Cherokee is a city in Cherokee County, Iowa, home to about 5,154 people across 6.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 51012.
Homes sold for a median of $83 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Cherokee. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Cherokee’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Eppley Airfield (OMA)101 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field (SUX)48 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Omaha, NE106 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL407 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Cherokee; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Cherokee had 5,199 residents in the 2020 census, down 3% since 2000.
It’s the 83rd largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Cherokee County grew from 16,570 residents in 1900 to 11,658 in 2020.
Cherokee County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 7°F. About 31.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 38 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Cherokee, IA weather station (about a mile away).
4,505 jobs at 340 businesses in Cherokee County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
69 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Cherokee.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 6 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 3 |
| Dentists | 3 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 19 |
| Mental health providers | 14 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 13 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 8 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (8 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1873.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Cherokee Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Elementary SchoolCherokee | Pre-K–4 | 468 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Cherokee Middle SchoolCherokee | 5–8 | 329 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Washington High SchoolCherokee | 9–12 | 366 | Public | 0.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.