Cherokee is a community in Swain County, North Carolina, home to about 2,059 people across 12 square miles. Its ZIP code is 28719, and parts of 28789 are in Cherokee too.
Mostly Cherokee
Part is in Cherokee, part in Whittier
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 | McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)44 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Atlanta, GA136 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL497 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 2,195 residents in the 2020 census, up 3% since 2010.
It’s the 336th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Swain County grew from 8,401 residents in 1900 to 14,117 in 2020.
Swain County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 26°F. About 56.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 7 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Cherokee, NC weather station (about a mile away).
3,724 jobs at 382 businesses in Swain County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
138 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Cherokee.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 28 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 8 |
| Dentists | 13 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 33 |
| Mental health providers | 45 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 10 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
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 (4 nearby)
Grocery stores
Museums (3 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 2.5 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.
Public schools here are run by Cherokee Central Elementary School, Cherokee Central High School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Central Elementary SchoolCherokee | K–5 | 607 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Cherokee Central High SchoolCherokee | 6–12 | 693 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Kituwah AcademyCherokee | Pre-K–6 | 58 | Nonsectarian | 0.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Whittier.
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.