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COUNTY

Cherokee County

North Carolina · 30,830 residents (2025 est.) · 456 sq mi
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The short version

Cherokee County is a county of 29,562 people in North Carolina. The median age is 53.5, about 15 years above the US median. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The foreign-born share is 2%. Households here earn about 26% less than in North Carolina as a whole.

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
30,830 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
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
Land area
456 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K22K25K28K31K19902000201020202024Cherokee 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%
Persons per household
2.20 people
−6%since 2009
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
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
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
44
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
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)
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%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
70.5%
+4.8 ptssince 2020
from 65.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.3%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.2%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 26.1% 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%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% 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%
−7.8 ptssince 2013
from 20.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
83.6%
+18.0 ptssince 2017
from 65.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.8%
+7.0 ptssince 2020
from 86.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.5%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 87.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
12.5%
−7.8 ptssince 2013
from 20.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
38.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 36.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
19.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
34.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 33.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 21.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 5.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
55.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 54.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
51.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 51.0% 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)17.7%(446)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.1%(482)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era47.1%(1,189)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.3%(84)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(8)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,522 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Cherokee County

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Pop 29,432
Wayne County
Pop 32,481
Franklin County
Pop 32,449
Carroll County
Pop 29,263
Places similar to Cherokee County
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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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →