Cherokee County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Cherokee County, Alabama has a population of 25,443, the 40th most populous county in Alabama. The median household income is $53,863 and the median home value is $179,700. The poverty rate is 14.8%.

Cherokee County Quick Facts

Population 25,443

Median Household Income $53,86390% MOE ±$4,463

Median Home Value $179,70090% MOE ±$15,464

Poverty Rate 14.8%90% MOE ±2.4 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.9%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Median Age 47.5 years90% MOE ±0.8 years

Homeownership Rate 81.1%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.5%90% MOE ±2.1 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 82.4%

Cities/Places 6

Population 25,443 40th of 67

Median Income $53,863 16% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.8%

Unemployment 3.9%

How Cherokee County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	25,903	25,443	-1.8%
Median household income	$51,590	$53,863	No clear change (+4.4%)
Median home value¹	$151,869	$179,700	+18.3%
Median gross rent	$763	$762	No clear change (-0.1%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Cherokee

$53,863

$63,999

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cherokee

$179,700

$209,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 20.1%

$25K-$50K 25.9%

$50K-$100K 31.7%

$100K+ 22.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.3%

$10K-$15K

4.0%

$15K-$20K

5.9%

$20K-$25K

4.8%

$25K-$30K

3.2%

$30K-$35K

7.5%

$35K-$40K

5.5%

$40K-$45K

5.0%

$45K-$50K

4.7%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

13.1%

$75K-$100K

11.2%

$100K-$125K

7.6%

$125K-$150K

3.8%

$150K-$200K

5.4%

$200K+

5.5%

Employment

3.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

49.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.1%

Renter 18.9%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $762/mo 17.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

18.6%

18-34

17.9%

35-54

23.3%

55-74

30.3%

75+

9.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 53 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cherokee County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Centre	3,700	$44,664	21.1%	$158,400
Cedar Bluff	1,629	$52,500	29.3%	$204,800
Leesburg	998	$56,875	10.8%	$182,500
Broomtown	279	N/A	44.8%	N/A
Spring Garden	201	$60,919	0.0%	$9,999
Gaylesville	151	$45,625	15.2%	$137,500

Explore Alabama Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Cherokee County is located in Alabama with a total population of 25,443. It is the 40th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cherokee County is 47.5 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cherokee County is $53,863. This is 16% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 33% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.8%. This is 6% lower than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $179,700. Housing costs are 14% lower than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 81.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cherokee County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.4% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 3.8%. The Black or African American population (3.8%) is well below the state average of 25.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 5.6%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

16.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 42% lower than the state rate of 28.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cherokee County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Alabama and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Cherokee County, Alabama?

Cherokee County has a population of 25,443, making it the 40th most populous county in Alabama.

What is the median income in Cherokee County?

The median household income in Cherokee County is $53,863 with a poverty rate of 14.8%.

How many cities are in Cherokee County, Alabama?

Cherokee County contains 6 Census-designated places.