Census-designated place · Alabama
Cottondale, Alabama
Cottondale, census-designated place, in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Cottondale had 3,130 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,632 (±745). GEOID 0117704.
Residents, 2020 Census
3,130
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,632 ±745
Median household income
$44,877
±$23,864 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999
Median home value
$139,200
±$50,595 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900
Median gross rent
$935
±$300 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007
Where is Cottondale and what county is it in?
Cottondale is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It covers 3.4 square miles of land, 909 residents per square mile in 2020.
Cottondale is in the Tuscaloosa, AL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cottondale, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 3,130 residents in Cottondale, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,632 (±745).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Cottondale is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Cottondale | Tuscaloosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,632 ±745 | 237,552 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,255 ±357 | 90,052 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.10 ±0.22 | 2.47 | −0.89 |
| Housing units | 1,559 ±336 | 104,290 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Cottondale?
The median resident of Cottondale is 45.1 years old; 13.3% are under 18 and 16.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 50.5%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 43.2%.
| Measure | Cottondale | Tuscaloosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.1 ±8.3 | 32.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 13.3% ±5.6 pts | 20.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.1% ±7.3 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Male | 50.5% ±7.5 pts | 48.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.5% ±3.9 pts | 5.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 43.2% ±14.2 pts | 58.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 50.5% ±14.9 pts | 30.8% | +24.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±2.8 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5% ±1.0 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.0% ±5.2 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.5% ±7.7 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 21.1% ±7.2 pts | 13.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.6% ±4.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.7% ±8.2 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.9% ±7.2 pts | 32.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.5% ±2.7 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.0% ±8.7 pts | 82.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Cottondale earn?
Half of Cottondale's 1,255 households earn less than $44,877 a year (±$23,864), against $66,231 in Tuscaloosa County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $68,430 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 32.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Cottondale | Tuscaloosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,877 ±$23,864 | $66,231 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $64,661 ±$12,116 | $87,929 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,117 ±$7,361 | $35,007 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 32.0% ±18.7 pts | 16.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 29.2% ±24.7 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.4% ±6.8 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.9% ±4.8 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.7% ±4.0 pts | 88.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Cottondale?
Owners occupy 82.0% of Cottondale's occupied homes and renters 18.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $139,200 by its owner (±$50,595). The median renter pays $935 a month including utilities, and 62.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Cottondale | Tuscaloosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $139,200 ±$50,595 | $248,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $935 ±$300 | $1,037 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 62.5% ±40.3 pts | 42.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,030 ±$391 | $1,559 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.0% ±9.9 pts | 61.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.0% ±9.9 pts | 38.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,559 ±336 | 104,290 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.9% ±6.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.7% ±15.4 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 59.3% ±14.3 pts | 61.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 17.7% ±8.9 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.9% ±3.1 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.4% ±2.5 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.9% ±1.5 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Cottondale work and get to work?
92.3% of Cottondale's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.2 minutes.
| Measure | Cottondale | Tuscaloosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.2% ±12.3 pts | 62.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±4.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 92.3% ±5.1 pts | 78.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.9% ±2.9 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.8% ±4.3 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.2 min ±5.2 | 23.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Cottondale?
1 census tract lies mostly in Cottondale, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 108.04Tuscaloosa County | 2,289 | not published |
| Tract 123.06Tuscaloosa County | 4,842 | $53,765 |
| Tract 108.02Tuscaloosa County | 5,159 | $82,321 |
| Tract 107.06Tuscaloosa County | 4,327 | $71,736 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Cottondale) · Census block assignment files
How does Cottondale compare with other places in Alabama?
Cottondale ranks 224th of 305 places in Alabama with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 188th | 311 |
| Residents per square mile | 55th | 311 |
| Median household income | 224th | 305 |
| Per capita income | 151st | 311 |
| Median home value | 209th | 304 |
| Median gross rent | 120th | 274 |
| Poverty rate | 31st | 258 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 209th | 295 |
| Median age | 58th | 309 |
| Owner-occupied share | 80th | 310 |
| Travel time to work | 220th | 310 |
Cottondale's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)
Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Cottondale with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Cottondale?
24 of the 57 figures for Cottondale on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Cottondale are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.