Cherokee County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Cherokee County, Texas had an estimated 53,223 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 50,529, across 1,053 square miles. County output reached $2.08 bn in 2024, 840 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 25 7(a) approvals worth $32.2 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 2020-202451,886
- Households18,185
- Average household size2.85
- Median household income$61,261
- Median age38.2
- Median gross rent$933 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$169,300
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over34,679
- Population under 1813,051
- Share under 1825.2 percent
- Population 65 and over9,527
- Share 65 and over18.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6429,308
- Civilian labor force21,577
- Unemployment rate5.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over55.6 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties69th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included986th of 3,222
Cherokee County is the 69th largest of 254 Texas 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 25.2 percent against 18.4 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, 202453,223
- Census 2020 base population50,529
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.33 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024572
- Births, 2024668
- Deaths, 2024572
- Natural change, 202496
- Net domestic migration, 2024396
- Net international migration, 202479
- Total net migration, 2024475
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,353
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents489th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.33 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
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 arriving1,425
- People arriving, from those returns2,954
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,140
- Net household movement285
- Adjusted gross income arriving$95.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$37.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$66,814
- Average income of a leaving household$50,877
- Largest single originSmith County (392 households)
- Largest single destinationSmith County (379 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith County | 392 | 818 | $28.7 m |
| Anderson County | 70 | 148 | $3.6 m |
| Harris County | 60 | 123 | $3.6 m |
| Dallas County | 58 | 105 | $2.3 m |
| Tarrant County | 39 | 79 | $2.2 m |
| Henderson County | 38 | 79 | $1.4 m |
| Angelina County | 36 | 78 | $1.7 m |
| Nacogdoches County | 32 | 54 | $953,000 |
Households arriving report $15,937 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 Smith 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$2.08 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.95 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.5 percent
- GDP change over five years44.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes107th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1239th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$40,087
Output grew 6.5 percent in the latest year and 44.2 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 average14,922
- Establishments reporting906
- Average annual pay$51,098
- Average weekly wage$983
- Manufacturing, employment2,583
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$56,818
- Retail trade, employment1,516
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,354
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,202
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,580
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment670
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$39,398
- Construction, employment621
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment597
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,583 | 75 | $56,818 |
| Retail trade | 1,516 | 120 | $33,354 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,202 | 73 | $19,580 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 670 | 36 | $39,398 |
| Construction | 621 | 72 | $63,742 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 597 | 34 | $49,088 |
| Wholesale trade | 458 | 38 | $59,484 |
| Finance and insurance | 454 | 54 | $77,172 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,583 jobs, 17.3 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 industries840
- Employment at those establishments11,002
- Annual payroll$491.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.2
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, 202421
- Declared construction value permitted$6.3 m
- Single family units authorized21
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$299,524
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.2
Single-family homes are 100.0 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 recorded25
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$32.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,287,372
- Median 7(a) approval$926,000
- 10th percentile approval$199,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,759,000
- Largest single approval$4,425,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)377
- Jobs per approval15.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active20
- Distinct industries receiving approvals13
- Median 7(a) term300 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer56.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms14
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans7
- Franchise share of approvals28.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.0 m
- Average 504 approval$506,500
- Median 504 approval$373,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval10.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved20.7
- Most active CDCGreater East Texas Certified Development Company (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$34.2 m
The average approval of $1,287,372 sits well above the median of $926,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 56.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
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 recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure16
- Status: Cancelled5
Only 4 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 lending4
- Jacksonville, approvals14
- Rusk, approvals8
- Wells, approvals2
- Bullard, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | 14 | $25,372,800 |
| Rusk | 8 | $5,828,700 |
| Wells | 2 | $255,000 |
| Bullard | 1 | $727,800 |
Jacksonville accounts for 14 approvals against 8 in Rusk. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
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 area1,053 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties59th of 254
- Width, east to west34.9 mi
- Height, north to south49.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land49
- Establishments per square mile0.80
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 480739
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Cherokee County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Cherokee County (community 480739), 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 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 80.0 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 2020-202451,886
- Households18,185
- Average household size2.85
- Median household income$61,261
- Median age38.2
Common questions
Cherokee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Cherokee County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 53,223 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 51,886, in 18,185 households, ranking 69th of 254 Texas 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 5.33 percent since the 2020 census base of 50,529, to 53,223 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 668 births against 572 deaths, with net migration of 475. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Cherokee County?
$61,261. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $169,300, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $933 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Cherokee County?
840 establishments, employing 11,002 people with an annual payroll of $491.3 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 2,583 jobs, 17.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 14,922 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,098, or $983 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?
25 7(a) approvals totaling $32.2 m since FY2020, across 20 lenders, with a median approval of $926,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $2.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Cherokee County?
21 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $6.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Cherokee County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 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 Smith County, with 392 households. Arriving households report an average income of $66,814 against $50,877 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.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Cherokee County. All 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | city | 14,325 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Rusk | city | 5,477 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Bullard | town | 4,346 | 1 | 19.7 percent here, 80.3 percent Smith County |
| Shadybrook | CDP | 2,810 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Troup | city | 2,338 | None recorded | 12.2 percent here, 87.8 percent Smith County |
| Alto | town | 1,222 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Summerfield | city | 618 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wells | town | 484 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Gallatin | city | 384 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Reklaw | city | 255 | None recorded | 47.1 percent here, 52.9 percent Rusk County |
| Cuney | town | 161 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby