Cherokee County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.4 | 56,714 people · 28th most distressed in South Carolina
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Cherokee County, SC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.4 — 945th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within South Carolina, it ranks 28th of 46 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cherokee County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 69.4 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 69.4
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 48
Student Loan Delinquency 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Income & Poverty 65.2
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 75
Community Vulnerability 61.5
Uninsured Rate 66
Disability Rate 57
Employment & Wages 56.5
Unemployment Rate 94
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 50
Housing Cost Burden 39.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 55
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 26

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Cherokee County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cherokee County
Cherokee County, SC 58.4 Elevated —
Union County, SC 74.8 Serious +16.3
Rutherford County, NC 64.5 Elevated +6.1
Cleveland County, NC 60.5 Elevated +2.1
Spartanburg County, SC 54.1 Elevated -4.3
York County, SC 46.0 Normal -12.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cherokee County
Montgomery County, AL 58.4 Elevated -0.0
Chautauqua County, NY 58.5 Elevated +0.0
Jasper County, MO 58.4 Elevated -0.1
Wilkes County, NC 58.4 Elevated -0.1
Chemung County, NY 58.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Cherokee County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Cherokee County

Find an Attorney

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Cherokee County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Cherokee County, South Carolina?

    Cherokee County has a County Distress Index score of 58.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 945th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cherokee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cherokee County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 69.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Cherokee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cherokee County (58.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Union County, SC (74.8); Rutherford County, NC (64.5); Cleveland County, NC (60.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Cherokee County?

    Cherokee County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 56,714 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.