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
median household income $53,628, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Cherokee County
What changed most since 1990
Median age39.2 → 53.5(+14.3 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
White share95.4% → 89.3%(−6.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Poverty rate20.4% → 12.4%(−8.1 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
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
Over time
Cherokee County, decade by decade
Cherokee County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
20,170
$47,101
$127,444
8.0%
11.2
2000
24,298
$50,992
$137,535
11.0%
14.1
2010
27,444
$54,873
$210,175
15.9%
18.2
2020
28,774
$49,443
$198,653
21.9%
27.5
2024
29,562
$53,628
$232,300
24.2%
24.9
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
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.
