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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Cherokee County

North Carolina · 27,444 residents · 456 sq mi
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The short version

With 27,444 people, Cherokee County is a county in North Carolina. The median age is 48.1, about 11 years above the US median. 80% of homes are owner-occupied. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. The foreign-born share is 2%. The typical home is worth $146,100, having more than doubled since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 48.1
US median: 37.2
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 53%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
27,444
+13%since 2000
from 24,298 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
48.1
+9%since 2000
from 44.0 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
456 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K22K25K28K31K19902000201020202024Cherokee County
202430K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55%(1,377)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 95%(1,383)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 145.6%(1,547)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 195.6%(1,535)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 243.9%(1,064)
US avg: 7%
25 to 349.2%(2,520)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4411.6%(3,176)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5413.9%(3,819)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6417.3%(4,739)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 7413.9%(3,812)
US avg: 7%
75 to 846.7%(1,831)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.3%(641)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$38,144
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,992 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,747
+31%since 2000
from $15,814 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
17.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
13.2%
−2.1 ptssince 2000
from 15.3% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.440
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Wholesale trade14.2%
US avg: 7.2%
Retail trade11.6%
US avg: 10.9%
Information11.1%
US avg: 11.5%
Other services4.9%
US avg: 7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Finance & insurance3.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.5%
US avg: 4.9%
Construction2.4%
US avg: 1.4%
Professional, scientific, technical2.2%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 3.1%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 2.4%
Manufacturing1.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$146,100
+53%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,500 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$524
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $350 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
79.8%
−2.3 ptssince 2000
from 82.2% in 2000
20.2% rent
Vacancy rate
32.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 31.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.33 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
22.1%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
30.8%
+6.4 ptssince 2009
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
3.8
+6%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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic94.1%(22,875)
Black1.6%(382)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(303)
Asian0.3%(68)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic92.3%(25,341)
Black1.2%(327)
Hispanic / Latino2.5%(688)
Asian0.5%(131)
Other3.7%(1,014)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.2%(317)
Puerto Rican0.8%(225)
Cuban0.4%(107)
Ecuadorian0.1%(19)
Peruvian0%(13)
Ancestry
Irish16.3%(4,458)
English13.3%(3,645)
German12.9%(3,520)
American12.2%(3,321)
Scotch-Irish7.1%(1,953)
Scottish4.6%(1,251)
Dutch3%(821)
Italian2.3%(616)
French2%(535)
Polish1.7%(465)
Swedish0.4%(119)
Czech0.3%(90)
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.3%(78)
Hungarian0.3%(73)
Greek0.2%(62)
Ukrainian0.2%(60)
Austrian0.2%(58)
Norwegian0.2%(52)
Portuguese0.1%(40)
Canadian0.1%(34)
Arab0.1%(31)
Lithuanian0.1%(29)
Swiss0.1%(27)
Belgian0.1%(23)
Syrian0.1%(19)
Slovene0.1%(14)
Brazilian0%(13)
Danish0%(13)
Lebanese0%(12)
British0%(12)
Latvian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.9%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 11.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
81.5%
+8.3 ptssince 2000
from 73.3% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
6.4%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.6 min
+40%since 2000
from 15.4 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
86.5%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 85.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
9.9%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
1.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
1.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
5.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
16.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
26.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
Female
51.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.8% in 2009
Foreign born
2.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
13.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

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

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Pop 29,432
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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+49%
Home value$278,400+91%
Population12,239−60%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Graham County
Income$49,684+30%
Home value$170,600+17%
Population8,190−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Union County
Income$66,176+73%
Home value$307,400+110%
Population27,859−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHEROKEE COUNTY VS
Fannin County
Income$57,073+50%
Home value$306,600+110%
Population26,111−15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cherokee County, North Carolina?

Cherokee County, North Carolina has about 27,444 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Cherokee County, North Carolina earns about $38,144 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 $146,100, and the typical rent is about $524 a month.

How educated are people in Cherokee County, North Carolina?

About 15.9% 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 13.2% 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 7,274 residents, a change of about 36 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 →