Cottonwood (Yavapai County), Arizona Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Cottonwood (Yavapai County) is a small city located in Arizona, within Yavapai County. The total population is 12,580. It ranks as the 62nd most populous out of 441 Census-designated places in Arizona.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cottonwood (Yavapai County) is 54.7 years. This is 40% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 10.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 19.4% 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 (Yavapai County) is $48,448. This is 39% lower than the state median of $79,964. It is also 40% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.6%. This is 49% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 38% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $324,100. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $394,500. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 53.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% lower than the state average of 67.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cottonwood (Yavapai County) is White (non-Hispanic), making up 70.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 23.4%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 4.4%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.5%.

Education

27.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 18% lower than the state rate of 33.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cottonwood (Yavapai County), Arizona 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 Arizona state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 441 Census-designated places in Arizona. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.