States › Arizona › Cottonwood

Is Cottonwood, AZ expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 37 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,6317% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$52,251about $4,354/month · 40% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$324,1003% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 51% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 6.2 years of household income, so buying is hard for most locals. Commutes are short, about 19 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $65,240 a year. That is $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Arizona cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Arizona. It is number 42 of 93 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Cottonwood
$1,631
Paradise Valley
$3,500+
Camp Verde
$1,123
Tucson Estates
$1,323
Show Low
$1,055
Saddlebrooke
$2,941
Gold Canyon
$1,635

How much do households earn in Cottonwood?

Under $25k
22.7%
$25k–50k
29.2%
$50k–100k
24.6%
$100k–150k
13.2%
$150k+
2.6%

Share of households by yearly income. 15.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Cottonwood

SizeCottonwoodU.S. average
Studio$365$1,338
1 bedroom$634$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,387$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,777$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Cottonwood overall?

Everyday prices in Arizona overall are 1% above the U.S. average (index 100.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
107
Goods (food, clothes…)
95
Utilities
92
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Cottonwood, so the Arizona figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Cottonwood

🏛️ Property tax$1,075a year · 0.33% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$113a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Cottonwood

Commute to work19 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree27.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home53.6%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line18.6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cottonwood?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $618 a month less.

Renting
$1,631
Owning
$2,249

Owning assumes a typical $324,100 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $32,410 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Cottonwood, AZ?

Renting in Cottonwood costs a median of about $1,631 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Arizona median is $1,671.

How much do I need to make to live in Cottonwood?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $65,240 a year, or $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Cottonwood cheap or expensive?

Cottonwood is rated Expensive: rent takes 37.5% of the typical household income of $52,251. It ranks 42nd cheapest of 93 Arizona cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Cottonwood?

The median homeowner in Cottonwood pays $1,075 a year in property taxes, about 0.33% of the median home value.

Is Cottonwood more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Arizona are 1% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Cottonwood?

The median home value in Cottonwood is $324,100, about 6.2 times the typical yearly household income.

12,580 people live in Cottonwood. Numbers are typical (middle) values.