CHEROKEE COUNTY 2/2/2010
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 2000-2008: 1,857 20
Population 2000:  52,537 24 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  1.40% 16
Population Estimate 2007:  53,933 24 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:  0.44% 22
Population Estimate 2008: 54,394 24 Percent Change 2006-2008: 0.85% 19
Persons Per Square Mile 2008:  138.4 17
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  15,842 22 Personal Income (PI) 2007: $1,337,188 24
Jobs 1990:  19,647 22 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: 7.2% 30
Jobs 2000:  22,994 21 Per Capita Personal Income  2007: $24,794 32
Jobs 2006: 21,358 22 % of U.S. PCPI 2007: 64% 32
Jobs 2007: 21,999 21 Average Wage Per Job 2007: $32,157 23
Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007: 641 16 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:  73% 23
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000:  2.26% 12 Unemployment Rate 2007: 9.3% 16
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007: -0.62% 25 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  6.0% 26
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2007: $172,013,451 23 Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: $3,274 26
County Base Millage Rate 2009: 0.0831 27 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2009: $150,395 25 Local Option Sales Tax:  
Millage Cap FY10: 4.7% 19 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY07: $441,696,920 20 School District Sales Tax: 1.0%
Admissions Tax Collected FY07: $36,591 26 Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY07:  $103,128 24
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY08: $24,495,935 28 Per Capita Revenues FY08: $466 41
Total Expenditures FY08: $27,750,727 23 Per Capita Expenditures FY08: $528 31
General Fund Budget FY10:  $19,100,685 27 Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: $364 35
Total Debt Outstanding FY08: $4,195,000 32 Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: $75 31
Payroll FY 2008: $8,180,612 28 Credit Rating(s) FY08
Full-Time Employees FY10:  307 24 Moody's: A3
Part-Time Employees FY10: 37 32 Standard & Poor:  
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   5.84 30 Fitch:  
updated  2/2/2010