Cotton Valley, Louisiana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 701, Cotton Valley'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

Cotton Valley is a small community located in Louisiana, within Webster Parish. The total population is 701. It ranks as the 312th most populous out of 488 Census-designated places in Louisiana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cotton Valley is 36.4 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 38.0 years. With 29.4% of the population under 18, Cotton Valley has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cotton Valley is $36,316. This is 40% lower than the state median of $60,756. It is also 55% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.8%. This is 31% higher than the state poverty rate of 18.9%. 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 3.6%. This is 42% lower than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $68,600. Housing costs are 68% lower than the state median of $216,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Cotton Valley is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 62.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 67.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cotton Valley is White (non-Hispanic), making up 51.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 47.2%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (47.2% vs 30.5%).

Education

4.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 83% lower than the state rate of 27.0%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 83.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cotton Valley, Louisiana 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 Louisiana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 488 Census-designated places in Louisiana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.