CottonwoodAL
A town of 1,104, settled in 1873.
Is Cottonwood a good place to live?
The best of Cottonwood’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 28% of residents live below the poverty line in Cottonwood, against 16% in Alabama’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 27 of Alabama’s 308 towns score higher on cost of living. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 90% of the country. Cottonwood's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 97% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Cottonwood Sports Complex, at 22 acres. Cottonwood has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Cottonwood stand out
Where Cottonwood beats most towns.
Typical home value
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood Elementary School | PK–6 | 502 |
| Cottonwood High School | 7–12 | 379 |
Cottonwood has shrunk 15% since 2010
1,289 counted in 2010 and 1,048 in 2020; an estimated 1,104 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Cottonwood grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Cottonwood is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to Cottonwood: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cottonwood, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cottonwood.
Cottonwood’s grade for health is a D
18% of Cottonwood adults have diabetes, where Alabama’s towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 12%. 48% of Cottonwood adults have high blood pressure. Cottonwood beats the Alabama average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11.
| Cottonwood | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 43% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 36% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| What stands out | Cottonwood | AL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.4% | 78% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23% | 15.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
On state tests, Cottonwood’s schools beat 75% of Alabama districts
Its public schools are run by the Houston County school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Cottonwood High School, with 379 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 502 | – |
| Cottonwood High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 379 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
About half of Cottonwood’s working residents commute to Dothan
Most working residents leave Cottonwood for work: only 1% work in town. The median household income in Cottonwood is $34,000. The top destinations are Dothan (46%), Marianna (4%) and Birmingham (4%).
| Cottonwood | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $34,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Cottonwood
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 76% of U.S. communities. Since 1998, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cottonwood.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Homes in Cottonwood are worth about $167K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Cottonwood home is worth about $167,000, up 1% in a year, 30% below the Alabama typical home.
Typical home value
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Mild winters and hot summers in Cottonwood
Cottonwood has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Cottonwood’s July high is 92°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Violent crime in Cottonwood is lower than in most of Alabama or the rest of the country
Only 1 of the 139 Alabama towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Cottonwood. Cottonwood reports less crime per resident than 50% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
| Cottonwood | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.3 per 1,000 residents | 16.9 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Property crime per 1,000 residents
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cottonwood Sports Complex | — | 22 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Cottonwood
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Cottonwood
About 3 of every 100 Cottonwood residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
1,104 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
About Cottonwood
Town in Alabama, United States
Cottonwood is a town in Houston County, Alabama, United States. One source said the town incorporated in 1901, although the 1910 U.S. census stated 1903. It is part of the Dothan, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, Cottonwood had a population of 1,048. The area was heavily damaged by an EF2 tornado on January 9, 2024. One person was killed and five others were injured.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 164 ft
- ZIP code
- 36320
- Area code
- 334
Questions about Cottonwood
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
What is Cottonwood, AL known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Emmett Ripley Cox and Pete Coachman.