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City · 5,154 residents · Cherokee County, Iowa

Cherokee , Iowa

In Cherokee, a typical home is worth $136,700 and typical rent is $728 a month. Compared with all of Cherokee County, the typical home value is 14% lower, typical household income is 13% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 8 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $136,700

    14% below the county

    34% below Iowa

    • Cherokee
    • County
    • Iowa

  • Typical rent

    $728a month

    4% below the county

    25% below Iowa

    • Cherokee
    • County
    • Iowa

  • Typical household income

    $61,750a year

    13% below the county

    18% below Iowa

    • Cherokee
    • County
    • Iowa

  • Households that own their home

    68%

    8 points below the county

    4 points below Iowa

    • Cherokee
    • County
    • Iowa

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$148,915
1.7% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Cherokee is in Cherokee County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Cherokee County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Cherokee apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Cherokee has the 4th lowest typical rent of the 85 cities in Iowa with more than 5,000 people ($728).

  2. 68% of households in Cherokee own their home, against 76% in Cherokee County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Cherokee

What homes there are in Cherokee, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Cherokee, 8 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Cherokee County, 8.

Year built

Here half of the homes date from 1963 or later; in Cherokee County, from 1958 or later.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,281 a month

Cherokee County: $1,307 a month

Without a mortgage

$484 a month

Cherokee County: $482 a month

Owners with a mortgage

60%

Cherokee County: 50%

In Cherokee, 60% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,281 a month, about the same as in Cherokee County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Cherokee rose 51% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Cherokee County (49%).

The typical rent in Cherokee rose 32% over the same time; in Cherokee County, it rose 38%.

To compare: typical income in Cherokee rose 32%; the home, +51%; the rent, +32%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureCherokeeCherokee CountyIowaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate5.7%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.112.222.362.53
Drive alone 79%78%76%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate8%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate4%3%3%
Work from home 9%9%11%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Cherokee look like those in Cherokee County: 2.11 people on average.

To get to work, 79% of workers in Cherokee drive alone; in Cherokee County, 78%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Cherokee?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Cherokee, worth $136,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 22% of the typical household income in Cherokee, which is $61,750 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Cherokee County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Cherokee. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $4,785 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,155

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$134,224
Total interest
$193,116
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,309 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,441 a month

    Your payment · 22%

  • Tight

    $1,441 to $1,852 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,852 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Cherokee ($61,750 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,155
Principal & interest$909
Property tax$129
Home insurance$57
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$60

You need at least $4,785 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Cherokee and Cherokee County

Cherokee is in Cherokee County, Iowa. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Cherokee's own numbers

Typical home value
$136,700
Typical monthly rent
$728
Typical yearly household income
$61,750
Households that own their home
68%
Effective property tax rate
1.13%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Cherokee County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$927
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+49%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Cherokee County.

Everything about Cherokee County

Buying

Buying a home in Cherokee

A typical home in Cherokee is worth $136,700: 14% below the county and 34% below Iowa. With the typical household income in Cherokee ($61,750 a year), a typical home costs 2.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Cherokee 2.2 years
  • County 2.2 years
  • Iowa 2.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Cherokee County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Cherokee County rose 79% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Cherokee County.

Period County Iowa U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.5% +3.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +49% +41% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +79% +65% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Cherokee next to Cherokee County, Iowa and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Cherokee $136,700
  • County $158,700
  • Iowa $208,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Cherokee $728
  • County $758
  • Iowa $972
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Cherokee $61,750
  • County $71,269
  • Iowa $75,059
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Cherokee next to Cherokee County and Iowa
Measure Cherokee Cherokee County Iowa U.S.
Typical home value $136,700 $158,700 $208,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $728 $758 $972 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $61,750 $71,269 $75,059 $80,734
Households that own their home 68% 76% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,547 $1,569 $2,897 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.13% 0.99% 1.39% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 54% 48% 44% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Cherokee County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Cherokee

For a typical $136,700 home in Cherokee, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Cherokee's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,155a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $4,785
    Cash to close
    $8,886
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $60

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,130a month

    Down payment
    $6,835
    Cash to close
    $10,936
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $65

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $927a month

    Down payment
    $27,340
    Cash to close
    $31,441
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,053a month

    Down payment
    $20,505
    Cash to close
    $24,606
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Cherokee and for Cherokee County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Cherokee

1.13%of the home’s value each year

$1,547 a year for the typical owner in Cherokee.

  • Cherokee 1.13%
  • County 0.99%
  • Iowa 1.39%

What Iowa publishes Homestead exemption: 10% of taxable value (Iowa Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Iowa

Flood risk in Cherokee County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Cherokee County.

FEMA’s maps count no homes in the high-risk zone in Cherokee County. That does not mean it cannot flood: check your address.

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Cherokee

Typical rent in Cherokee is $728 a month: 4% below the county. In Cherokee, 54% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Cherokee County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($927 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $17.83 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Cherokee County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $688 $13.23 $27,520
1 bedroom $767 $14.75 $30,680
2 bedrooms $927 $17.83 $37,080
3 bedrooms $1,203 $23.13 $48,120
4 bedrooms $1,288 $24.77 $51,520

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Cherokee

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Cherokee is in ZIP code 51012.

For 2 bedrooms it is $930: $3 more than the fair market rent for Cherokee County ($927).

  • 51012 $930$1,200

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Cherokee when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Cherokee

HUD lists 2 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Cherokee. These are the largest.

  • Autumn Park Apartments ~ Cherokee 1003 E Ridgeview Dr, Cherokee 51012 62 low-income homes · For older adults (712) 225-2564
  • Willowbrook Apts 925 Jeffries St, Cherokee 51012 24 low-income homes · In service since 1994 · For older adults, people with disabilities

See all 2 buildings in Cherokee County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Cherokee

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Cherokee County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A young woman and a young man point to a line in their notes beside a laptop in a library.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Cherokee

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Cherokee or Cherokee County. The ones below are statewide in Iowa: they work in Cherokee the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Iowa

Housing counselors near Cherokee

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Cherokee, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Center for Siouxland

    715 Douglas St, Sioux City · 47 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 9 more
    (712) 252-1861

  • Home Opportunities Made Easy, Inc. (home, Inc.)

    1618 6th Ave, Des Moines · 126 miles away · Spanish

    • Home improvement and repairs
    • Homelessness services
    • and 5 more
    (515) 243-1277

  • Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity

    95 University Ave, Des Moines · 127 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    (515) 471-8686

All counseling agencies in Iowa

Help in Spanish near Cherokee

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Cherokee

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Cherokee County. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Iowa Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Cherokee, with the typical home value.

Everything about Cherokee County Housing in Iowa

Neighboring counties

If Cherokee County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Cherokee.

All guides
Two girls write and draw together at the living-room table.

Questions

Housing questions about Cherokee

Short answers with the numbers for Cherokee and all of Cherokee County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Cherokee?

The typical home value in Cherokee is $136,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Cherokee County it is $158,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Cherokee?

Typical rent in Cherokee is $728 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Cherokee County is $927.

What is the FHA loan limit in Cherokee?

Cherokee uses the FHA limit for all of Cherokee County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Cherokee?

The typical homeowner in Cherokee pays $1,547 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.13% of the home’s value; in Cherokee County, the rate is 0.99%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Cherokee?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Cherokee County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).