Date Formed:

1897

Land Area (square miles):

393

County Seat:

Gaffney

Other Cities and Towns:

Blacksburg

Form of Government:

Council-Administrator

Council Members:

Method of Election

Single Member

Term Length

4 years

Council of Government:

Appalachian

County History According to the South Carolina State Library Reference Room

Cherokee County was named for the Cherokee Indians who once made it their home. It was formed in 1897 from parts of Spartanburg, Union, and York counties, and the county seat is Gaffney. During the Revolutionary War at the battle of Cowpens, an important victory for the revolutionary forces, took place there on January 17, 1781. Iron mining was an important activity in this region up to the time of the Civil War, and it is sometimes called the Old Iron District. In the mid-nineteenth century, the resort at Limestone Springs was a popular retreat for lowcountry planters. Writer Wilbur Joseph Cash (1901-1941) was a native of Cherokee County, as is actress Andie MacDowell.

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

40,983

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

11,554

Population 1990:

44,506

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

1.40%

Population 2000:

52,537

Percent Change 2005-2006:

0.5%

Population Estimate 2005:

53,620

Persons Per Square Mile 2006:

137.1

Population Estimate 2006:

53,886

Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Community Profile Demographic Data

Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Kids Count

Economic Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Jobs 1980:

15,842

Personal Income 2005:

$1,214,530

Jobs 1990:

19,647

Per Capita Pers. Income (PCPI) 2005:

$22,651

Jobs 2000:

22,994

% of U.S. PCPI 2005:

66%

Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:

2.26%

Average Wage Per Job 2005:

$30,021

Jobs 2004:

21,205

% of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2005:

75%

Jobs 2005:

21,183

Avg. Unemployment 1996-2006:

6.4%

Numeric Change 2004-2005:

-22

Unemployment Rate 2006 Ann. Avg:

7.8%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2004:

$175,483,290

Per Capita Assessed Property 2004:

$3,340

County Base Millage Rate* 2006:

0.0794

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2006:

$149,630

Local Option Sales Tax:

Net Taxable Sales FY 2005:

$443,635,181

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

Admissions Taxes Collected FY 2005:

$25,226

School District Sales Tax:

1.0%

Accomodations Taxes Collected FY 2005:

$105,812

Transportation Sales Tax:

* County Base Millage Rate reflects county mils only and does not include millages charged by other taxing entities (cities, schools, etc.)

Link to SC Employment Security Commission - Top Employers by County

Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Community Profile Demographic Data

Financial and Employment Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Total Revenues FY 2004:

$21,951,662

Per Capital Revenues:

$418

Total Expenditures FY 2004:

$15,611,696

Per Capita Expenditures:

$297

General Fund Budget FY 2007:

$17,753,914

Per Capita General Fund Budget:

$338

Total Debt Outstanding FY 2006:

$6,250,000

Per Capita Debt Outstanding:

$116

Credit Ratings(s) FY 2006:

Payroll FY 2007:

$7,032,602

Moodys:

Full-Time Employees FY 2007:

246

Standard & Poor:

Part-Time Employees FY 2007:

Fitch:

Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:

4.68

Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Local Government Finance Report (Full document in Excel)

Sources: County histories obtained from the South Carolina State Library Reference Room at http://www.state.sc.us/scsl/cnties.html. All other sources are listed in the appendix tables.

Updated

9/12/2007 16:25

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