United States › Alabama › Cottonwood CITY
Cottonwood Alabama · 1,104 residents (2025 est.) · 5.78 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Cottonwood is home to 971 people in Alabama. At a median age of 52.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Households here earn about 46% less than in Alabama as a whole. 27.6% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $111,500.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 52.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
7% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 1,170 in 2000
1,104 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
168 / sq mi
−18%since 2009
from 204 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
918 1K 1K 1K 2K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cottonwood Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $34,468
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $21,452 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,111 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 27.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.415 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 10.7%
Transportation & warehousing 5.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.6%
Education & health services 1.3%
Public administration 0.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
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$111,500
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$339
−42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $322 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.7% in 2000
33.2% rent
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
1.99 people
−17%since 2009
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 67.2%(786)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 63.4%(616)
from 54 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 1 more ancestry group with data from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 59.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 20.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 42.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 55.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 19.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 23.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 68.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 33.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 46.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 45.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 17.7%(17)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.5%(13)
Share of the 96 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Cottonwood, Alabama? Cottonwood, Alabama has about 971 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cottonwood, Alabama? The typical household in Cottonwood, Alabama earns about $34,468 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cottonwood, Alabama expensive? In Cottonwood, Alabama, the median home is worth about $111,500, and the typical rent is about $339 a month.
How educated are people in Cottonwood, Alabama? About 7.5% of adults age 25 and over in Cottonwood, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cottonwood, Alabama? About 27.6% of people in Cottonwood, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cottonwood, Alabama grown since 1990? Yes, Cottonwood, Alabama has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 414 residents, a change of about -30 percent over that period.
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