Cherokee County, Georgia: commercial real estate data.
Cherokee County, Georgia has a population of 281,032 across 422 square miles, up 10.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $13.26 bn in 2024, 6,550 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 396 7(a) approvals worth $261.8 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Cherokee County
How many people live in Cherokee County
- Population281,032
- Households101,514
- Average household size2.77
- Median household income$108,115
- Median age40.2
- Median gross rent$1,799 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$435,100
- Home value to household income4.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher41.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over193,718
- Population under 1864,003
- Share under 1822.8 percent
- Population 65 and over44,502
- Share 65 and over15.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64172,527
- Civilian labor force153,873
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.9 percent
- Rank by population among Georgia counties7th of 159
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents257th
Cherokee County is the 7th largest of 159 Georgia counties by population. A median home costs 4.0 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.8 percent against 15.8 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 growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base10.09 percent
- Census 2020 base population266,600
- Births, 20242,871
- Deaths, 20241,947
- Natural change, 2024924
- Net domestic migration, 20244,016
- Net international migration, 20241,310
- Total net migration, 20245,326
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202419,011
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents146th
The county has grown 10.09 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Cherokee County
Where people moving to Cherokee County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving10,641
- People arriving, from those returns19,710
- Adjusted gross income arriving$965.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$90,694
- Largest single originCherokee County Non-migrants (98,083 households)
- Largest single destination (98,083 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County Non-migrants | 98,083 | 211,747 | $10.77 bn |
| Cobb County | 2,565 | 4,627 | $227.3 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,442 | 4,767 | $230.1 m |
| Fulton County | 1,548 | 2,752 | $165.2 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,253 | 2,423 | $113.6 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 455 | 818 | $37.8 m |
| Forsyth County | 454 | 884 | $53.8 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 411 | 764 | $44.1 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Cherokee County Non-migrants, 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 the Cherokee County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$13.26 bn
- County GDP, 2023$12.15 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20249.1 percent
- GDP change over five years49.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among Georgia counties11th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents356th
- GDP per resident$47,171
Output grew 9.1 percent in the latest year and 49.2 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
Who employs people in Cherokee County
- Covered employment, annual average74,280
- Establishments reporting8,029
- Average annual pay$54,283
- Average weekly wage$1,044
- Sector 44-45, employment12,186
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$37,138
- Sector 72, employment9,854
- Sector 72, average annual pay$23,104
- Sector 62, employment9,634
- Sector 62, average annual pay$62,059
- Sector 23, employment6,589
- Sector 23, average annual pay$81,117
- Sector 31-33, employment6,214
- Sector 56, employment3,858
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 12,186 | 728 | $37,138 |
| Sector 72 | 9,854 | 498 | $23,104 |
| Sector 62 | 9,634 | 729 | $62,059 |
| Sector 23 | 6,589 | 995 | $81,117 |
| Sector 31-33 | 6,214 | 265 | $63,727 |
| Sector 56 | 3,858 | 550 | $54,154 |
| Sector 54 | 3,751 | 1,155 | $75,385 |
| Sector 81 | 2,469 | 528 | $41,354 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 12,186 jobs, 16.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Cherokee County
What businesses operate in Cherokee County
- Establishments, all industries6,550
- Employment at those establishments67,429
- Annual payroll$3.23 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cherokee County
What is being built in Cherokee County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20242,665
- Declared construction value permitted$1.00 bn
- Single family units authorised1,796
- Multifamily units authorised869
- Multifamily share of units32.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$375,574
- Units authorised per 1,000 households26.3
Multifamily is 32.6 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Cherokee County
How much SBA lending happens in Cherokee County
- 7(a) approvals recorded396
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$261.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$661,156
- Median 7(a) approval$301,500
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,850,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)4,136
- Jobs per approval10.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active92
- Distinct industries receiving approvals149
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer19.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms78
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter282
- Franchise loans89
- Franchise share of approvals22.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (18)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (29)
- 504 approvals recorded95
- 504 gross approval dollars$109.3 m
- Average 504 approval$1,150,442
- Median 504 approval$663,000
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval13.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.5
- Most active CDCFlorida Business Development Corporation (30)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals80.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$371.1 m
The average approval of $661,156 sits well above the median of $301,500, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 19.7 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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
Do SBA loans in Cherokee County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded63
- Paid in full60
- Charged off3
- Charge off rate on resolved loans4.8 percent
- Status: Paid in full60
- Status: Charged off3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure252
- Status: Cancelled57
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed24
Of the 63 loans that have reached a final outcome, 4.8 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cherokee County
Which parts of Cherokee County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending13
- WOODSTOCK, approvals165
- CANTON, approvals148
- BALL GROUND, approvals30
- ACWORTH, approvals24
- Waleska, approvals8
- ALPHARETTA, approvals5
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| WOODSTOCK | 165 | $93,072,900 |
| CANTON | 148 | $97,857,400 |
| BALL GROUND | 30 | $30,620,700 |
| ACWORTH | 24 | $17,059,800 |
| Waleska | 8 | $6,095,600 |
| ALPHARETTA | 5 | $1,866,000 |
| CUMMING | 5 | $1,486,900 |
| WHITE | 3 | $5,945,000 |
WOODSTOCK accounts for 165 approvals against 148 in CANTON. 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 big is Cherokee County
- Land area422 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Georgia counties51st of 159
- Width, east to west23 mi
- Height, north to south23.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land666
- Establishments per square mile15.52
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
What hazards affect Cherokee County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population281,032
- Households101,514
- Average household size2.77
- Median household income$108,115
- Median age40.2
Common questions
Cherokee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Cherokee County, Georgia?
281,032, in 101,514 households, ranking 7th of 159 Georgia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Cherokee County growing?
The population has grown 10.09 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 2,871 births against 1,947 deaths, with net migration of 5,326. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Cherokee County?
$108,115. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $435,100, which is 4.0 times income, and median gross rent is $1,799 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Cherokee County?
6,550 establishments, employing 67,429 people with an annual payroll of $3.23 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Cherokee County?
Average annual pay is $54,283, or $1,044 a week, across 74,280 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Cherokee County?
396 7(a) approvals totalling $261.8 m since FY2020, across 92 lenders, with a median approval of $301,500, plus 95 504 approvals worth $109.3 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Cherokee County get paid back?
Of the 63 loans that have reached a final outcome, 60 were paid in full and 3 charged off, a charge off rate of 4.8 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Cherokee County?
2,665 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.00 bn. Multifamily was 32.6 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 Cherokee County Non-migrants, with 98,083 households. Arriving households report an average income of $90,694 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.