Cherokee County, North Carolina

3 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 29,197
Median household income: $51,496
Median home value: $208,700

Home to 29,197 residents, Cherokee County is one of North Carolina's counties. 3 cities and places have their primary county here. At $51,496, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

Between 2019 and 2023, Cherokee County's population grew 4.4% from 27,969 to 29,197, while its median household income rose 24.3% from $41,438 to $51,496.

77.5% of workers drive to work alone. 76.0% of homes are single-family detached houses.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 29,197
Median age: 53.3 yrs
Median household income: $51,496
Median home value: $208,700
Median gross rent: $800
Housing units: 18,182
Homeownership rate: 83.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 24.2%
Unemployment rate: 5.4%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

27,96929,197

Median household income

$41,438$51,496

Median home value

$159,100$208,700

Median gross rent

$724$800

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	27,969	$41,438	$159,100	$724
2020	28,413	$40,793	$163,900	$713
2021	28,515	$43,319	$164,400	$766
2022	28,868	$49,254	$193,500	$819
2023	29,197	$51,496	$208,700	$800

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 53.8%

5 to 1712.3%

18 to 245.9%

25 to 348.5%

35 to 449.5%

45 to 5412.4%

55 to 6416.4%

65 to 7419.2%

75 and over12.0%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,118	3.8%
5 to 17	3,581	12.3%
18 to 24	1,719	5.9%
25 to 34	2,479	8.5%
35 to 44	2,762	9.5%
45 to 54	3,609	12.4%
55 to 64	4,801	16.4%
65 to 74	5,616	19.2%
75 and over	3,512	12.0%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	26,306	90.1%
Black or African American	449	1.5%
American Indian & Alaska Native	456	1.6%
Asian	156	0.5%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	61	0.2%
Two or more races	750	2.6%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,019	3.5%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma8.6%

High school graduate32.3%

Some college or associate's35.0%

Bachelor's degree16.1%

Graduate or professional degree8.1%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,953	8.6%
High school graduate	7,349	32.3%
Some college or associate's	7,963	35.0%
Bachelor's degree	3,666	16.1%
Graduate or professional degree	1,848	8.1%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 27 min

Drove alone77.5%

Carpooled7.8%

Public transit0.3%

Walked2.1%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home10.7%

Other means1.7%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	8,841	77.5%
Carpooled	889	7.8%
Public transit	33	0.3%
Walked	239	2.1%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	1,218	10.7%
Other means	190	1.7%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,926	28.7%
15 to 29 min	4,110	40.3%
30 to 44 min	1,755	17.2%
45 to 59 min	505	5.0%
60+ min	896	8.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.21
Poverty rate: 14.6% (4,218 of 28,841)

	Count	Share
Family households	8,422	64.6%
Nonfamily households	4,620	35.4%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1993

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	13,042	71.7%
Vacant	5,140	28.3%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	10,905	83.6%
Renter-occupied	2,137	16.4%

1-unit, detached76.0%

1-unit, attached0.6%

2 to 4 units2.2%

5 to 19 units0.7%

20 or more units0.2%

Mobile home & other20.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	13,822	76.0%
1-unit, attached	114	0.6%
2 to 4 units	396	2.2%
5 to 19 units	135	0.7%
20 or more units	31	0.2%
Mobile home & other	3,684	20.3%

Geography

County GEOID: 37039
State: North Carolina
Land area: 456 sq mi
Water area: 11 sq mi
Center point: 35.1371, -84.0614