Population 281,032 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cherokee County
Household size in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.74 | 2.70 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.84 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.81 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.80 | 2.79 | 2.73 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.05 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Cherokee County holds 2.80 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.76 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 35.5 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.4 | 36.5 | 36.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.2 | 37.5 | 38.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.0 | 38.2 | 38.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.0 | +2.7 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Cherokee County are younger than 41.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Atlanta area as a whole, where the median age is 38.2. The median age has climbed from 36.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 13.3% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 13.6% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 12.5% | 13.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 12.7% | 13.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Cherokee County than nationally: 9.4%, against 11.6%. Cherokee County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Georgia counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cherokee County
Renters in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 32.1% | 32.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.7% | 35.5% | 35.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.2% | 36.7% | 36.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.7% | 33.9% | 34.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +1.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.7% of households in Cherokee County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 30.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the east. The renter share is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 11.9% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 11.4% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 8.6% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Cherokee County: 5.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Georgia counties have a lower vacancy rate: only seven of 159.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1994 | 1988 | 1985 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1996 | 1989 | 1987 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1997 | 1990 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2000 | 1993 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Cherokee County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2000, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1994 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Only five of Georgia's 159 counties have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,046 | $1,050 | $910 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,196 | $1,116 | $977 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,382 | $1,293 | $1,112 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,840 | $1,799 | $1,520 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$793 | +$749 | +$609 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cherokee County pays $1,840 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $793 a month from 2006–10, a 76% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 32.6% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cherokee County
Bachelor's degrees in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.4% | 34.5% | 28.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.5% | 35.2% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.0% | 38.2% | 31.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.8% | 42.0% | 35.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Cherokee County (41.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only seven of Georgia's 159 counties have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.6% | 87.2% | 84.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.0% | 88.0% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 89.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.2% | 90.9% | 89.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +3.6 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Cherokee County have finished high school (92.2%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 15 of Georgia's 159 counties have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 9.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −3.8 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Cherokee County has been low: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cherokee County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 2.80 | 41.0 | 9.4% | 22.7% | 5.8% | 2000 | $1,840 | 41.8% | 92.2% | 3.3% |
| Bartow County | 2.79 | 39.5 | 10.9% | 27.2% | 10.6% | 1993 | $1,358 | 24.3% | 88.4% | 4.5% |
| Forsyth County | 3.03 | 40.2 | 8.0% | 15.6% | 4.5% | 2004 | $2,242 | 57.3% | 94.5% | 3.5% |
| Hall County | 2.97 | 39.0 | 12.2% | 31.4% | 9.9% | 1995 | $1,493 | 26.8% | 80.2% | 3.4% |
| Floyd County | 2.66 | 38.5 | 14.0% | 36.4% | 10.7% | 1978 | $1,016 | 26.6% | 84.2% | 4.1% |
| Polk County | 2.79 | 38.9 | 17.6% | 34.0% | 9.4% | 1983 | $983 | 15.9% | 85.4% | 5.5% |
| Jackson County | 3.01 | 38.5 | 8.2% | 20.7% | 7.6% | 2002 | $1,375 | 29.4% | 89.6% | 3.2% |
| Cherokee County | 2.57 | 47.6 | 7.8% | 18.9% | 28.9% | 1984 | $851 | 17.1% | 82.5% | 4.4% |
| Madison County | 2.80 | 40.2 | 13.6% | 23.1% | 10.0% | 1991 | $962 | 21.6% | 83.5% | 3.8% |
| Etowah County | 2.62 | 42.4 | 12.3% | 26.1% | 16.5% | 1977 | $928 | 18.0% | 85.4% | 6.3% |
| Elbert County | 2.46 | 43.4 | 12.6% | 29.1% | 13.0% | 1978 | $787 | 16.6% | 86.6% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Lubbock County, TX · Northampton County, PA · Norfolk City, VA · Niagara County, NY · New London County, CT · New Hanover County, NC · Montgomery County, TN · Montgomery County, AL · Mohave County, AZ · Merced County, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cherokee County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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