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COUNTY

Cherokee County

North Carolina · 30,830 residents (2025 est.) · 455.54 sq mi
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The short version

Cherokee County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $53,628. Population has grown 22% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $232,300. With a median age of 53.5, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. Households here earn about 26% less than the North Carolina median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 53.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 69%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
29,562
+22%since 2000
from 24,298 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
65 / sq mi
+13%since 2009
from 58 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
53.5
+22%since 2000
from 44.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:30,830 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
19K22K25K28K31K1990201020202024Cherokee County
202430K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.8%(1,135)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 93.9%(1,141)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.8%(1,417)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.8%(1,406)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.4%(1,308)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 348.7%(2,561)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 449.6%(2,838)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.9%(3,520)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.7%(4,933)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7418.9%(5,586)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8410.1%(2,976)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.5%(741)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$53,628
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,992 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,569
+100%since 2000
from $15,814 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
33.3%
+17.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.4%
−3.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.419
−5%since 2010
from 0.440 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information17.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade10.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade10.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services5.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$232,300
+69%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$813
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $350 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
83.7%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 82.2% in 2000
16.3% rent
Vacancy rate
28.1%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 31.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
16.3%
−7.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
31.9%
+7.5 ptssince 2009
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.3
+20%since 2009
from 3.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
44
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Cherokee County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic94.1%(22,875)
Black1.6%(382)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(303)
Asian0.3%(68)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(26,388)
Black1.8%(527)
Hispanic / Latino3.7%(1,088)
Asian0.5%(156)
Other4.7%(1,403)
Diversity Score
25
+56%since 2009
from 16 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
21
−25%since 2020
from 28 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.8%(543)
Puerto Rican0.6%(186)
Cuban0.4%(113)
Dominican0.2%(57)
Guatemalan0.1%(33)
Peruvian0.1%(27)
Spaniard0.1%(18)
Colombian0%(11)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(56)
Hmong0.2%(48)
Cambodian0.1%(31)
Nepalese0.1%(21)
Ancestry
American20.4%(6,016)
English17%(5,019)
Irish11.9%(3,532)
German11%(3,248)
Scottish3.8%(1,109)
Scotch-Irish2.6%(759)
French2%(589)
Italian1.9%(566)
Dutch1.2%(356)
Polish1.2%(347)
Swedish0.9%(264)
Norwegian0.6%(169)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.5%(160)
Swiss0.4%(116)
Austrian0.2%(69)
Greek0.2%(59)
Hungarian0.2%(54)
Arab0.2%(49)
Portuguese0.2%(49)
Slovak0.2%(45)
British0.1%(43)
Russian0.1%(39)
Danish0.1%(37)
Somali0.1%(37)
Lebanese0.1%(29)
Czech0.1%(24)
Syrian0.1%(20)
Australian0.1%(16)
Canadian0%(14)
Ukrainian0%(14)
Slovene0%(13)
Brazilian0%(12)
Finnish0%(9)
Belgian0%(6)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Scottish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.2%
+13.2 ptssince 2000
from 11.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.2%
+19.0 ptssince 2000
from 73.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.5%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.2 min
+64%since 2000
from 15.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.5%
−5.5 ptssince 2009
from 85.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.4%
−5.4 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.8%
+9.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.1%
−3.3 ptssince 2011
from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
49.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2011
from 50.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.3%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.2%
−27.5 ptssince 2009
from 57.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
Female
50.4%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 51.8% in 2009
Foreign born
1.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
10.2%
−37.1 ptssince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
18.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2012
from 18.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.5%
−67.2 ptssince 2013
from 79.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
83.6%
+18.0 ptssince 2017
from 65.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
96.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 96.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married23.7%(3,015)
Married59%(7,509)
Widowed4.7%(604)
Divorced12.5%(1,589)
Women 15+
Never married19.9%(2,619)
Married56.4%(7,419)
Widowed10.2%(1,344)
Divorced13.5%(1,770)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 32,481
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Pop 32,449
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Head to head

Compare Cherokee County to nearby counties

CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income$56,971+6%
Home value$278,400+20%
Population12,239−60%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Graham County
Income$49,684−7%
Home value$170,600−27%
Population8,190−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Union County
Income$66,176+23%
Home value$307,400+32%
Population27,859−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Fannin County
Income$57,073+6%
Home value$306,600+32%
Population26,111−15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cherokee County, North Carolina?

Cherokee County, North Carolina has about 29,562 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Cherokee County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Cherokee County, North Carolina earns about $53,628 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cherokee County, North Carolina expensive?

In Cherokee County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $232,300, and the typical rent is about $813 a month.

How educated are people in Cherokee County, North Carolina?

About 24.2% of adults age 25 and over in Cherokee County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cherokee County, North Carolina?

About 12.4% of people in Cherokee County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cherokee County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Cherokee County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,392 residents, a change of about 47 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

12 census tracts
Census Tract 9304.01Census Tract 9305.02Census Tract 9306.06Census Tract 9303Census Tract 9301.01Census Tract 9302Census Tract 9306.05Census Tract 9301.02Census Tract 9305.01Census Tract 9306.04Census Tract 9306.03Census Tract 9304.02
3 ZIP codes
ZIP 28906ZIP 28901ZIP 28905
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Cherokee County, North Carolina: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy