The Town Files

Cherokee County, North Carolina

29,562 people. The median home is worth $232,300 (typical North Carolina town: $228,900) and the median household earns $53,628.

Towns in Cherokee County

Towns in Cherokee County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Andrews1,667$98,600$37,06146.6
Murphy1,608$250,000$37,26334.5

People and housing

Cherokee CountyTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$232,300$228,900
Median rent$813$969
Median household income$53,628$60,458
Median age53.541.1
Bachelor's degree or higher24.2%24.5%
Below the poverty line12.4%14.3%

Jobs and pay

7,976 jobs in 2024, average pay $45,626 a year.

Largest industries in Cherokee CountyRetail1,441 jobs · $31,384Hotels & restaurants1,003 jobs · $23,750Manufacturing667 jobs · $53,653Construction444 jobs · $51,712Professional & technical serv…426 jobs · $58,336Other services231 jobs · $28,606
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Cherokee County0%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023 3.9%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 280 storm events in Cherokee County from 1996 to 2026.

Storm events in Cherokee County by type since 1996Hail43Flood9Tornado4Blizzard3High Wind12Ice Storm2Heavy Snow28Debris Flow1Flash Flood12Winter Storm11
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Cherokee County has been included in 16 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3637: Severe Winter Storm
September 28, 2024Tropical StormDR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3617: Hurricane Helene
October 1, 2022HurricaneEM-3586: Hurricane Ian
August 2, 2020HurricaneEM-3534: Hurricane Isaias
May 8, 2020Severe StormDR-4543: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).