Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,439, settled in 1894.
The best of Cherokee’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and civic life and an A for schools; the weakest is a D− for hazard risk. Cherokee’s violent crime rate is 11 per 1,000 residents, against 2.7 in Oklahoma’s towns and 1.6 across U.S. towns. On hazard risk, just 3 of Oklahoma’s 229 towns do worse. The median household income is $59K, and 22% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 1 of Oklahoma’s 205 towns score higher on civic life. Cherokee has 6 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Ingersoll Tile Elevator and Cherokee Friends Church. On the outdoors, just 22 of Oklahoma’s 229 towns do worse. Cherokee has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Cherokee beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oklahoma), ordered by how far Cherokee is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 2,016 in 1910, a peak of 2,635 in 1950, 1,476 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1980 and 3 maps from 1969 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cherokee, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Cherokee.
Typical home values fell 17% in the year to September 2026. Cherokee’s median rent is $824 a month, where Oklahoma’s towns sit at $873 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
| Cherokee | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $824 a month | $873 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 62% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Cherokee school district. Its three schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee EsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 172 | A+ |
| Cherokee HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 118 | A |
| Cherokee MSTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 94 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OK on state tests and graduation
Cherokee’s FEMA risk score is 92 of 100. Since 1981, 16 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cherokee.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Cherokee has chilly winters and hot summers. The July high in Cherokee is 96°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 4 of Cherokee’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Cherokee has lost 221 jobs, to 679 in 2023. The top destinations are Oklahoma City (12%), Alva (7%) and Enid (5%).
| Cherokee | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 25% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
People 65 and older are 21% of residents (16% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 19% of residents (23% statewide). Among 132 Oklahoma towns, just 6 have a higher median age than Cherokee. 30% of Cherokee adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
| Cherokee | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 years | 36.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 16% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 21% | 25% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 30% | 20% | 29% |
47% women, 53% men
About 113 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.4 points). Across Oklahoma, 50.2% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 65% are men (OK 50%).
| Cherokee | OK | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.6% | 12.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.7% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.6% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 13.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.5% | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.4% | 11.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.4% | 9.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.6% | 6.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.9% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.3% | 30.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.9% | 22.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.6% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22% | 18.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.3% | 9.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
Cherokee beats the Oklahoma average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 33% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Cherokee. Only 8 of the 132 Oklahoma towns we compare have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Cherokee.
| Cherokee | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 38% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 34% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 34% | 25% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 19% | 17% |
| What stands out | Cherokee | OK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.8% | 18.5% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.9% | 14.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 7.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Cherokee; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Cherokee residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oklahoma.
6 places in Cherokee on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Oklahoma, US
Cherokee is the largest city within, and county seat of, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,476 at the 2020 census, a decline of 1.5 percent from 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
