States › California › Cottonwood

Is Cottonwood, CA expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 17 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,47516% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$103,080about $8,590/month · 18% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$363,0009% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 59% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.5 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $59,000 a year. That is $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of California. It is number 75 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Cottonwood
$1,475
Franklin
$1,483
Paradise
$1,224
Magalia
$1,567
Garnet
$2,022
Sebastopol
$2,017
Escalon
$2,386

How much do households earn in Cottonwood?

Under $25k
15.4%
$25k–50k
7.8%
$50k–100k
37.8%
$100k–150k
19.1%
$150k+
15.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 34.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Cottonwood

SizeCottonwoodU.S. average
2 bedrooms$2,666$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,104$1,698

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

How expensive is Cottonwood overall?

Everyday prices in California overall are 11% above the U.S. average (index 110.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
154
Goods (food, clothes…)
106
Utilities
159
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 California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Cottonwood

🏛️ Property tax$2,649a year · 0.73% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$218a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Cottonwood

Commute to work22.2 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree15.1%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home68.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line8.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cottonwood?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,044 a month less.

Renting
$1,475
Owning
$2,519

Owning assumes a typical $363,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $36,300 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Cottonwood, CA?

Renting in Cottonwood costs a median of about $1,475 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $59,000 a year, or $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Cottonwood cheap or expensive?

Cottonwood is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.2% of the typical household income of $103,080. It ranks 75th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Cottonwood?

The median homeowner in Cottonwood pays $2,649 a year in property taxes, about 0.73% of the median home value.

Is Cottonwood more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in California are 11% 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 $363,000, about 3.5 times the typical yearly household income.

7,408 people live in Cottonwood. Numbers are typical (middle) values.