The Town FilesCottonwood, California
Community in Shasta County · population 6,268 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $363,000
- Household income
- $95,577
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 100°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 38.8
Cottonwood is a community of 6,268 people in Shasta County, California. The median home is worth $363,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 87% of California towns, quieter than 85% of California towns.
How Cottonwood ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cottonwood is worth $363,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $95,577, which is more affordable than 93% of California towns. Median rent is $1,391 a month. 68.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cottonwood | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $363,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,391 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $95,577 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cottonwood
| People | Cottonwood | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Cottonwood
July highs average 99.9°F and January lows 37.7°F. About 33.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.6 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 106 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 27 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Cottonwood since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, unrated, struck on March 5, 1978 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 5, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 4, 2000.
Severe weather in Shasta County since 1996
Shasta County has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 23, 2021 | Fire | FM-5417: Fawn Fire |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| September 28, 2020 | Fire | FM-5377: Zogg Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Shasta County
Shasta County had 70,090 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,352 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Cottonwood itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Cottonwood
10 public schools with 3,035 students, about 21.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Valley Early College High | 9-12 | 745 | 23.3 |
| Evergreen Elementary | K-4 | 542 | 23.6 |
| North Cottonwood | K-4 | 515 | 22.4 |
| Evergreen Middle | 5-8 | 403 | 20.2 |
| West Cottonwood Junior High | 5-8 | 395 | 18.0 |
| Cottonwood Creek Charter (charter) | K-8 | 280 | 28.0 |
| Evergreen Institute of Excellence (charter) | K-12 | 152 | 12.7 |
| Evergreen Community Day School (K-5) | K-5 | 2 | — |
| Evergreen Community Day School (5-8) | 5-8 | 1 | — |
| Cottonwood Preschool | Other | — | — |
Towns near Cottonwood
- Anderson, CA4.2 mi · 11,323 people · home $283,000
- Lake California, CA6.0 mi · 3,377 people · home $352,800
- Happy Valley, CA7.5 mi · 4,949 people · home $334,100
- Redding, CA12.7 mi · 93,611 people · home $382,300
- Palo Cedro, CA12.7 mi · 2,931 people · home $551,600
- Red Bluff, CA15.5 mi · 14,710 people · home $299,900
- Bella Vista, CA18.3 mi · 3,641 people · home $464,300
- Shasta Lake, CA20.1 mi · 10,371 people · home $294,400
Cottonwood questions
Is Cottonwood, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cottonwood scores better for retirees than 64% of California towns and quieter than 85%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Cottonwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Cottonwood is valued at $363,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,577, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,391 a month.
What is the weather like in Cottonwood?
July highs average 99.9°F and January lows 37.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.5 inches of precipitation a year and 2.6 inches of snow.
Does Cottonwood get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Cottonwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)