The Town FilesCottonwood Heights, Utah
City in Salt Lake County · population 33,617 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $694,100
- Household income
- $119,422
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 82 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 40.0
Cottonwood Heights is a city of 33,617 people in Salt Lake County, Utah. The median home is worth $694,100, above the typical Utah town ($457,300). It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of Utah towns, more vibrant than 94% of Utah towns, more upscale than 92% of Utah towns.
How Cottonwood Heights ranks
Percentile among Utah towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Utah towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cottonwood Heights is worth $694,100, above the typical Utah town ($457,300). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $119,422, which is more affordable than 22% of Utah towns. Median rent is $1,730 a month. 72.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cottonwood Heights | Typical Utah town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $694,100 | $457,300 |
| Median rent | $1,730 | $1,395 |
| Median household income | $119,422 | $93,194 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 4.8× |
| Homeownership | 72.4% | 81.7% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1991 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Cottonwood Heights
| People | Cottonwood Heights | Typical Utah town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 34.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 13.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.8% | 31.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.6% | 6.5% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.3% | — |
| Work from home | 25.2% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 22.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 94.3% |
Weather in Cottonwood Heights
July highs average 90.7°F and January lows 22.8°F. About 24.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 81.9 inches of snow (typical Utah town: 45.4 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cottonwood Heights since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Utah town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 11, 1999 about 8.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 80 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 25, 2000.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 25, 2026.
Severe weather in Salt Lake County since 1996
Salt Lake County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 14, 2021 | Fire | FM-5408: Parleys Canyon Fire |
| January 12, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4578: Straight-Line Winds |
| July 9, 2020 | Earthquake | DR-4548: Earthquake And Aftershocks |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4525: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3478: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County had 796,203 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,495 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Cottonwood Heights itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Cottonwood Heights
1 public school with 516 students, about 19.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgecrest School | K-5 | 516 | 19.8 |
Towns near Cottonwood Heights
- Holladay, UT3.2 mi · 31,965 people · home $763,400
- Sandy, UT3.4 mi · 96,904 people · home $614,100
- White City, UT4.0 mi · 5,522 people · home $466,600
- Midvale, UT4.1 mi · 36,028 people · home $436,600
- Murray, UT4.6 mi · 50,637 people · home $507,500
- Millcreek, UT5.3 mi · 63,380 people · home $627,200
- Taylorsville, UT7.7 mi · 60,448 people · home $433,800
- South Salt Lake, UT7.7 mi · 26,777 people · home $410,200
Cottonwood Heights questions
Is Cottonwood Heights, Utah a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cottonwood Heights scores better for retirees than 74% of Utah towns and quieter than 12%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Cottonwood Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Cottonwood Heights is valued at $694,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $119,422, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,730 a month.
What is the weather like in Cottonwood Heights?
July highs average 90.7°F and January lows 22.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.3 inches of precipitation a year and 81.9 inches of snow.
Does Cottonwood Heights get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cottonwood Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 11, 1999. The typical Utah 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)