City · Idaho
Cottonwood, Idaho
Cottonwood, city, in Idaho County, Idaho. Cottonwood had 921 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 12.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 822 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,131 (±297). GEOID 1618640.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
921
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 822 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,131 ±297
Median household income
$79,271
±$17,512 (90% margin)
Idaho: $77,800
Median home value
$234,700
±$49,153 (90% margin)
Idaho: $418,600
Median gross rent
$1,010
±$218 (90% margin)
Idaho: $1,238
Where is Cottonwood and what county is it in?
Cottonwood is a city in Idaho County, Idaho. It covers 0.8 square miles of land, 980 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cottonwood, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 921 people lived in Cottonwood on July 1, 2025, up 12.9% since 2020, faster than Idaho (+10.4%). The 2020 Census counted 822 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,131 (±297).
| Measure | Cottonwood | Idaho County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,131 ±297 | 17,432 | no clear change |
| Households | 375 ±74 | 6,776 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.97 ±0.58 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 441 ±76 | 8,903 | no clear change |
Cottonwood's population since 2000
From 944 in 2000 to 921 in 2025: down 2.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Cottonwood as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Cottonwood?
The median resident of Cottonwood is 39.6 years old; 22.8% are under 18 and 19.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.5%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 7.7%.
| Measure | Cottonwood | Idaho County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 ±4.5 | 49.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.8% ±8.5 pts | 19.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.4% ±6.4 pts | 29.4% | – |
| Male | 44.3% ±7.7 pts | 51.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±1.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.5% ±6.3 pts | 89.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.7% ±5.7 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.4% ±1.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.6% ±3.9 pts | 10.1% | – |
| With a disability | 17.4% ±7.1 pts | 17.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.6% ±8.5 pts | 14.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.9% ±7.7 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.7% ±8.1 pts | 22.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.3% ±2.1 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.5% ±6.9 pts | 86.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.9% ±3.9 pts | 3.7% | – |
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 Cottonwood earn?
Half of Cottonwood's 375 households earn less than $79,271 a year (±$17,512), against $66,325 in Idaho County and $77,800 in Idaho. In 2015-2019 the median was $60,482 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $18,789 after inflation.
| Measure | Cottonwood | Idaho County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,271 ±$17,512 | $66,325 | +$18,789 |
| Mean household income | $91,914 ±$22,732 | $81,593 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,448 ±$9,704 | $33,585 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.9% ±11.8 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 26.7% ±28.0 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.1% ±5.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.0% ±4.5 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.8% ±5.6 pts | 87.4% | – |
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 Cottonwood?
Owners occupy 80.0% of Cottonwood's occupied homes and renters 20.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $234,700 by its owner (±$49,153). The median renter pays $1,010 a month including utilities, and 41.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Cottonwood | Idaho County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $234,700 ±$49,153 | $310,200 | +$76,433 |
| Median gross rent | $1,010 ±$218 | $789 | +$253 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.9% ±24.5 pts | 26.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,206 ±$92 | $1,407 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.0% ±8.7 pts | 80.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.0% ±8.7 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Housing units | 441 ±76 | 8,903 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±35.2 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.4% ±7.1 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.6% ±7.0 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3% ±3.1 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 23.8% ±9.5 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.3% ±1.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
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 many new homes is Cottonwood building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Cottonwood in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 1.1 per 1,000 residents against 8.8 across Idaho.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Cottonwood work and get to work?
89.7% of Cottonwood's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.5 minutes.
| Measure | Cottonwood | Idaho County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.0% ±12.9 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 9.3% ±8.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 89.7% ±5.2 pts | 68.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.2% ±3.3 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±7.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.6% ±3.6 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.5% ±2.0 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.5 min ±6.9 | 19.9 min | +8.3 min |
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 Cottonwood?
No census tract lies mostly in Cottonwood; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Idaho County | 2,608 | $80,906 |
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 Cottonwood) · Census block assignment files
How does Cottonwood compare with other places in Idaho?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Cottonwood is the 10,632nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 93rd-most populous of 198 in Idaho.
Cottonwood is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 93rd | 198 |
Cottonwood's figures with every place in Idaho (CSV)
Every place in Idaho, sortable · Compare Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood?
24 of the 57 figures for Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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' public schools in Cottonwood.