Cherokee County vs Union County
A side-by-side comparison of Cherokee County and Union County: population, income, housing, and more.
Cherokee County and Union County are counties in Iowa. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Union County has the higher population (12,038 vs 11,587 in Cherokee County). Cherokee County has the higher median household income ($64,478 vs $56,813 in Union County). Cherokee County has the higher median home value ($145,100 vs $117,800 in Union County).
Population, income & housing
| Cherokee County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,587 | 12,038 |
| Median age | 44.5 yrs | 40.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $64,478 | $56,813 |
| Median home value | $145,100 | $117,800 |
| Median gross rent | $711 | $683 |
| Housing units | 5,555 | 5,790 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.3% | 72.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 24.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 4.6% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Cherokee County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,343 → 11,587 (+2.2%) | 12,358 → 12,038 (-2.6%) |
| Median household income | $56,550 → $64,478 (+14.0%) | $49,900 → $56,813 (+13.9%) |
| Median home value | $106,700 → $145,100 (+36.0%) | $104,000 → $117,800 (+13.3%) |
| Median gross rent | $550 → $711 (+29.3%) | $609 → $683 (+12.2%) |
Cherokee County
11,34311,587
$56,550$64,478
$106,700$145,100
$550$711
Union County
12,35812,038
$49,900$56,813
$104,000$117,800
$609$683
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Cherokee County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.9% | 5.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.9% | 18.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.4% | 8.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.9% | 10.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.7% | 12.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.9% | 11.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.9% | 13.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.2% | 11.5% |
| 75 and over | 11.3% | 9.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Cherokee County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 89.7% | 92.6% |
| Black or African American | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.8% | 3.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Cherokee County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.9% | 7.0% |
| High school graduate | 39.5% | 34.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 32.0% | 34.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.3% | 17.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 7.3% | 6.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Cherokee County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 80.3% | 78.7% |
| Carpooled | 8.4% | 11.3% |
| Public transit | 0.7% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 2.3% | 5.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 7.3% | 3.7% |
| Other means | 1.0% | 0.6% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Cherokee County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 84.9% | 76.2% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.1% | 1.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.9% | 7.8% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| 20 or more units | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.2% | 5.2% |
Poverty & households
| Cherokee County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 12.6% |
| Average household size | 2.20 | 2.32 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 18 | 15 |
| Median year structure built | 1956 | 1961 |
Full profiles
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