Total enrollment
8,402
-545 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
Cherokee County
South Carolina · Public K-12
Cherokee County reports 17 public K-12 schools to NCES, against a population of 56,647, with an average school size of 494 students. By level, that breaks down as 10 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools.
7-year change in Cherokee County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
16
-2 (-11%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
58%
was 65%
% Hispanic
11%
was 7%
% Black
26%
was 26%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
56,647
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
17
3 districts
Enrollment
8,402
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$50,288
Below South Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
·
Enrollment-weighted
Elementary
10
3,866 students
Middle
3
1,594 students
High
3
2,309 students
Combined / other
1
633 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Cherokee 01
7,525 students · 3 districts in Cherokee County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Cherokee County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
18.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
11.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.3%
civilian labor
Median age
40
22.7% under 18
Test scores in Cherokee County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 13 schools ranked. South Carolina state average: 59.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Corinth Elementary· 72.2%
- Grassy Pond Elementary· 61.9%
- Cherokee Charter Academy· 60.7%
- Northwest Elementary· 60.5%
- Goucher Charter Academy· 55.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Luther L. Vaughan Elementary· 30.9%
- B. D. Lee Elementary· 34.0%
- Gaffney Middle· 42.9%
- John E. Ewing Middle· 44.2%
- Draytonville Elementary· 46.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaffney High | Gaffney | High | 09-12 | 1,827 | · |
| Gaffney Middle | Gaffney | Middle | 06-08 | 851 | · |
| Cherokee Charter Academy | Gaffney | Combined | PK-09 | 633 | · |
| B. D. Lee Elementary | Gaffney | Elementary | PK-05 | 603 | · |
| Grassy Pond Elementary | Gaffney | Elementary | PK-05 | 519 | · |
| Blacksburg High | Blacksburg | High | 09-12 | 482 | · |
| Limestone-Central Elementary | Gaffney | Elementary | PK-05 | 436 | · |
| Northwest Elementary | Gaffney | Elementary | PK-05 | 423 | · |
| Luther L. Vaughan Elementary | Gaffney | Elementary | PK-05 | 399 | · |
| John E. Ewing Middle | Gaffney | Middle | 06-08 | 380 | · |
| Blacksburg Middle | Blacksburg | Middle | 06-08 | 363 | · |
| Blacksburg Primary | Blacksburg | Elementary | PK-02 | 363 | · |
| Blacksburg Elementary | Blacksburg | Elementary | 03-05 | 323 | · |
| Corinth Elementary | Gaffney | Elementary | PK-05 | 292 | · |
| Draytonville Elementary | Gaffney | Elementary | PK-05 | 264 | · |
| Goucher Charter Academy | Gaffney | Elementary | PK-08 | 244 | · |
| Institute of Innovation | Gaffney | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Cherokee County
About Cherokee County
Cherokee County is a small South Carolina county of about 56,647 residents, home to 17 public schools and roughly 8,402 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $50,288 a year, 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 12% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 15% meaningfully below the South Carolina median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Cherokee County spans 10 elementary schools (3,866 students), 3 middle schools (1,594), 3 high schools (2,309), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Cherokee County is Cherokee 01, which alone enrolls about 7,525 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment contracted 6%: 8,947 students in SY 2017-18 versus 8,402 in SY 2024-25. Cherokee County now counts 16 public schools, down from 18 in SY 2017-18. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 65% to 58% over the same window.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Cherokee County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Cherokee County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data