RANK #669 / 1001 NAT · #21 / 24 SC · POP 56,647
1YR FORECAST: -1.4%
5YR OUTLOOK: +26%
Cherokee County, South Carolina, is perhaps best known for the Peachoid, a distinctive 135-foot-tall water tower shaped like a peach, prominently visible from Interstate 85 in Gaffney. This landmark highlights the county's agricultural heritage and its position in the "Old Iron District" due to its pre-Civil War iron mining. Located in the Piedmont region, the county sits between Charlotte, NC, and Greenville/Spartanburg, SC, with both major cities approximately 45 minutes away via I-85. The community offers access to outdoor recreation, including hiking and kayaking on the Broad River and trails at Lake Whelchel, which is part of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.
Life in Cherokee County offers an affordable cost of living, with many residents owning their homes. The Cherokee County School District serves over 7,700 students across 15 schools. Commute options include Interstate 85, US 29, and several state highways, with vanpool programs available through local companies. The economy is experiencing growth, with recent investments in manufacturing and solar technology. These developments contribute to job creation and a changing economic landscape for families and workers in the area.
Cherokee County is one of 11 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of -4.8% runs below the profile's typical -1.1%.
See all 11 Persistent Housing Weakness counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Below-average climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 8.8x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Cielo Digital Infrastructure Data Center Campus
Cielo Digital Infrastructure, LLC
|
$2,100M | Planned |
|
First Solar Manufacturing Facility
First Solar, Inc.
|
$330M | Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 33/100, Cherokee County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $50,288 combined with job growth of +0.9% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
By national standards, Cherokee County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $142,000, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.35 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $869/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Cherokee County's population is growing — up +0.6% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of +0.9%). Home values shifted -4.8% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
Not particularly — 1.95% of Cherokee County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.