Frost Line Depth in Cherokee County, OK: Oklahoma Codes Range 16

No official local value

No official frost line depth is published for Cherokee County.

No verified code nearby; verified Oklahoma codes range 16–18 in.

Source and how we checked

We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.

Climate: 74 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Tahlequah, 2.9 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

16–18 inrange of verified Oklahoma codes
74nights a year at or below 32 °F
50%of nearby soil rated “moderate” for frost action (USDA)

Does Cherokee County have an official frost line depth?

No adopted frost line depth found for Cherokee County in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). No verified code lies near Cherokee County; the Oklahoma codes we verified range from 16 to 18 in. Ask the building department for Cherokee County’s own number before you dig.

What frost line depth does Cherokee County use for footings under Table R301.2(1)?

Call 811 at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Cherokee County building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 18 in (the deepest verified state value) unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Cherokee County?

Drawn with the deepest Oklahoma official value (18 in). Confirm Cherokee County’s own depth before you dig.

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Cherokee County: dig at least 18 in (46 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Using the nearby official value of 18 in until Cherokee County confirms its own
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	18 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	18 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	24 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	18 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Cherokee County?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Dec to Feb. 74 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 27.5 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Tahlequah station, 2.9 mi away, elevation 850 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	27.5	31.6	39.6	48.4	57.2	65.3	69.1	67.6	60.9	49.4	38.9	30.5
High	51.4	55.9	65.4	73.9	80	88.3	93	92	85.2	75.1	62.9	53.4

Cherokee County has more freezing nights than 13 of the 23 other Oklahoma places we track. The Oklahoma median is 72. Coldest: Washington County; mildest: Pittsburg County.

How likely is the soil in Cherokee County to heave?

None 48%Moderate 50%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Cherokee County as 48% none, 50% moderate, 2% high for frost action (main soils: Shidler, Clarksville, Tonti).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

Cherokee County at a glance

Frost line depth: No official local value
Population (2023 est.): 48,185
Mean annual temperature: 60.9 °F
ZIP codes (16): 74347 · 74352 · 74359 · 74364 · 74427 · 74434 · 74441 · 74451 · 74452 · 74457 · 74464 · 74471 · 74931 · 74960 · 74962 · 74964