Population 11,600 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cherokee County
Household size in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.16 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.05 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Cherokee County is a place of small households, averaging 2.26 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Cherokee County has smaller households than most Iowa counties.
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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.6 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.4 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.4 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.1 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.5 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Cherokee County skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 46.6, even as the national median rose.
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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Cherokee County: 6.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 1.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Cherokee County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Iowa 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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.4% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.4% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.4% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.5% 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. About half of owners (49.1%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest.
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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Cherokee County as nationally: 9.3%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1950 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Cherokee County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1957, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1950 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the north has the oldest housing.
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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $508 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $533 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $583 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $750 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$242 | +$351 | +$606 |
Rent in Cherokee County runs $750 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $242 a month since 2006–10, up 48%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest 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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.6% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.9% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Cherokee County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 5.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the north.
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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.3% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.2% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Cherokee County is above the national rate: 93.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Iowa.
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 | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.1% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Cherokee County has been strong: just 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 | 2.26 | 45.1 | 6.8% | 24.5% | 9.3% | 1957 | $750 | 24.5% | 93.2% | 2.5% |
| Buena Vista County | 2.67 | 36.9 | 10.7% | 26.8% | 8.7% | 1964 | $926 | 21.7% | 80.6% | 5.3% |
| Plymouth County | 2.49 | 41.9 | 8.8% | 26.4% | 6.0% | 1970 | $891 | 21.6% | 94.6% | 2.3% |
| Pocahontas County | 2.31 | 43.4 | 7.2% | 22.7% | 17.4% | 1950 | $801 | 19.0% | 90.7% | 5.4% |
| Union County | 2.33 | 41.0 | 7.4% | 26.9% | 4.2% | 1989 | $1,078 | 37.7% | 96.0% | 3.1% |
| Clay County | 2.24 | 30.2 | 6.5% | 49.2% | 12.4% | 1978 | $819 | 44.3% | 90.6% | 7.2% |
| Humboldt County | 2.25 | 43.3 | 13.3% | 22.8% | 9.1% | 1959 | $798 | 19.5% | 93.2% | 5.7% |
| Wright County | 2.41 | 40.1 | 13.4% | 23.0% | 14.6% | 1960 | $845 | 24.6% | 91.6% | 1.9% |
| Knox County | 2.42 | 44.7 | 8.5% | 21.6% | 23.5% | 1963 | $634 | 18.9% | 92.5% | 3.7% |
| Franklin County | 2.35 | 45.8 | 10.2% | 27.6% | 10.9% | 1950 | $730 | 19.5% | 90.2% | 3.6% |
| Butler County | 2.41 | 44.2 | 7.0% | 15.9% | 10.9% | 1957 | $743 | 21.5% | 94.0% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Perkins County, NE · Pierce County, GA · Pickett County, TN · Pickens County, AL · Phillips County, MT · Phillips County, AR · Phelps County, NE · Perry County, IN · Perry County, AL · Perquimans County, NC
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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