Cherokee

Population: 1,631
Median household income: $48,173
Median home value: $192,700

Located in Swain County, North Carolina, Cherokee is a community with a population of 1,631. At $48,173, its median household income sits below Swain County's $55,429.

Between 2019 and 2023, Cherokee's population declined 20.3% from 2,046 to 1,631, while its median home value rose 49.5% from $128,900 to $192,700.

The median gross rent is $799. 20.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 1,631
Median age: 40.3 yrs
Median household income: $48,173
Median home value: $192,700
Median gross rent: $799
Housing units: 923
Homeownership rate: 63.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 20.3%
Unemployment rate: 1.7%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

2,0461,631

Median household income

$40,982$48,173

Median home value

$128,900$192,700

Median gross rent

$514$799

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	2,046	$40,982	$128,900	$514
2020	2,120	$43,382	$136,000	$531
2021	2,059	$42,583	$155,500	$569
2022	1,604	$43,655	$140,300	$712
2023	1,631	$48,173	$192,700	$799

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

Age distribution

Under 58.0%

5 to 1712.4%

18 to 2417.0%

25 to 346.4%

35 to 448.2%

45 to 5413.4%

55 to 6414.3%

65 to 7411.9%

75 and over8.5%

	Count	Share
Under 5	130	8.0%
5 to 17	203	12.4%
18 to 24	277	17.0%
25 to 34	104	6.4%
35 to 44	134	8.2%
45 to 54	218	13.4%
55 to 64	233	14.3%
65 to 74	194	11.9%
75 and over	138	8.5%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	170	10.4%
Black or African American	34	2.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	1,266	77.6%
Asian	0	0.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	76	4.7%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	85	5.2%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma16.3%

High school graduate36.5%

Some college or associate's26.9%

Bachelor's degree11.4%

Graduate or professional degree8.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	166	16.3%
High school graduate	373	36.5%
Some college or associate's	275	26.9%
Bachelor's degree	116	11.4%
Graduate or professional degree	91	8.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 12 min

Drove alone93.4%

Carpooled0.0%

Public transit0.0%

Walked5.0%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home0.0%

Other means1.6%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	584	93.4%
Carpooled	0	0.0%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	31	5.0%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	0	0.0%
Other means	10	1.6%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	377	60.3%
15 to 29 min	192	30.7%
30 to 44 min	56	9.0%
45 to 59 min	0	0.0%
60+ min	0	0.0%

Households

Average household size: 2.08
Poverty rate: 25.0% (394 of 1,578)

	Count	Share
Family households	455	58.9%
Nonfamily households	317	41.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1985

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	772	83.6%
Vacant	151	16.4%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	487	63.1%
Renter-occupied	285	36.9%

1-unit, detached66.8%

1-unit, attached0.0%

2 to 4 units1.1%

5 to 19 units8.3%

20 or more units0.0%

Mobile home & other23.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	617	66.8%
1-unit, attached	0	0.0%
2 to 4 units	10	1.1%
5 to 19 units	77	8.3%
20 or more units	0	0.0%
Mobile home & other	219	23.7%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3712140
Type (LSAD): 57
Land area: 12 sq mi
Water area: 0 sq mi
Center point: 35.4859, -83.3011