Cherokee, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 99, Cherokee's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cherokee is a small community located in California, within Butte County. The total population is 99. It ranks as the 1460th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cherokee is 33.6 years. This is 11% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 42.4% of the population under 18, Cherokee has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community. 23.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cherokee is $70,815. This is 29% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 12% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 67.7%. This is 464% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Cherokee, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. 68.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Cherokee was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

40.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 9% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cherokee, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.