Cherokee County, Kansas Demographics 2026

Name: Cherokee County, Kansas Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Cherokee County, Kansas has a population of 19,151, the 28th most populous county in Kansas. The median household income is $57,668 and the median home value is $100,100. The poverty rate is 14.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Cherokee County Quick Facts

Population 19,151

Median Household Income $57,668

Median Home Value $100,100

Poverty Rate 14.1%

Unemployment Rate 3.3%

Median Age 42.2 years

Homeownership Rate 75.5%

Affordability Ratio 1.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.4%

High School Graduation 89.5%

Cities/Places 11

Population 19,151 28th of 105

Median Income $57,668 22% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.1%

Unemployment 3.3%

How Cherokee County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	19,236	19,151	-0.4%
Median household income	$58,274	$57,668	-1.0%
Median home value	$99,400	$100,100	+0.7%

Median Household Income

Cherokee

$57,668

$74,275

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cherokee

$100,100

$217,200

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 20.9%

$25K-$50K 22.5%

$50K-$100K 34.4%

$100K+ 22.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.8%

$10K-$15K

7.1%

$15K-$20K

2.8%

$20K-$25K

5.3%

$25K-$30K

4.7%

$30K-$35K

5.4%

$35K-$40K

4.5%

$40K-$45K

5.1%

$45K-$50K

2.9%

$50K-$60K

8.6%

$60K-$75K

12.7%

$75K-$100K

13.1%

$100K-$125K

10.8%

$125K-$150K

4.5%

$150K-$200K

3.5%

$200K+

3.4%

Employment

3.3% Unemployment Rate State: 3.9%|National: 5.2%

60.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.5%

Renter 24.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $799/mo 16.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.8%

18-34

18.3%

35-54

23.8%

55-74

26.8%

75+

8.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

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

State average: 45 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cherokee County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Baxter Springs	3,855	$51,404	24.3%	$92,900
Columbus	2,881	$37,961	21.3%	$94,100
Galena	2,754	$49,006	13.0%	$78,500
Weir	855	$58,828	9.9%	$78,300
Riverton	769	$90,365	0.0%	$144,000
Scammon	371	$55,833	11.1%	$69,500
Lowell	278	$90,806	0.0%	$103,600
West Mineral	154	$35,417	7.8%	$42,900
Crestline	139	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Roseland	63	$41,528	11.1%	N/A
Hallowell	39	N/A	0.0%	$58,300

Explore Kansas 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 Kansas with a total population of 19,151. It is the 28th most populous county out of 105 in Kansas. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cherokee County is 42.2 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 37.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cherokee County is $57,668. This is 22% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.1%. This is 25% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 3.3%. This is 16% lower than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $100,100. Housing costs are 54% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Cherokee County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cherokee County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.0%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.0%) is well below the state average of 13.6%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

19.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.5%.

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 Kansas 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, Kansas?

Cherokee County has a population of 19,151, making it the 28th most populous county in Kansas.

What is the median income in Cherokee County?

The median household income in Cherokee County is $57,668 with a poverty rate of 14.1%.

How many cities are in Cherokee County, Kansas?

Cherokee County contains 11 Census-designated places.