Oklahoma · GEOID 40021

Cherokee County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 47,942 · 22,363 housing units

Median household income

$53,218

State $65,795

Median home value

$168,500

State $197,376

Median gross rent

$831

State $1,020

Homeownership rate

65.7%

State 65.8%

Renter cost-burden rate

42.4%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

16.0%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

1.5%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

5.8%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

16.4%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

3.17

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Cherokee County	Oklahoma
Population	47,942	4,028,634
Population density (per sq. mi.)	64.00	—
Median household income	$53,218	$65,795
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$71,300	—
Households	18,698	—
Average household size	2.47 people	—
Owner-occupied	65.7%	65.8%
Renter-occupied	34.3%	34.2%
Race	46.2% White · 1.3% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Cherokee County compared with Oklahoma.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

29.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 28.3%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	21.6%	$42,944	$1,074	$128,833
1 earner	36.0%	$54,423	$1,361	$171,561
2 earners	34.7%	$95,458	$2,386	$324,308
3+ earners	7.7%	$110,208	$2,755	$379,212

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

18,698

Average size: 2.47 people

Households with children

4,609

24.6% of households

Per-capita income

$29,253

Poverty rate: 18.6%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

65.7% owner-occupied vs. state average 65.8%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 65.5% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 12.0%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

34.9% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,989.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $168,500.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $831.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 3,665 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 5.2% · For rent 10.8% · Seasonal 36.2% · Other 40.8%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

22.9% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 77.1% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

5.9%

1,328 units of 22,363 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

6.7%

1,497 units of 22,363 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$42,574

100% MHI$53,218

120% MHI$63,862

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Cherokee County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$42,500	$48,600	$60,700
100% AMI	$49,910	$57,040	$71,300
120% AMI	$59,900	$68,450	$85,550

HUD FMR Area: Cherokee County, OK. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

42.4% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (21.7% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

16.0% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Cherokee County.

Covered employment

13,303

Across 16 sectors

Establishments

846

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$49,103

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	6,542	$61,973	$199,665	+$31,165	$1,549
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	1,703	$30,638	$83,026	−$85,474	$766
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	1,467	$19,129	$40,185	−$128,315	$478
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	1,275	$46,870	$143,447	−$25,053	$1,172
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	360	$48,152	$148,219	−$20,281	$1,204
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	348	$37,878	$109,975	−$58,525	$947
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	313	$58,328	$186,097	+$17,597	$1,458
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	272	$52,457	$164,243	−$4,257	$1,311
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	213	$50,689	$157,662	−$10,838	$1,267
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	209	$34,019	$95,611	−$72,889	$850
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	179	$53,366	$167,627	−$873	$1,334
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	130	$42,591	$127,519	−$40,981	$1,065
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	87	$49,674	$153,884	−$14,616	$1,242
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	83	$23,604	$56,843	−$111,657	$590
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	64	$30,639	$83,029	−$85,471	$766
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	58	$60,472	$194,078	+$25,578	$1,512

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	1,384	$19,314	$40,874	−$127,626	$483
NAICS 111 Crop production NAICS 111	550	$43,833	$132,142	−$36,358	$1,096
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	514	$63,998	$207,203	+$38,703	$1,600
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	350	$21,001	$47,153	−$121,347	$525
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	342	$37,199	$107,448	−$61,052	$930
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	315	$31,026	$84,470	−$84,030	$776
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	264	$42,944	$128,833	−$39,667	$1,074
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	245	$31,255	$85,322	−$83,178	$781
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	240	$58,964	$188,465	+$19,965	$1,474
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	213	$50,689	$157,662	−$10,838	$1,267
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	179	$53,366	$167,627	−$873	$1,334
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	179	$41,303	$122,724	−$45,776	$1,033
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	176	$43,699	$131,643	−$36,857	$1,092
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	173	$40,331	$119,106	−$49,394	$1,008
NAICS 532 Rental and leasing services NAICS 532	170	$34,050	$95,726	−$72,774	$851
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	167	$49,472	$153,132	−$15,368	$1,237
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	157	$24,763	$61,157	−$107,343	$619
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	145	$24,792	$61,265	−$107,235	$620
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	130	$42,591	$127,519	−$40,981	$1,065
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	104	$27,355	$70,805	−$97,695	$684
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	101	$64,016	$207,270	+$38,770	$1,600
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	86	$38,834	$113,534	−$54,966	$971
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	83	$16,042	$28,694	−$139,806	$401
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	79	$23,126	$55,063	−$113,437	$578
NAICS 327 Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing NAICS 327	74	$61,572	$198,172	+$29,672	$1,539
NAICS 622 Hospitals NAICS 622	69	$98,439	$335,404	+$166,904	$2,461
NAICS 456 Health and personal care retailers NAICS 456	66	$41,730	$124,314	−$44,186	$1,043
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	58	$60,472	$194,078	+$25,578	$1,512
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	45	$47,625	$146,257	−$22,243	$1,191
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	45	$30,883	$83,938	−$84,562	$772
NAICS 311 Food manufacturing NAICS 311	34	$32,989	$91,777	−$76,723	$825
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	22	$41,110	$122,006	−$46,494	$1,028
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	20	$46,283	$141,262	−$27,238	$1,157
NAICS 425 Wholesale trade agents and brokers NAICS 425	20	$63,704	$206,108	+$37,608	$1,593
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	20	$39,078	$114,442	−$54,058	$977
NAICS 337 Furniture and related product manufacturing NAICS 337	16	$31,716	$87,038	−$81,462	$793
NAICS 516 Broadcasting and content providers NAICS 516	13	$28,712	$75,856	−$92,644	$718
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	9	$60,850	$195,485	+$26,985	$1,521
NAICS 928 National security and international affairs NAICS 928	1	$134,436	$469,397	+$300,897	$3,361

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	1,670	(450)	(21%)	$10.21	$21,230	$48,006	$531
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	3,630	1,200	49%	$11.55	$24,030	$58,428	$601
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	3,480	(390)	(10%)	$12.89	$26,820	$68,814	$671
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	610	130	27%	$13.91	$28,930	$76,668	$723
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	3,170	(160)	(5%)	$14.86	$30,900	$84,001	$773
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	1,600	(280)	(15%)	$15.29	$31,800	$87,351	$795
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	1,840	(1,080)	(37%)	$16.76	$34,860	$98,741	$872
Tellers SOC 43-3071	610	(30)	(5%)	$17.65	$36,710	$105,628	$918
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	2,520	70	3%	$17.77	$36,960	$106,558	$924
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	700	120	21%	$19.60	$40,760	$120,703	$1,019
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	250	(40)	(14%)	$20.65	$42,950	$128,855	$1,074
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	260	60	30%	$21.51	$44,740	$135,518	$1,119
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	1,750	490	39%	$22.98	$47,800	$146,908	$1,195
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	990	350	55%	$25.07	$52,150	$163,100	$1,304
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	1,830	230	14%	—	$52,780	$165,446	$1,320
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	180	(220)	(55%)	$26.18	$54,460	$171,699	$1,362
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	2,040	880	76%	$27.43	$57,060	$181,377	$1,427
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	360	(80)	(18%)	$27.53	$57,260	$182,122	$1,432
Electricians SOC 47-2111	490	(70)	(13%)	$29.83	$62,050	$199,952	$1,551
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	2,850	820	40%	$42.23	$87,840	$295,951	$2,196

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 40021 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.