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Living in
Cottonwood Heights.
About
Life in Cottonwood Heights
Cottonwood Heights offers a comfortable, affluent suburban setting with easy access to outdoor recreation without being defined by it. The median home price sits around $694,000 and median rent at $1,730, reflecting the overall cost of living in the area—this is an expensive place to live, though strong median household income of $119,000-plus makes it feasible for established professionals and families. The job market is solid with major corporate offices anchoring the local economy, plus it's only about 22 minutes to jobs elsewhere in the Salt Lake metro.
Cottonwood Heights at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Foreign-Born
7.3%
Broadband Internet
94.8%
of households
Population Growth
-4.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.3% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Cottonwood Heights: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cottonwood Heights, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (8.3%), and 2.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.8%
of residents
65 and Older
18.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.0%
of households
Married Couples
60.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.60
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 16% above UT average
Rent, home values, and income in Cottonwood Heights
In Cottonwood Heights, rent runs 16% above the UT average, and home values are 42% above the UT average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,633
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $775,658 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for UT
Unemployment in Cottonwood Heights and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Cottonwood Heights is close to the UT average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Cottonwood Heights Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Salt Lake City, UT metro area
Commute21.9 min avg
How Cottonwood Heights residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cottonwood Heights, most residents drive alone to work (62%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
Major hub13.4M 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 78% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cottonwood Heights runs 78% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
71.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,554.1
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cottonwood Heights Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 24 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Salt Lake County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Salt Lake County, which includes Cottonwood Heights, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 24 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $600,000 |
| 2024 | 35 | High Wind | $180,500 |
| 2023 | 59 | Heavy Snow | $17.6M |
| 2022 | 37 | High Wind | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.3M |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 5 | Hail | None reported |
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.
14 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Salt Lake County, county-wide
Cottonwood Heights is about 3% of Salt Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality57 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Salt Lake County, which includes Cottonwood Heights, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
57
Good Days
121
per year
Moderate Days
228
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Salt Lake County, county-wide
Cottonwood Heights is about 3% of Salt Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate87°F summers, 24°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cottonwood Heights has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 24°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
40°/24°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
24.3"
Annual Snowfall
81.9"
Hot Days/Year
48
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
112
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
89
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 23°F | 2.16" |
| Feb | 44°F | 27°F | 2.31" |
| Mar | 54°F | 34°F | 2.66" |
| Apr | 61°F | 40°F | 3.34" |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 2.83" |
| Jun | 82°F | 57°F | 1.36" |
| Jul | 91°F | 68°F | 0.60" |
| Aug | 89°F | 66°F | 0.91" |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 1.62" |
| Oct | 64°F | 43°F | 2.09" |
| Nov | 49°F | 32°F | 2.10" |
| Dec | 38°F | 23°F | 2.36" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cottonwood Heights
Uninsured
4.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Cottonwood Heights's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Intermountain Health Alta View Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.2 mi away · Sandy
Intermountain Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Murray
St Mark's Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.5 mi away · Salt Lake City
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.
Education23.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cottonwood Heights
Cottonwood Heights's student/teacher ratio is 23.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 53.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
53.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Cottonwood Heights (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 155,088 students · in-state tuition $8,730 · 52% graduate · median earnings $76,999 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 27,264 students · in-state tuition $9,832 · 68% graduate · median earnings $72,729 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 18,136 students · in-state tuition $4,543 · 26% graduate · median earnings $52,441 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 5,986 students · 76% graduate · median earnings $79,752 (10 yrs after entry)
Joyce University of Nursing and Health Sciences
7.2 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 2,058 students · in-state tuition $23,710 · 76% graduate · median earnings $34,098 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 823 students · in-state tuition $44,980 · 72% graduate · median earnings $70,627 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Timpanogos Cave National Monument, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cottonwood Heights
Cottonwood Heights has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Timpanogos Cave National Monument (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Timpanogos Cave National Monument
National Monument
13 mi awayGolden Spike National Historical Park
National Historical Park
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cottonwood Heights
Whitmore Library
2197 East Fort Union Blvd, Salt Lake City
Cities Near Cottonwood Heights
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cottonwood Heights?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cottonwood Heights FAQ
Is Cottonwood Heights, Utah affordable?⌄
Cottonwood Heights's median rent is $1,730/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $119,422/year. Median home value is $694,100.
Is Cottonwood Heights, Utah safe?⌄
Cottonwood Heights's violent crime rate was 72 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 1554 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cottonwood Heights, Utah?⌄
Cottonwood Heights has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cottonwood Heights, Utah?⌄
The cost of living in Cottonwood Heights is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,730/month and median household income is $119,422/year. The median home value is $694,100. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cottonwood Heights, Utah?⌄
The average commute in Cottonwood Heights is 22 minutes, which is about 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