The Town FilesCherokee, Kansas
City in Crawford County · population 590 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,300
- Household income
- $56,154
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 35.5
Cherokee is a city of 590 people in Crawford County, Kansas. The median home is worth $85,300, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Kansas towns, better for cycling than 91% of Kansas towns, easier by car than 82% of Kansas towns.
How Cherokee ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cherokee is worth $85,300, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $56,154, which is more affordable than 86% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $725 a month. 76.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cherokee | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,300 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $725 | $815 |
| Median household income | $56,154 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 76.1% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Cherokee
| People | Cherokee | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Cherokee
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.5 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 91 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cherokee since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 4, 2003 about 9.3 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 35 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 6, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 87 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 19, 1981.
Severe weather in Crawford County since 1996
Crawford County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| May 28, 2019 | Severe Storm | EM-3412: Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Crawford County
Crawford County had 17,354 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,212 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Cherokee itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Cherokee
2 public schools with 286 students, about 9.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast High | 9-12 | 157 | 8.7 |
| Southeast Middle School | 5-8 | 129 | 11.7 |
Towns near Cherokee
- Weir, KS3.6 mi · 569 people · home $78,300
- Pittsburg, KS8.4 mi · 20,646 people · home $123,200
- Frontenac, KS10.4 mi · 3,382 people · home $165,600
- Girard, KS11.4 mi · 2,496 people · home $93,600
- Columbus, KS12.0 mi · 2,929 people · home $94,100
- Arma, KS15.2 mi · 1,407 people · home $85,400
- Riverton, KS19.8 mi · 771 people · home $144,000
- Carl Junction, MO19.8 mi · 8,143 people · home $218,300
Cherokee questions
Is Cherokee, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cherokee scores better for retirees than 39% of Kansas towns and quieter than 61%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Cherokee?
The median owner-occupied home in Cherokee is valued at $85,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,154, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $725 a month.
What is the weather like in Cherokee?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 9.5 inches of snow.
Does Cherokee get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cherokee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 4, 2003. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)