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Buying a home in Cottonwood, Alabama

The typical owner-occupied home in Cottonwood is worth about $111,500, 47% below the Alabama median of $209,900 and 66% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $352 a year in property taxes, about 0.32% of their home's value, lower than the Alabama rate of 0.38%. The median household earns $34,468 a year, so the median home costs 3.2 times the median income (3.3 times for Alabama). 67% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 37% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Cottonwood at a glance

Cottonwood Alabama U.S.
Median home value $111,500 $209,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $352 $788 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.32% 0.38% 0.94%
Median household income $34,468 $63,999 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 67% 70% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 37% 54% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,045 $1,433 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.0% 19.0% 21.0%
Median rent $339 $1,007 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 22.3% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1973 1986 1980
Vacant homes 15.7% 14.5% 10.1%
Population 971 5,086,768 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Cottonwood

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Cottonwood home of $111,500 with 20% down costs about $676 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $862, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $28,982 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median Cottonwood household income of $34,468; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $133,000.

The median rent here is $339 a month, so owning the median home costs about $337 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$22,300
Loan amount$89,200
Principal and interest$600
Property taxes (0.32% a year)$30
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$46
PMI$0
Total per month$676

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,902
Loan amount$109,480
Principal and interest$736
Property taxes (0.32% a year)$30
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$46
FHA mortgage insurance$49
Total per month$862

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Questions about home buying in Cottonwood

What is the median home value in Cottonwood?

About $111,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Cottonwood?

Homeowners pay a median $352 a year, which is about 0.32% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Cottonwood?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $676 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $28,982 a year.

More about Cottonwood

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data