The Town FilesCheraw, South Carolina
Town in Chesterfield County · population 5,040 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $152,200
- Household income
- $26,689
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 44.6
Cheraw is a town of 5,040 people in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. The median home is worth $152,200, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 88% of South Carolina towns, better for retirees than 74% of South Carolina towns.
How Cheraw ranks
Percentile among South Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cheraw is worth $152,200, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $26,689, which is more affordable than 10% of South Carolina towns. Median rent is $800 a month. 47.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cheraw | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,200 | $183,100 |
| Median rent | $800 | $937 |
| Median household income | $26,689 | $53,875 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 47.8% | 68.0% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Cheraw
| People | Cheraw | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 | 40.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 20.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 37.0% | 17.8% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.1% | 6.8% |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 25.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.5% | 87.8% |
Weather in Cheraw
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 31.4°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 52 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 65 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cheraw since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 28, 1984 about 9.9 miles from the town center and killed 7. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 145 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 24, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 1, 2012.
Severe weather in Chesterfield County since 1996
Chesterfield County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3632: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3619: Hurricane Helene |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3606: Hurricane Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3597: Hurricane Idalia |
| November 21, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4677: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County had 14,200 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,211 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Cheraw itself the ACS puts it at 11.8%.
Public schools in Cheraw
4 public schools with 1,873 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheraw High | 9-12 | 616 | 13.7 |
| Cheraw Primary | PK-2 | 463 | 14.0 |
| Long Middle | 6-8 | 418 | 13.5 |
| Cheraw Intermediate | 3-5 | 376 | 13.9 |
Towns near Cheraw
- Bennettsville, SC13.8 mi · 7,020 people · home $92,100
- East Rockingham, NC17.0 mi · 3,471 people · home $111,800
- Hamlet, NC17.5 mi · 6,025 people · home $112,600
- Rockingham, NC18.8 mi · 9,243 people · home $150,800
- Wadesboro, NC20.5 mi · 5,008 people · home $153,200
- North Hartsville, SC22.3 mi · 2,775 people · home $110,600
- Hartsville, SC24.9 mi · 7,446 people · home $205,600
- Laurinburg, NC25.2 mi · 14,978 people · home $134,200
Cheraw questions
Is Cheraw, South Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cheraw scores better for retirees than 74% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 62%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.6).
How much does a house cost in Cheraw?
The median owner-occupied home in Cheraw is valued at $152,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $26,689, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $800 a month.
What is the weather like in Cheraw?
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 31.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Cheraw get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cheraw since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 28, 1984. The typical South Carolina town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)