The typical owner-occupied home in Cherokee is worth about $189,900, 34% below the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 43% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $199 a year in property taxes, about 0.10% of their home's value, lower than the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $55,972 a year, so the median home costs 3.4 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 63% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 16% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Cherokee at a glance
| Cherokee | North Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $189,900 | $288,900 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $199 | $1,896 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.10% | 0.66% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $55,972 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 63% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 16% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,094 | $1,631 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 13.2% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,075 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 22.1% | 29.5% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1988 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 14.3% | 12.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 2,059 | 10,730,404 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Cherokee
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Cherokee home of $189,900 with 20% down costs about $1,117 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,433, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $47,868 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median Cherokee household income of $55,972; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $222,000.
The median rent here is $1,075 a month, so owning the median home costs about $42 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $37,980 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $151,920 |
| Principal and interest | $1,022 |
| Property taxes (0.10% a year) | $16 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $79 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,117 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,646 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $186,460 |
| Principal and interest | $1,254 |
| Property taxes (0.10% a year) | $16 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $79 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $84 |
| Total per month | $1,433 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Cherokee
What is the median home value in Cherokee?
About $189,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Cherokee?
Homeowners pay a median $199 a year, which is about 0.10% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Cherokee?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,117 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $47,868 a year.
More about Cherokee
- Mortgage Refinance in Cherokee
- Debt Relief in Cherokee
- Home Equity Loans in Cherokee
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data