Cherokee County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Cherokee County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 29,562. It is the 72nd most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cherokee County is 53.5 years. This is 37% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. 12.6% 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 County is $53,628. This is 26% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 34% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.4%. This is 5% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $232,300. Housing costs are 20% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.3x. 83.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cherokee County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.7%. The Black or African American population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.7%) is well below the state average of 11.3%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

24.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% 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 92.2%.

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 North Carolina 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.