Town · South Carolina
Cheraw, South Carolina
Cheraw, town, in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Cheraw had 4,921 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,040 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,960 (±18). GEOID 4513600.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,921
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,040 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,960 ±18
Median household income
$26,689
±$3,652 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$152,200
±$64,449 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$800
±$84 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Cheraw and what county is it in?
Cheraw is a town in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. It covers 6.0 square miles of land, 846 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cheraw, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,921 people lived in Cheraw on July 1, 2025, down 1.4% since 2020, while South Carolina grew 8.8%. The 2020 Census counted 5,040 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,960 (±18).
| Measure | Cheraw | Chesterfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,960 ±18 | 43,784 | −697 |
| Households | 2,245 ±206 | 17,534 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.09 ±0.19 | 2.45 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,601 ±240 | 20,843 | −527 |
Cheraw's population since 2000
From 5,524 in 2000 to 4,921 in 2025: down 10.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Cheraw as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Cheraw?
The median resident of Cheraw is 44.6 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 19.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 54.5%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 38.9%. 5.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Cheraw | Chesterfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 ±5.2 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.0% ±4.6 pts | 22.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.0% ±3.6 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Male | 47.1% ±4.9 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.2% ±2.6 pts | 5.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 38.9% ±6.9 pts | 58.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 54.5% ±6.7 pts | 30.0% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±1.8 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.0% ±2.8 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.3% ±3.5 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.6% ±2.4 pts | 7.0% | – |
| With a disability | 20.8% ±5.6 pts | 18.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.8% ±4.6 pts | 11.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.8% ±5.9 pts | 82.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.3% ±5.3 pts | 13.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.0% ±3.5 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.7% ±5.6 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 1.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Cheraw earn?
Half of Cheraw's 2,245 households earn less than $26,689 a year (±$3,652), against $49,235 in Chesterfield County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $40,859 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $14,170 after inflation. 37.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Cheraw | Chesterfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $26,689 ±$3,652 | $49,235 | −$14,170 |
| Mean household income | $51,862 ±$10,399 | $69,908 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,463 ±$4,915 | $29,214 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 37.0% ±9.1 pts | 20.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 59.3% ±17.8 pts | 27.8% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.1% ±8.7 pts | 18.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.9% ±8.2 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.5% ±7.9 pts | 82.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Cheraw?
Owners occupy 47.8% of Cheraw's occupied homes and renters 52.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $152,200 by its owner (±$64,449). The median renter pays $800 a month including utilities, and 54.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Cheraw | Chesterfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $152,200 ±$64,449 | $116,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $800 ±$84 | $762 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.8% ±12.4 pts | 45.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,325 ±$234 | $1,156 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 47.8% ±8.1 pts | 72.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 52.2% ±8.1 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Housing units | 2,601 ±240 | 20,843 | −527 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.0% ±5.8 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 61.9% ±8.7 pts | 54.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.0% ±6.3 pts | 37.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4% ±2.2 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.6% ±2.6 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.8% ±4.3 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 21.1% ±7.1 pts | 9.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Cheraw building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Cheraw in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 8.2 across South Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Cheraw work and get to work?
82.2% of Cheraw's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 13.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 11.8%.
| Measure | Cheraw | Chesterfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.2% ±5.8 pts | 57.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 11.8% ±4.9 pts | 7.5% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 82.2% ±9.5 pts | 82.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.9% ±3.9 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 4.6% ±5.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.1% ±2.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.8 min ±2.8 | 24.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Cheraw?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Cheraw, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9505.04Chesterfield County | 3,332 | $27,319 |
| Tract 9506.02Chesterfield County | 3,049 | $45,089 |
| Tract 9505.03Chesterfield County | 2,394 | $47,846 |
| Tract 9506.01Chesterfield County | 2,306 | $40,000 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Cheraw) · Census block assignment files
How does Cheraw compare with other places in South Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Cheraw is the 4,936th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 67th-most populous of 271 in South Carolina.
Cheraw ranks 239th of 248 places in South Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 67th | 271 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 124th | 149 |
| Residents per square mile | 150th | 261 |
| Median household income | 239th | 248 |
| Per capita income | 150th | 259 |
| Median home value | 175th | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 188th | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 19th | 214 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 131st | 226 |
| Median age | 57th | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 224th | 258 |
| Travel time to work | 260th | 261 |
Cheraw's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Cheraw with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Cheraw?
15 of the 57 figures for Cheraw on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Cheraw are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Cheraw.