Cherokee County, Iowa
Located in Iowa, Cherokee County has a population of 11,600 residents and a median age of 44.0 years, making it the #2,384 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.1%. The median home value is $158,700, and the median household income is $71,269, which is 5% below the national median.
Demographics
Cherokee County has a population of 11,600, making it the #2,384 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.0 years, which is 13.1% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Cherokee County is $71,269, ranking #1,112 out of 3,222 counties — 5.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.1% and unemployment stands at 2.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Cherokee County is $158,700 (-43.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $758/mo and the homeownership rate is 75.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Cherokee County, 23.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 30.5% below the national average, ranking #1,439 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Cherokee County is 77.9 years. 16.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 5.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.5% of adults in Cherokee County smoke , 40.2% are obese , and 25.3% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 26.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 19.5 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
12.9% of children in Cherokee County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 18.6 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Cherokee County is 73.8%. The mean commute time is 18.7 min, which is 32.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Cherokee County voted Republican with a margin of 45.7%. The vote was 26.5% Dem / 72.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 6.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Cherokee County, Iowa
Cherokee County, Iowa has a total population of 11,600, making it the 2,384th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Cherokee County is 44.0 years, which is 13.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Cherokee County is $71,269, which ranks #1,112 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 5.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.1%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.5%.
The median home value in Cherokee County is $158,700, 43.7% below the national median. Renters in Cherokee County pay a median gross rent of $758 per month. The homeownership rate is 75.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Cherokee County, 23.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 30.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 18.7 min.
Cherokee County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 88.6% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
All data for Cherokee County, Iowa comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.