The Town FilesLake Cherokee, Texas
Community in Rusk County · population 2,980 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $345,000
- Household income
- $91,855
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 41
- Median age
- 57.4
Lake Cherokee is a community of 2,980 people in Rusk County, Texas. The median home is worth $345,000, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 92% of Texas towns, more of a college town than 90% of Texas towns, better for retirees than 83% of Texas towns.
How Lake Cherokee ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lake Cherokee is worth $345,000, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $91,855, which is more affordable than 20% of Texas towns. Median rent is $930 a month. 78.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Cherokee | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $345,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $930 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $91,855 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 78.1% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 21.9% | — |
Who lives in Lake Cherokee
| People | Lake Cherokee | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 12.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Lake Cherokee
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 36.0°F. About 50.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 89 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 29 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
41 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Cherokee since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 6, 2003 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 82 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 23, 1985.
Severe weather in Rusk County since 1996
Rusk County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Rusk County
Rusk County had 13,100 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,942 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Lake Cherokee itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Towns near Lake Cherokee
- Hallsville, TX10.7 mi · 4,277 people · home $229,800
- Kilgore, TX12.5 mi · 13,376 people · home $171,600
- Longview, TX12.8 mi · 81,638 people · home $202,600
- Henderson, TX16.4 mi · 13,271 people · home $173,700
- White Oak, TX16.7 mi · 6,225 people · home $235,000
- Liberty City, TX18.2 mi · 2,721 people · home $200,000
- Marshall, TX21.3 mi · 23,392 people · home $141,400
- Gladewater, TX21.4 mi · 6,134 people · home $174,000
Lake Cherokee questions
Is Lake Cherokee, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Cherokee scores better for retirees than 83% of Texas towns and quieter than 70%. 36.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.4).
How much does a house cost in Lake Cherokee?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Cherokee is valued at $345,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,855, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $930 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Cherokee?
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 36.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Lake Cherokee get tornadoes?
41 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Cherokee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 6, 2003. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)