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Buying land in Cherokee County, Oklahoma: what to check

Cherokee County covers 749 square miles of land and 27 of water in Oklahoma, with about 48,729 residents in 2024 (up 3.5% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 98% of its land as rural and 38% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 42% of the county's land. Below: how much of Cherokee County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Cherokee CountySee a sample report

Cherokee County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

5.9%

Above the state's county median (4.8%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

under 1%

Below the state's county median (1%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

87%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$3,676/acre

Above the state's county median ($2,515)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

14%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

98%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Cherokee County

Ordered by what Cherokee County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Budget for a perc test and maybe an engineered septic

    USDA rates 87% of Cherokee County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 0% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  2. 2.Check slope where you'd build and where the driveway goes

    46% of Cherokee County's mapped soils have an average slope over 15% (USDA SSURGO).

    Steep ground means grading, retaining walls, longer driveways and erosion control. Compare the slope at the house site and along the access route, not just the parcel average.

    Guide: Terrain and slope

  3. 3.Check wildfire exposure and insurance

    FEMA rates Cherokee County's wildfire risk relatively moderate, and 25% of the county's area is in the wildfire exposure zone the National Risk Index uses.

    Ask an insurer for a quote early; some carriers won't write new policies in high-hazard areas. Check access for fire trucks, nearby fire stations and the vegetation around the building site.

    Guide: Wildfire risk for rural land

  4. 4.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 98% of Cherokee County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Road access and landlocked land

  5. 5.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Cherokee County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 14% of the 262 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps from 2021 to 2026. Oklahoma allocates water by permit or water right, so a well or pond isn't automatic.

    Ask whether the land has a public water connection, an existing well (and its log and yield), or neighbors' well depths from the state well database. For a new well, check permits and typical depth with the state agency first.

    Guide: Wells, public water and water rights

  6. 6.Confirm the flood zone at your exact spot

    5.9% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 6.6% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently.

    Even where little of the county floods, creeks and low spots do. Check the FEMA zone at the building site and the driveway route.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Cherokee County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
5.9%, 31st highest of 77 in Oklahoma FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
6.6% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
27 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
100% moderate or worse, 100% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Cherokee County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
26% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
46% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
87% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Cherokee County's soil-surveyed land (about 479,161 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
1,085 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
42% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
187 acres (median 80) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$3,676 per acre, 7th highest of 77 in Oklahoma USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
43,535 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
116,666 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
55,631 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
1,265 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Cherokee County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively Low.

  • LightningRelatively High
  • DroughtRelatively Moderate
  • Heat waveRelatively Moderate
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Moderate
  • TornadoRelatively Moderate
  • WildfireRelatively Moderate
  • Winter weatherRelatively Moderate
  • EarthquakeRelatively Low
  • HailRelatively Low
  • LandslideRelatively Low
  • Strong windRelatively Low
  • HurricaneVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Cherokee County

How much of Cherokee County, OK is in a flood zone?

About 5.9% of Cherokee County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 31st highest of 77 counties in Oklahoma. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Cherokee County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Cherokee County at $3,676 an acre, 7th highest of 77 counties in Oklahoma (the median Oklahoma county was $2,515). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Cherokee County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 87% of Cherokee County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Cherokee County?

26% of Cherokee County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 0% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 0% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 1,085 farms averaging 187 acres.

How often is Cherokee County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 14% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 1.9%. On 2026-10-27, 100% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Cherokee County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Cherokee County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Cherokee County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Cherokee County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Cherokee County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.