Cottonwood, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 971, Cottonwood's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cottonwood is a small community located in Alabama, within Houston County. The total population is 971. It ranks as the 327th most populous out of 592 Census-designated places in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cottonwood is 52.5 years. This is 34% higher than the state median of 39.3 years. Only 11.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cottonwood is $34,468. This is 46% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 57% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.6%. This is 77% higher than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 1.3%. This is 73% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $111,500. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 66.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% lower than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cottonwood is White (non-Hispanic), making up 63.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 29.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 5.6%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

7.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 74% lower than the state rate of 28.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cottonwood, Alabama is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Alabama state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 592 Census-designated places in Alabama. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.