HomeSouth CarolinaCherokee County
Cherokee County, South Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Cherokee County, South Carolina had an estimated 57,770 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 56,226, across 393 square miles. County output reached $2.34 bn in 2024, 935 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 19 7(a) approvals worth $31.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Cherokee County
How many people live in Cherokee County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202456,647
- Households22,063
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$50,288
- Median age40.4
- Median gross rent$869 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$142,000
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over38,809
- Population under 1812,874
- Share under 1822.7 percent
- Population 65 and over9,931
- Share 65 and over17.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6433,842
- Civilian labor force25,439
- Unemployment rate6.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.1 percent
- Rank by population among South Carolina counties24th of 46
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included934th of 3,222
Cherokee County is the 24th largest of 46 South Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.7 percent against 17.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Cherokee County
Is Cherokee County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202457,770
- Census 2020 base population56,226
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.75 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024827
- Births, 2024605
- Deaths, 2024756
- Natural change, 2024-151
- Net domestic migration, 2024816
- Net international migration, 2024160
- Total net migration, 2024976
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,839
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents938th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.75 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Cherokee County
Where are people moving to Cherokee County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,304
- People arriving, from those returns2,464
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,118
- Net household movement186
- Adjusted gross income arriving$63.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$13.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$48,388
- Average income of a leaving household$44,164
- Largest single originSpartanburg County (366 households)
- Largest single destinationSpartanburg County (453 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg County | 366 | 717 | $16.5 m |
| York County | 108 | 220 | $5.9 m |
| Cleveland County | 83 | 163 | $3.1 m |
| Gaston County | 65 | 125 | $2.2 m |
| Greenville County | 61 | 122 | $2.5 m |
| Mecklenburg County | 39 | 70 | $2.8 m |
| Rutherford County | 30 | 61 | $1.3 m |
| Union County | 26 | 44 | $817,000 |
Households arriving report $4,224 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Spartanburg County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Cherokee County
What is the Cherokee County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.34 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.18 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.5 percent
- GDP change over five years30.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Carolina areas BEA publishes24th of 46
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1152nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$41,340
Output grew 7.5 percent in the latest year and 30.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Cherokee County
Employment by industry in Cherokee County
- Covered employment, annual average18,064
- Establishments reporting988
- Average annual pay$48,261
- Average weekly wage$928
- Manufacturing, employment5,082
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,792
- Retail trade, employment2,306
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,826
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,751
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,125
- Transportation and warehousing, employment1,212
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$50,964
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,014
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment939
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,082 | 71 | $62,792 |
| Retail trade | 2,306 | 194 | $29,826 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,751 | 100 | $21,125 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,212 | 32 | $50,964 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,014 | 102 | $37,165 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 939 | 44 | $41,111 |
| Construction | 808 | 90 | $72,963 |
| Wholesale trade | 678 | 32 | $52,021 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,082 jobs, 28.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Cherokee County
How many businesses are in Cherokee County?
- Establishments, all industries935
- Employment at those establishments17,983
- Annual payroll$815.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.5
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cherokee County
Building permits in Cherokee County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024239
- Declared construction value permitted$50.9 m
- Single family units authorized203
- Multifamily units authorized36
- Multifamily share of units15.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$212,954
- Units authorized per 1,000 households10.8
Single-family homes are 84.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Cherokee County
SBA loans in Cherokee County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded19
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$31.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,676,642
- Median 7(a) approval$1,275,300
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)240
- Jobs per approval12.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active15
- Distinct industries receiving approvals13
- Median 7(a) term300 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer73.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms14
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter5
- Franchise loans8
- Franchise share of approvals42.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (5)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (3)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.8 m
- Average 504 approval$615,333
- Median 504 approval$679,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval6.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.8
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$33.7 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cherokee County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Cherokee County
Do SBA loans in Cherokee County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure13
- Status: Cancelled3
Only 3 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cherokee County
SBA lending by place in Cherokee County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Gaffney, approvals13
- Blacksburg, approvals5
- Cowpens, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Gaffney | 13 | $23,706,100 |
| Blacksburg | 5 | $7,900,100 |
| Cowpens | 1 | $250,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cherokee County
How large is Cherokee County?
- Land area393 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Carolina counties44th of 46
- Width, east to west28.8 mi
- Height, north to south23.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land144
- Establishments per square mile2.38
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cherokee County
Flood risk in Cherokee County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Cherokee County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 450045
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Cherokee County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Cherokee County (community 450045), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Cherokee County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Cherokee County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Cherokee County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202456,647
- Households22,063
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$50,288
- Median age40.4
Common questions
Cherokee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Cherokee County, South Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 57,770 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 56,647, in 22,063 households, ranking 24th of 46 South Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Cherokee County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.75 percent since the 2020 census base of 56,226, to 57,770 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 605 births against 756 deaths, with net migration of 976. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Cherokee County?
$50,288. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $142,000, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $869 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Cherokee County?
935 establishments, employing 17,983 people with an annual payroll of $815.2 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Cherokee County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,082 jobs, 28.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 18,064 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,261, or $928 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Cherokee County?
19 7(a) approvals totaling $31.9 m since FY2020, across 15 lenders, with a median approval of $1,275,300, plus 3 504 approvals worth $1.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Cherokee County?
239 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $50.9 m. Multifamily was 15.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Cherokee County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Cherokee County come from?
The largest single origin is Spartanburg County, with 366 households. Arriving households report an average income of $48,388 against $44,164 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Cherokee County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Cherokee County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Cherokee County
Cities and places in Cherokee.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Cherokee County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaffney | city | 12,596 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| East Gaffney | CDP | 2,824 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Blacksburg | town | 2,063 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Chesnee | city | 896 | None recorded | 2.0 percent here, 98.0 percent Spartanburg County |
| Smyrna | town | 38 | None recorded | 3.8 percent here, 96.2 percent York County |
| Cherokee Falls | CDP | 36 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 19 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Cherokee County, the largest being Cowpens (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.