Cherokee County, Oklahoma Income Statistics
Cherokee County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Cherokee County Well below averageLess wealthy than 84% of counties in Oklahoma
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Cherokee County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,916 | $65,606 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,552 | $51,752 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.3% | 3.9% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.1% | 9.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.3% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Cherokee County is about 18% lower than in Oklahoma. Income has been growing faster in Cherokee County (4.3%/yr) than in Oklahoma (3.9%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Cherokee County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Oklahoma average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Cherokee County, Oklahoma grew by 76.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,916 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Cherokee County
| Metric | Cherokee County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.560 | 0.553 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,070 | $60,162 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,994 | $46,815 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.1% | 22.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Cherokee County, it is 0.560, higher than Oklahoma's 0.553, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 16% more than women's income in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $247,660 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cherokee County, Oklahoma has narrowed from about 27% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 6% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,545 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Cherokee County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.8% | 9.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 1,131 people are unemployed in Cherokee County, Oklahoma.
The average commute time in Cherokee County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Oklahoma.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Cherokee County, Oklahoma has fallen from 8.6% to 5.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.8% in 2012 and fell as low as 5.1% in 2023.
Cherokee County, OK Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Cherokee County, OK is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 47,942 residents against a local median of 39,855. Cherokee County, OK sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 9% below the local median at 5.1% against 5.6%. Cherokee County, OK has the 3rd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County, OK | 47,942 | $53,916 #3/6 | 4.3%/yr #4/6 | 5.1% #3/6 | 0.560 #6/6 |
| Adair County, OK | 19,571 | $47,808 | 4.8%/yr | 6.9% | 0.546 |
| Mayes County, OK | 39,594 | $60,268 | 4.1%/yr | 6.3% | 0.552 |
| Muskogee County, OK | 66,442 | $53,440 | 3.4%/yr | 5.6% | 0.560 |
| Sequoyah County, OK | 39,855 | $51,070 | 4.4%/yr | 4.7% | 0.544 |
| Wagoner County, OK | 86,605 | $81,531 | 4.3%/yr | 4.2% | 0.526 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Cherokee County, Oklahoma has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Oklahoma, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Cherokee County, Oklahoma.
How Rich Is Cherokee County, Oklahoma?
Cherokee County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $53,916, about 18% lower than the Oklahoma average of $65,606.
Are incomes growing in Cherokee County, Oklahoma?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Cherokee County, Oklahoma rose 76%, from $30,621 to $53,916. Over the same years, income here outpaced Oklahoma as a whole: +76% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Cherokee County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Cherokee County, Oklahoma was $53,773, up 2% from $52,540 in 2022. The Oklahoma median that year was $63,960.
What was the median household income in Cherokee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Cherokee County, Oklahoma was $43,588. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $53,916.
What is the Gini coefficient in Cherokee County, Oklahoma?
The Gini coefficient in Cherokee County is 0.560. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Cherokee County, Oklahoma?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cherokee County, Oklahoma has narrowed from about 27% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 6% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,545 since 2009.
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