Photo: Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0218 homes sold in Cottonwood in the last year, at a typical $383K
Redfin reports Cottonwood’s sales by ZIP code, so these figures are for ZIP 96022, which takes in Cottonwood and the area around it. Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Cottonwood homes are listed.
Every place Cottonwood homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Cottonwood.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 98% of Cottonwood’s sales, at a typical $376K (year to May 2026)
218 homes sold in the year to September 2026.
typical sale · 191 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $239CA $494
- Days to sell
- 43
- Sold over asking
- 29%
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.7 times the 2016 price
218 sales in the last year, against 341 in 2019 and a low of 9 in 2013. The typical sale went from $229K in 2016 to $383K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; for ZIP 96022, which takes in Cottonwood and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $400K buys in Cottonwood
Check a listing against what Cottonwood homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Cottonwood are back to pre-pandemic levels, but a third fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of home sales in ZIP 96022 since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 218 sales.
If you’re buying in Cottonwood
- Shop in September. It brings about 29 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (25% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 98.5% of the list price on average; 27% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 29% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 44 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 35 a month), but June is the most competitive: 30% of June sales close over asking. August and September offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (27%). January has the least competition (23%) but only about 21 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and calmer than California
| Cottonwood now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | CA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 27% | 26% | 36% | 35% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 29% | 3% | 5% | 33% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98.5% | 98.1% | 99.8% | 99.9% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 44 | 79 | 58 | 43 |
72 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 19 times the 2012 low (4), 34% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2015’s 132.
Source: Redfin Data Center, ZIP code tracker; for ZIP 96022, which takes in Cottonwood and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3), January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Cottonwood home costs about $2,231 a month
Price: Cottonwood’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Cottonwood’s 0.7% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Cottonwood is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. January has the fewest, about 21.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $383K home, about $2,800 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Cottonwood, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in CottonwoodTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Cottonwood.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Lake California, Happy Valley and Red Bluff sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Cottonwood, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redding | 1,177 | $392K | $250 | 27% | 31 |
| Cottonwood (ZIP 96022) | 218 | $383K | $245 | 27% | 44 |
| Anderson | 146 | $319K | $261 | 37% | 37 |
| Red Bluff | 135 | $290K | $221 | 25% | 49 |
| Lake California | 80 | $356K | $226 | 26% | 63 |
| Happy Valley | 59 | $370K | $236 | 26% | 51 |
| Palo Cedro | 39 | $559K | $277 | 10% | 61 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Cottonwood, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Cottonwood. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Cottonwood with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Cottonwood
What do homes sell for in Cottonwood, CA?
218 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $383K, $245 a square foot.
Is Cottonwood a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A balanced market: 82 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 18 sold, about 4.5 months of supply. Buyers paid 98.5% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Cottonwood?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Cottonwood?
About 0.7% of a home’s value a year. On a $383K home that’s near $2,800.
Where can I see homes for sale in Cottonwood?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Cottonwood’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Cottonwood.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; for ZIP 96022, which takes in Cottonwood and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3)). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).