846.1%(1,304)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.1%(456)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$19,001

−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $30,505 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,705

−34%vs 2000

vs $14,710 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

20.2%

+5.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 14.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$26,500

−28%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $48,400 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$260

−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $381 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

76.5%

+0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 76.1% in 2000

23.5% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic91.6%(20,700)

Black0.6%(137)

Hispanic / Latino1.3%(291)

Asian0.2%(51)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic95.7%(20,449)

Black0.4%(77)

Hispanic / Latino1.1%(238)

Asian0%(0)

Other4%(848)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.5%(294)

Central American0.7%(126)

Guatemalan0.7%(125)

Panamanian0%(1)

Asian origin

Chinese0.3%(54)

Asian Indian0.2%(46)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.2%(43)

Ancestry

German15.5%(2,959)

American13.8%(2,639)

Irish12.7%(2,429)

English11%(2,110)

Italian2.7%(511)

Scottish2.3%(434)

French1.5%(289)

Swedish1.2%(234)

Dutch1%(197)

Scotch-Irish0.8%(146)

Austrian0.7%(129)

Norwegian0.6%(114)

+ 16 more ancestry groups with data

Welsh0.4%(71)

Subsaharan African0.3%(59)

Kenyan0.3%(59)

Polish0.3%(56)

Belgian0.3%(53)

Australian0.1%(22)

Canadian0.1%(22)

Romanian0.1%(18)

Czech0.1%(12)

Hungarian0.1%(12)

Russian0.1%(10)

French Canadian0%(7)

Danish0%(5)

Slovene0%(3)

Israeli0%(1)

Portuguese0%(1)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Italian population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

10.3%

−0.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 11.3% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

70.2%

−10.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 80.3% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.0%

+0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.6% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

21.2 min

+57%vs 2000

vs 13.5 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married25.6%(1,955)

Married57.1%(4,369)

Widowed4.3%(330)

Divorced13%(996)

Women 15+

Never married23.1%(1,854)

Married50.7%(4,072)

Widowed12.6%(1,014)

Divorced13.6%(1,095)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

11.4%

−4.1 ptssince 2013

from 15.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

47.0%

−3.9 ptssince 2020

from 50.9% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

16.6%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 16.4% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

23.6%

+0.3 ptssince 2020

from 23.3% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

20.3%

−1.0 ptssince 2020

from 21.3% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

1.9%

−0.3 ptssince 2020

from 2.2% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

63.9%

−2.0 ptssince 2020

from 65.9% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

38.4%

−1.9 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)20.8%(193)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era44.3%(412)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War3.8%(35)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

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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