City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Cherokee, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Cherokee - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,631
Residents
$48,173
Median income
$192,700
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Cherokee - the verdict

Nationally, Cherokee sits in the 17th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

17th
percentile, household income
41st
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Cherokee, NC

1,631 people live in Cherokee, North Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $48,173 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 30.3%. Typical homes in Cherokee are valued around $192,700, and the median resident age is 40.3 years. Educational attainment runs 20.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 50.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

NOAA puts Cherokee's yearly average temperature at 55.2°F with 56.7 inches of precipitation per year and 6.5 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $925 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 49.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

1,631 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$48,173 /yr

Poverty 30.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Cherokee compare to other US cities?

Where Cherokee sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 41% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Cherokee against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Cherokee near the bottom of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Cherokee ranks #552 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Cherokee only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#491 of 700
30th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#552 of 746
0th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#349 of 708
51st percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#56 of 746
92nd percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#409 of 746
45th percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

17thIncome percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Cherokee's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$192,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 59% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Cherokee $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Cherokee, NC Cherokee, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Cherokee, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Cherokee, NC median $48,173/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Cherokee, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Cherokee, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 30.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,631
Median Income
$48,173
Median Home Value
$192,700
Median Age
40.3
Poverty Rate
30.3%
Labor force participation
50.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.3%

Climate

Avg Temperature
55.2°F
Annual Precipitation
56.7"
Annual Snowfall
6.5"

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
93.4%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
5.0%
Work from Home
0.0%
Other
1.6%

Based on 625 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Cherokee sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$925/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
49.1 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Sharpsburg
1,629 people
Hoopers Creek
1,623 people
Plain View
1,647 people
Vander
1,614 people
Stedman
1,613 people
Nebo
1,608 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cherokee's 1,631 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rector, AR
1,631 people
Webster, FL
1,631 people
Greenback, TN
1,631 people
Beverly Hills, TX
1,631 people
Southside Place, TX
1,631 people
North Key Largo, FL
1,630 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Cherokee's $48,173 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Colorado City, TX
$48,173 median income
Chesterfield, SC
$48,167 median income
Thunderbird Bay, TX
$48,179 median income
Freeport, IL
$48,181 median income
Hampton, AR
$48,182 median income
Belton, SC
$48,164 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cherokee, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Cherokee, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 10.4% 77.6% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.2% White 10.4% Black or African American 2.1% Asian 0.0% American Indian 77.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 8.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Cherokee compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Cherokee (this city) 1,631 $48,173
Sharpsburg 1,629 $39,792
Hoopers Creek 1,623 $64,792
Plain View 1,647 $75,058
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC NOAA Normals OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cherokee, NC?

What is the population of Cherokee, NC? +

1,631 people live in Cherokee, NC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Cherokee, NC? +

Median annual household income in Cherokee runs $48,173, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Cherokee? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Cherokee; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Cherokee, NC? +

Cherokee's median home value sits at $192,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Cherokee? +

Cherokee has an average annual temperature of 55.2°F, 56.7 inches of precipitation, and 6.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.