CHEROKEE COUNTY Revised 7/1/2008
Date Formed:  1897
Land Area (square miles): 393
County Seat: Gaffney
Other Cities and Towns:
Blacksburg
Form of Government: Council-Administrator
Council Members: 7
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Appalachian
County History
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 23 Numeric Change 1980-2000:  11,554 20
Population 1990:  44,506 23 Numeric Change 2000-2007: 1,478 21
Population 2000:  52,537 24 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  1.40% 16
Population Estimate 2006:  53,830 24 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2007:  0.40% 23
Population Estimate 2007: 54,015 24 Percent Change 2006-2007: 0.34% 24
Persons Per Square Mile 2007:  137.4 17
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  15,842 22 Personal Income (PI) 2006: $1,274,828 24
Jobs 1990:  19,647 22 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2006: 7.3% 29
Jobs 2000:  22,994 21 Per Capita Personal Income  2006: $23,682 32
Jobs 2005: 21,183 22 % of U.S. PCPI 2006: 65% 32
Jobs 2006: 21,358 22 Average Wage Per Job 2006: $30,699 23
Numeric Change Jobs 2005-2006: 175 24 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2006:  73% 23
Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:  2.26% 12 Unemployment Rate 2007: 7.1% 22
Avg. Annual Growth Rate 2000-2006: 0.13% 27 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  6.7% 22
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2005: $172,741,282 23 Per Capita Assessed Property 2005: $3,288 25
County Base Millage Rate 2007: 0.08349 27 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2007: $150,694 24 Local Option Sales Tax:  
Millage Cap FY09: 3.2% 24 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY06: $443,635,181 21 School District Sales Tax: 1.0%
Admissions Tax Collected FY06: $25,226 29 Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY06:  $105,812 25
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY06: $24,767,180 24 Per Capita Revenues: $471 35
Total Expenditures FY06: $22,201,940 25 Per Capita Expenditures: $423 37
General Fund Budget FY08:  $18,234,062 25 Per Capita General Fund Budget: $347 35
Total Debt Outstanding FY07: $5,245,000 26 Per Capita Debt Outstanding: $95 37
Payroll FY 2008: $7,487,520 28 Credit Rating(s) FY07
Full-Time Employees FY08:  254 27 Moody's: A3
Part-Time Employees FY08 27 34 Standard & Poor:  
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   4.83 43 Fitch: