BAYL-FGA diamond, 2026
Cottondale’s story
143 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1883Cottondale is settled
CottondaleFL
A town of 879, settled in 1883.
Photo: The Bushranger · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
879
2025 Census estimate · +3.5% since 2020
Typical home
$127K
−9.3% in a year
Household income
$37K
median
Median age
38.8
years
Jobs based here
98
A commuter town
Is Cottondale a good place to live?
28% of residents live below the poverty line in Cottondale, where Florida’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Among 355 Florida towns, just 1 have a lower typical home value than Cottondale. Cottondale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
879 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Cottondale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cottondale, and how to reach them.
PowerWest Florida El Coop Assn16.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCottondale Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cottondale’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereJackson Supervisor of ElectionsJackson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2023
ZIP codes32431, 3244632431 99% · 32446 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cottondale.
Housing
Cottondale’s typical home value is about $127K
The typical Cottondale home is worth about $127,000, down 9.3% in a year, 66% below the Florida typical home. At $1,085 a month, Cottondale’s median rent is below the Florida town median ($1,647 a month) and near the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
$127KZillow home value
| Cottondale | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,085 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 72% | 73% |
Typical home value
Cottondale$127K
Florida$375K
−9.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Cottondale’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Jackson school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Cottondale High School, with 419 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottondale Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 471 | A− |
| Cottondale High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 419 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Cottondale faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 80% of U.S. communities.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingCold waves
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
The median household income in Cottondale is lower than in most of Florida or the rest of the country
The median household income in Cottondale is $37,000. Most working residents leave Cottondale for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Marianna (22%), Chipley (7%) and Panama City (7%).
1%work in town
| Cottondale | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $37,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.9% | 5% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Cottondale1%
Marianna22%
Chipley7%
Panama City7%
Dothan3%
25 mi
median commute distance
98
jobs based in Cottondale
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Cottondale, expect mild winters and hot summers
Cottondale has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Cottondale’s July high is 92°F.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter42–64°
Spring55–80°
Summer71–91°
Fall57–80°
Nov 27
typical first frost
Mar 1
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Cottondale is
Cottondale beats the Florida average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 21% of adults report frequent mental distress in Cottondale.
| Cottondale | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 25% | 25% |
31 measures vs. Florida
0 better11 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | Cottondale | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More smokers | 20.3% | 12.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.8% | 7.2% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 11.3% | 8.6% |
Jackson Hospital
9 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cottondale
17pages on Cottondale
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Cottondale
Chipola CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Marianna8 mi$3,120 in-state tuitionBaptist University of FloridaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Graceville14.5 mi$15,000 tuition
About 8 of every 100 Cottondale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Cottondale for work
Where Cottondale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
98jobs based in Cottondale
1%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Cottondale
City in Florida, United States
Cottondale is a city in Jackson County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Florida Panhandle and North Florida. The population was 848 at the 2020 census, down from 933 at the 2010 census. The City of Cottondale was one of several Florida Panhandle communities devastated by Hurricane Michael in 2018.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 131 ft
- ZIP code
- 32431
- Area code
- 850
Questions about Cottondale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cottondale, FL a good place to live?
Cottondale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.