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Living in
Cottonwood.
About
Life in Cottonwood
Cottonwood is a community of 12,547 people in Arizona. The median household income is $48,448, median rent runs about $1,120 per month, and median home values are around $324,000. Unemployment is low at 4.1%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Cottonwood at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
54.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Foreign-Born
15.3%
Broadband Internet
88.7%
of households
Population Growth
+5.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics15.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Cottonwood: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cottonwood, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (53.6%), and 18.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
10.9%
of residents
65 and Older
36.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
11.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
46.6%
of households
Married Couples
36.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.87
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 27% below AZ average
Rent, home values, and income in Cottonwood
In Cottonwood, rent runs 27% below the AZ average, and home values are 18% below the AZ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,075
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $388,792 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AZ
Unemployment in Cottonwood
Unemployment in Yavapai County, which includes Cottonwood, is close to the AZ average.
Unemployment rate
Cottonwood: Yavapai County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Yavapai County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Cottonwood Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19 min avg
How Cottonwood residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cottonwood, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 68% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 23 mi
Prescott Regional Airport - Ernest A. Love Field (PRC)
Regional airport · few flights26k passengers boarded in 2025
- 91 mi
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Major hub25.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 54% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cottonwood runs 54% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
152
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
851.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cottonwood Police Department
Natural DisastersFlash Flood most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Yavapai County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Yavapai County, which includes Cottonwood, the most common type is flash flood, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 19 | Flash Flood | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 33 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2022 | 48 | Flash Flood | $198,000 |
| 2021 | 45 | Flash Flood | $110,000 |
| 2020 | 16 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 25 | Flash Flood | $1.6M |
| 2018 | 49 | Flash Flood | $1.5M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Yavapai County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Yavapai County, which includes Cottonwood, is typically good — 234 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
234
per year
Moderate Days
121
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Yavapai County, county-wide
Climate99°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cottonwood has hot summers (avg high 99°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
99°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
82°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.0"
Annual Snowfall
1.0"
Hot Days/Year
128
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
63
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
53
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61°F | 30°F | 1.10" |
| Feb | 65°F | 33°F | 0.99" |
| Mar | 71°F | 38°F | 1.01" |
| Apr | 79°F | 43°F | 0.43" |
| May | 88°F | 51°F | 0.42" |
| Jun | 99°F | 59°F | 0.18" |
| Jul | 101°F | 67°F | 1.64" |
| Aug | 98°F | 66°F | 2.15" |
| Sep | 93°F | 58°F | 1.30" |
| Oct | 83°F | 47°F | 0.96" |
| Nov | 71°F | 36°F | 0.70" |
| Dec | 60°F | 29°F | 1.12" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cottonwood
Cottonwood has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
16.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Verde Valley Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Verde Valley Medical Center · 269 South Candy Lane
- Hospital campus: Verde Valley Medical Center - Sedona Campus · 3700 W Highway 89a, Sedona
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education20.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cottonwood
Cottonwood's student/teacher ratio is 20.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 27.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Tuzigoot National Monument, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cottonwood
Cottonwood has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Tuzigoot National Monument (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Tuzigoot National Monument
National Monument
3 mi awayMontezuma Castle National Monument
National Monument
13 mi awayWalnut Canyon National Monument
National Monument
40 mi awaySunset Crater Volcano National Monument
National Monument
51 mi awayWupatki National Monument
National Monument
65 mi awayGrand Canyon National Park
National Park
87 mi awayTonto National Monument
National Monument
91 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cottonwood
Cottonwood Public Library
100 S 6th St, Cottonwood
Cities Near Cottonwood
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cottonwood?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cottonwood FAQ
Is Cottonwood, Arizona affordable?⌄
Cottonwood's median rent is $1,120/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $48,448/year. Median home value is $324,100.
Is Cottonwood, Arizona safe?⌄
Cottonwood's violent crime rate was 152 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 851 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cottonwood, Arizona?⌄
Yavapai County, which includes Cottonwood, has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cottonwood, Arizona?⌄
The cost of living in Cottonwood is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,120/month and median household income is $48,448/year. The median home value is $324,100. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cottonwood, Arizona?⌄
The average commute in Cottonwood is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from