Cherokee is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,199 at the 2020 Census, down from 5,369 in 2000.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Cherokee ranks

All →

#7Lowest property tax in IA #11Shortest commute in IA #14Cheapest rent in IA All IA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code51012

Area code712

Living in Cherokee

Housing in Cherokee

$151K▲ 2.4% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Cherokee home is worth about $151,000, up 2.4% in a year, 37% below the Iowa typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Cherokee

A⁻

Safety Grade A-

Cherokee reports less crime per resident than 77% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Cherokee 1

Iowa 2.4

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Cherokee 2.1

Iowa 12

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Cherokee

Full picture →

About one in 3 of Cherokee’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Storm Lake (6%), Sioux City (5%) and Le Mars (3%). Half commute less than 19 miles.

Storm Lake

Sioux City

Le Mars

Holstein

38%Work in townlive and work in Cherokee 19 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 2,866Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Cherokee →

Health in Cherokee

Health Grade D

Healthier than 15% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Iowa

2better than IA·18worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 12 are too close to call.

Conditions 9▼ 3 close Habits 1▲ 2▼ 1 close Care 1▲ 2▼ 4 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs 3▼ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

16.9%Fewer binge drinkersIA 20.5% · better 82%More adults treating high blood pressureIA 77.8% · better 21.6%More older adults who have lost all their teethIA 11.6% · worse

Care nearby

Cherokee Regional Medical CenterCherokee · 0.6 mi · ER · rural critical access

United Community Health Center of Storm Lake - ReplacementStorm Lake · 18.7 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Cherokee · CMS · HRSAHealth in Cherokee →

Natural hazards in Cherokee

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes🥶 Cold waves

126Does Cherokee flood?paid flood claims since 1979 9Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Cherokee

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Cherokee →

Climate in Cherokee

Full climate →

Cherokee has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

30° / 12°Winter

59° / 36°Spring

82° / 60°Summer

61° / 38°Fall

How much snow does Cherokee get?About 38 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 4, with the last in spring around May 4.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.0° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Cherokee →

Schools in Cherokee

All Cherokee schools →

C⁺

School Grade C+

The public schools Cherokee’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 60% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how Cherokee’s schools compare in IA →

DistrictCherokee Comm School DistrictSchools3

Cherokee Elementary School C-Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 468 students Cherokee Middle School C+Middle · Grades 5–8 · 329 students Washington High School A-High · Grades 9–12 · 366 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IA. Ratings are from neighbors.