Cherokee County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Cherokee County, Texas has a population of 51,886, the 69th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $61,261 and the median home value is $169,300. The poverty rate is 18.2%.

Cherokee County Quick Facts

Population 51,886

Median Household Income $61,26190% MOE ±$4,398

Median Home Value $169,30090% MOE ±$11,608

Poverty Rate 18.2%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.2%90% MOE ±1.3 pts

Median Age 38.2 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 74.0%90% MOE ±2.2 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 18.9%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 82.0%

Cities/Places 8

Population 51,886 69th of 254

Median Income $61,261 22% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.2%

Unemployment 5.2%

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	52,118	51,886	-0.4%
Median household income	$59,303	$61,261	No clear change (+3.3%)
Median home value¹	$126,640	$169,300	+33.7%
Median gross rent	$896	$933	No clear change (+4.1%)

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

$61,261

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cherokee

$169,300

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.8%

$25K-$50K 21.9%

$50K-$100K 29.5%

$100K+ 28.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

8.0%

$10K-$15K

2.9%

$15K-$20K

4.5%

$20K-$25K

4.3%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

4.0%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

6.4%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

7.4%

$60K-$75K

11.1%

$75K-$100K

11.1%

$100K-$125K

9.3%

$125K-$150K

6.1%

$150K-$200K

7.6%

$200K+

5.7%

Employment

5.2% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

53.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.0%

Renter 26.0%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $933/mo 18.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.1%

18-34

20.4%

35-54

24.2%

55-74

22.8%

75+

7.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cherokee County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Jacksonville	14,325	$51,375	26.5%	$119,800
Rusk	5,477	$53,438	8.5%	$157,400
Shadybrook	2,810	$69,173	16.6%	$232,300
Alto	1,222	$61,688	28.4%	$93,800
New Summerfield	618	$54,716	8.9%	$84,300
Wells	484	N/A	42.1%	$140,600
Gallatin	384	$79,432	8.6%	$168,100
Cuney	161	N/A	41.6%	N/A

Explore Texas 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 Texas with a total population of 51,886. It is the 69th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cherokee County is 38.2 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cherokee County is $61,261. This is 22% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.2%. This is 32% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. This is 1% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $169,300. Housing costs are 40% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Cherokee County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cherokee County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 58.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 23.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (58.8% vs 39.1%). The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

18.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 44% lower than the state rate of 33.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.0%.

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 Texas 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, Texas?

Cherokee County has a population of 51,886, making it the 69th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Cherokee County?

The median household income in Cherokee County is $61,261 with a poverty rate of 18.2%.

How many cities are in Cherokee County, Texas?

Cherokee County contains 8 Census-designated places.