Lake Cherokee, Texas
Lake Cherokee is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Gregg and Rusk counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 2,980 as of the 2020 census. Lake Cherokee is located 12 miles southeast of Gregg and northeastern Rusk counties on Cherokee Bayou. The lake is owned by the Cherokee Water Company to supply water for municipal, industrial, and recreational purposes. It has a capacity of 68,700 acre-feet. The lake impounds Cherokee Bayou. The top of the dam is at the elevation of 295 feet above the average sea level, but it has a max design of 291 feet above the average sea level.
Geography
The community consists of housing development that surrounds Lake Cherokee, a reservoir on Cherokee Bayou, an east-flowing tributary of the Sabine River. Texas State Highway 149 forms the northern border of the CDP; the highway leads northwest to Longview and southeast to Carthage.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has an area of ; of its area is land, and is water. About three-quarters of the area of the CDP is within Rusk County, with the remainder in Gregg County. The county line follows the center of the lake for the lower half of its reach. The upstream half of the lake is entirely within Rusk County.
Demographics
Lake Cherokee first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. census.| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | % 2010 | ||
| White alone | 2,510 | 2,331 | 81.73% | 78.22% |
| Non-Hispanic or [Latino African Americans|Black or African American] alone | 244 | 204 | 7.95% | 6.85% |
| Native Americans in [the United States|Native American] or Alaska Native alone | 15 | 22 | 0.49% | 0.74% |
| Asian alone | 8 | 1 | 0.26% | 0.03% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone | 1 | 0 | 0.03% | 0.00% |
| Race and ethnicity in [the United States census|Other race] alone | 0 | 11 | 0.00% | 0.37% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial | 49 | 102 | 1.60% | 3.42% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 244 | 309 | 7.95% | 10.37% |
| Total | 3,071 | 2,980 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,980 people, 1,424 households, and 1,065 families residing in the CDP.
Terrestrial ecosystem
Fauna:Fish
Most of the CDP in Rusk County is in Tatum [Independent School District] while a portion in that county is in Kilgore Independent School District. The portion of the CDP in Gregg County is in the Longview Independent School District.
The boundary of Kilgore College includes the independent school districts of Kilgore, Longview, and Tatum. In other words, all parts of Lake Cherokee are in the service area of Kilgore College.