Population 56,647 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cherokee County
Household size in Cherokee County
| Period | Cherokee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.66 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Cherokee County run a little small, averaging 2.57 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of South Carolina. Household size has edged down from 2.62 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.1 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Cherokee County are younger than 40.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.1, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southeast.
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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in eight households in Cherokee County (13.4%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.5% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.2% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Cherokee County own their homes; 26.2% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 56.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southeast. The renter share is down 5.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Cherokee County: 13.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 1.2 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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Cherokee County is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. Still, homes here are older than in South Carolina overall, where the median home dates to 1991. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south 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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $582 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $684 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $728 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $856 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$275 | +$514 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cherokee County costs $856 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $275 a month from 2006–10, a 47% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest 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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Cherokee County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 19.7%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.6 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.4% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.9% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.6% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.2% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Cherokee County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 10.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.4 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Cherokee County than nationally: unemployment was 6.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 8.4 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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 | 2.57 | 40.2 | 13.4% | 26.2% | 13.2% | 1984 | $856 | 19.7% | 85.2% | 6.4% |
| Spartanburg County | 2.65 | 38.8 | 12.8% | 27.0% | 9.1% | 1990 | $1,176 | 24.9% | 88.5% | 4.4% |
| York County | 2.61 | 40.1 | 10.7% | 25.5% | 6.5% | 1998 | $1,419 | 40.5% | 92.9% | 4.0% |
| Union County | 3.02 | 39.2 | 9.4% | 18.4% | 6.6% | 1998 | $1,775 | 41.7% | 90.5% | 4.2% |
| Anson County | 2.49 | 42.8 | 13.8% | 31.5% | 13.4% | 1975 | $852 | 10.3% | 83.3% | 5.1% |
| Macon County | 2.10 | 49.6 | 6.2% | 22.4% | 26.9% | 1987 | $822 | 27.3% | 89.9% | 2.9% |
| Richmond County | 2.48 | 40.8 | 18.7% | 34.1% | 14.0% | 1977 | $778 | 16.6% | 84.0% | 10.5% |
| Towns County | 2.05 | 54.7 | 8.0% | 17.7% | 30.4% | 1996 | $883 | 32.6% | 92.5% | 4.9% |
| Clay County | 2.28 | 56.5 | 5.8% | 18.8% | 32.5% | 1989 | $773 | 32.3% | 92.7% | 3.3% |
| Cherokee County | 2.22 | 53.5 | 8.6% | 16.3% | 25.9% | 1993 | $880 | 24.8% | 92.4% | 3.5% |
| Hoke County | 2.79 | 34.4 | 15.6% | 27.0% | 7.4% | 1998 | $1,152 | 23.6% | 89.0% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Grundy County, IL · Calumet County, WI · Camden County, GA · Juana Diaz Municipio, PR · Kershaw County, SC · Carson City, NV · Lamar County, MS · Chaves County, NM · Tehama County, CA · Starr County, TX
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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