Cottonwood, AZ

Census place 0416410 · pop 12,580

D−47/ 100
🫤 Rough
D
in AZ
📍 Arizona ranks #33 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.33% · top 2%
🚽 Income$48,448 · bottom 10%
Taxes
0.33% property · US 0.99%8.52% sales · US 7.00%2.50% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Median household income$48,44810

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$48,448 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate18.6%21

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

18.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Homeownership53.6%22

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

53.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults13.4%24

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

13.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Broadband access88.7%29

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

88.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Air quality (AQI)County-level47 AQI33

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

47 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4534

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Housing cost$324,10042

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$324,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,855/mo43

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,855/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Bachelor's degree or higher27.5%44

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

27.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity25.9%45

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

25.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Violent crime rate223/100k46

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

223 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Adult smoking13.4%48

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

13.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level89/10050

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

89/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level2 days51

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

2 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property crime rate1168/100k55

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

1168 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.4%62

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)+5.2%64

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+5.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Poor mental health14.8%80

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Commute time19 min81

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Adult obesity28.6%81

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

28.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Property-tax burden0.33%98

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.33% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Cottonwood, AZ a good place to live?
By the numbers, Cottonwood scores 47/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is median household income. Arizona overall ranks #33 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Cottonwood, AZ?
Cottonwood reports 223 violent crimes per 100k and 1168 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Cottonwood, AZ expensive to live in?
Cottonwood has a median home value of $324,100 and typical rent around $1,855/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Cottonwood, AZ?
Its weakest measured area is median household income ($48,448) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Cottonwood, AZ best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.33%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.