Population 29,562 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Cherokee County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Cherokee County
Household size in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Cherokee County are small: just 2.22 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 2.31 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.6 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 49.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.5 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 53.5, Cherokee County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 48.6, in line with the national trend. Only one other North Carolina county is older.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.6% of households in Cherokee County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Cherokee County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of North Carolina 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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.0% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.3% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Cherokee County is largely a place of homeowners: only 16.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 57.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Few North Carolina counties have a lower share of renters: only two of 100.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 25.9% of the housing in Cherokee County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 6.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Cherokee County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1993, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $586 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $654 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $712 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $880 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$294 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cherokee County pays $880 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $294 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.6% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the west.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.4% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.8% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Cherokee County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.8%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.1 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.7% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.3 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Cherokee County have finished high school (92.4%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 10.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Cherokee County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five North Carolina counties.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Cherokee County than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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 | 2.22 | 53.5 | 8.6% | 16.3% | 25.9% | 1993 | $880 | 24.8% | 92.4% | 3.5% |
| Clay County | 2.28 | 56.5 | 5.8% | 18.8% | 32.5% | 1989 | $773 | 32.3% | 92.7% | 3.3% |
| Polk County | 2.45 | 44.7 | 9.3% | 16.4% | 17.8% | 1989 | $733 | 16.5% | 85.8% | 5.4% |
| Macon County | 2.10 | 49.6 | 6.2% | 22.4% | 26.9% | 1987 | $822 | 27.3% | 89.9% | 2.9% |
| Bradley County | 2.58 | 40.6 | 10.8% | 32.7% | 8.3% | 1986 | $1,068 | 25.1% | 88.6% | 6.4% |
| Hamilton County | 2.47 | 40.5 | 10.7% | 36.1% | 9.1% | 1981 | $1,317 | 36.9% | 90.8% | 4.7% |
| Transylvania County | 2.27 | 49.5 | 8.8% | 25.3% | 20.7% | 1982 | $1,225 | 38.9% | 93.7% | 2.8% |
| Marion County | 2.47 | 43.0 | 12.7% | 21.5% | 14.6% | 1985 | $885 | 17.3% | 83.1% | 7.1% |
| Polk County | 2.22 | 52.9 | 7.8% | 23.1% | 17.9% | 1984 | $1,310 | 34.3% | 92.3% | 5.2% |
| Franklin County | 2.40 | 42.7 | 8.3% | 22.6% | 13.6% | 1984 | $961 | 25.6% | 91.8% | 2.8% |
| Moore County | 2.49 | 45.6 | 10.4% | 17.5% | 8.3% | 1992 | $912 | 22.8% | 91.3% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Freeborn County, MN · Union County, TN · Union Parish, LA · Carlton County, MN · Utuado Municipio, PR · Camuy Municipio, PR · Calloway County, KY · Calhoun County, TX · Caledonia County, VT · Butler County, AL
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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.