Cherokee County, Iowa
Among the top 10% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 74% of US counties
- top 8% for cost of living
- top 10% for amenities nearby
Cherokee County is a county in Iowa with about 12,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and B for weather. Standout strengths include cost of living, amenities nearby, and commute time. It rates lower on annual snowfall and income tax.
Official websitecherokeecountyiowa.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
v.cold
freez.
77%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in0.8 in
humid 82%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$64k59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 92% of US counties
Home Value$145k41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$655better than 88% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 77% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.02%better than 37% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.62%better than 30% of US counties
Unemployment3.2%better than 79% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)18°F9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation31.2 in26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall37.6 inbetter than 22% of US counties
Sunny Days235 daysbetter than 48% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 64% of US counties
Comfortable Days86 daysbetter than 68% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk34.1better than 64% of US counties
School Quality59.6better than 59% of US counties
Violent Crime177/100kbetter than 89% of US counties
Property Crime354/100kbetter than 81% of US counties
Community
Population11,60126th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.877th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1424th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0161st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4051st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.6%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.4%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.6%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.0%9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 89% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 63% of US counties
Airport Distance100 mibetter than 49% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.8%better than 46% of US counties
Amenities Nearby12.07better than 90% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 57% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cherokee County an affordable place to live?
- Cherokee County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 92% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Cherokee County?
- The median home value in Cherokee County is $145k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Cherokee County?
- Median household income in Cherokee County is $64k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Cherokee County?
- Median gross rent in Cherokee County is $655 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Cherokee County safe?
- Cherokee County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 177/100k (better than 89%). Property crime is 354/100k.
- What is the weather like in Cherokee County?
- Cherokee County averages 73°F in July and 18°F in January, with 31.2 in of annual precipitation and about 235 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Cherokee County?
- Public-school quality in Cherokee County is about average, scoring better than 59% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Cherokee County?
- The average one-way commute in Cherokee County is 18 min.
Other counties in Iowa
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Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)