Cherokee County, Oklahoma
Located in Oklahoma, Cherokee County has a population of 47,942 residents and a median age of 37.3 years, making it the #1,040 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 18.2%. The median home value is $168,500, and the median household income is $53,218, which is 29% below the national median.
Demographics
Cherokee County has a population of 47,942, making it the #1,040 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.3 years, which is 4.1% below 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 $53,218, ranking #2,582 out of 3,222 counties — 29.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 18.2% and unemployment stands at 5.1%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Cherokee County is $168,500 (-40.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $831/mo and the homeownership rate is 65.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Cherokee County, 29.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 13.4% below the national average, ranking #826 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Cherokee County is 73.0 years. 25.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 17.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
21.9% of adults in Cherokee County smoke , 44.3% are obese , and 15.2% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 24.2 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Cherokee County is 8.0 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 22.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 20.0 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
24.1% of children in Cherokee County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.2 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 23.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Cherokee County is 47.8%. The mean commute time is 26.2 min, which is 5.2% 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 32.6%. The vote was 32.7% Dem / 65.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Cherokee County, Oklahoma
Cherokee County, Oklahoma has a total population of 47,942, making it the 1,040th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Cherokee County is 37.3 years, which is 4.1% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Cherokee County is $53,218, which ranks #2,582 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 29.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 18.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.1%.
The median home value in Cherokee County is $168,500, 40.2% below the national median. Renters in Cherokee County pay a median gross rent of $831 per month. The homeownership rate is 65.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Cherokee County, 29.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 81.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.2 min.
Cherokee County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 44.9% of the population, followed by American Indian (non-Hispanic) (31.0%) and Two or More Races (13.8%).
All data for Cherokee County, Oklahoma 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.