The Town FilesCottonwood, Arizona
City in Yavapai County · population 12,029 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $324,100
- Household income
- $48,448
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 101°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 54.7
Cottonwood is a city of 12,029 people in Yavapai County, Arizona. The median home is worth $324,100, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks hipper than 96% of Arizona towns, more vibrant than 91% of Arizona towns, more walkable than 87% of Arizona towns.
How Cottonwood ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cottonwood is worth $324,100, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $48,448, which is more affordable than 8% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,120 a month. 53.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cottonwood | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $324,100 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,120 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $48,448 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 53.6% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Cottonwood
| People | Cottonwood | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.7 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.8% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 10.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.6% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 88.0% |
Weather in Cottonwood
July highs average 101.1°F and January lows 29.8°F. About 12.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 128 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 63 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Cottonwood since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 6, 2010.
Severe weather in Yavapai County since 1996
Yavapai County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 19, 2022 | Fire | FM-5435: Crooks Fire |
| May 27, 2021 | Fire | FM-5387: Spur Fire |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3442: Covid-19 |
| May 11, 2018 | Fire | FM-5238: 89 East Fire |
Jobs and pay in Yavapai County
Yavapai County had 71,540 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,666 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Cottonwood itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Cottonwood
11 public schools with 3,054 students, about 21.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mingus Union High School | 9-12 | 1,201 | 21.8 |
| Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School | PK-8 | 596 | 17.5 |
| Cottonwood Community School | K-8 | 421 | 20.0 |
| Mountain View Preparatory School | K-8 | 398 | 19.0 |
| American Heritage Academy - Cottonwood (charter) | K-12 | 265 | — |
| Cottonwood Education Services | PK-12 | 93 | 15.5 |
| Liberty Leadership Academy (charter) | K-8 | 69 | — |
| VACTE - Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education | 9-12 | 11 | 2.8 |
| VACTE - Clarkdale Jerome School District | 9-12 | — | — |
| VACTE - Mingus Union High School | 9-12 | — | — |
| VACTE - Cottonwood-Oak Creek Unified School District | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Cottonwood
- Verde Village, AZ2.8 mi · 12,019 people · home $354,200
- Clarkdale, AZ4.2 mi · 4,424 people · home $373,600
- Cornville, AZ4.5 mi · 3,362 people · home $367,100
- Village of Oak Creek (Big Park), AZ12.9 mi · 6,128 people · home $741,100
- Lake Montezuma, AZ13.0 mi · 5,111 people · home $285,200
- Sedona, AZ13.1 mi · 9,684 people · home $786,800
- Camp Verde, AZ14.5 mi · 12,147 people · home $318,100
- Prescott Valley, AZ21.7 mi · 46,785 people · home $413,200
Cottonwood questions
Is Cottonwood, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cottonwood scores better for retirees than 62% of Arizona towns and quieter than 22%. 36.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.7).
How much does a house cost in Cottonwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Cottonwood is valued at $324,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,448, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,120 a month.
What is the weather like in Cottonwood?
July highs average 101.1°F and January lows 29.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.0 inches of precipitation a year and 1.0 inches of snow.
Does Cottonwood get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Cottonwood in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)