Photo: Finetooth · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Cottonwood is healthier than 90%
Cottonwood differs from Arizona on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cottonwood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cottonwood
Cottonwood is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Cottonwood is healthier than 51%. Against the 5,192 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$61K), it’s healthier than 90%. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Cottonwood
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 6.6% across Arizona. 1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (5.1%), vs 3.4% across Arizona. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.4%, vs 6.4% across Arizona. In all, Cottonwood runs above Arizona on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Cottonwood, and more people treating it
38.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Arizona 32.8%), but 79.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
More Cottonwood adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (25.9%), vs 21.9% across Arizona. There are 67 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Cottonwood has a top-rated hospital
Verde Valley Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Arizona figure falls outside Cottonwood’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Cottonwood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cottonwood is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #84 of 140 in Arizona. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 88% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 17%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Cottonwood’s median household income is $48,448; among the 5,192 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$61K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Cottonwood adults…
Cottonwood runs above AZ on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Cottonwood is an older town: 37% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Arizona. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Cottonwood as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Cottonwood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
67 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Cottonwood
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Cottonwood, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Cottonwood; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Cottonwood adults are doing
About the same as Arizona on each measure.
3 in 10 Cottonwood adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12% of Cottonwood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Cottonwood and the towns around it
Cottonwood’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood | B− | 28.6% | 13.1% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Verde Village | B+ | 28.1% | 11.2% | 13% | CDC place |
| Clarkdale | C+ | 30.7% | 14.8% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Cornville | A− | 26% | 10.9% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Camp Verde | C+ | 30% | 13.1% | 16.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cottonwood adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cottonwood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cottonwood is better than Arizona on 2 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Cottonwood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cottonwood | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.3%20.5–26.1 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.7–18.5 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.2–16.7 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.6%24.4–33.1 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.5–14.9 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.8%35.7–42.1 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.7%37.5–44.1 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.4%31.6–37.2 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.5 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.5%11.5–13.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%9.1–12 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.7%13.2–18.6 | 14.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.4–15.5 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.9%22.5–29.5 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.4%11.3–15.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%28.7–36.6 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.4%11.4–15.5 | 13.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%73.5–79.3 | 73.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%55.7–61.9 | 59.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%85.3–88.5 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.7–81.9 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.8%57.8–65.8 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 63%56.4–69.4 | 72.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20%17.5–22.8 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%25.7–32.4 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.7–27.3 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.1%12.9–17.3 | 15.8% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.5–12.6 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6.1–8.1 | 7.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7.1–9.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12%10.1–13.9 | 11.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.6%35–42.4 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.8%17.5–22.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%12.8–16.5 | 14.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.3%10.1–12.6 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.4–10.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.5–5.7 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Arizona figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Cottonwood
Is Cottonwood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cottonwood is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #84 of 140 in Arizona. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cottonwood?
CDC estimates 28.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.4% and 33.1%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cottonwood?
Verde Valley Medical Center in Cottonwood, 2.9 miles in a straight line from Cottonwood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cottonwood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.4–15.5%), against 13.2% across Arizona.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Cottonwood more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cottonwood.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arizona figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.