Cottonwood, Alabama

Cottonwood, Alabama
Town
Location of Cottonwood in Houston County, Alabama.
Coordinates: 31°3′13″N85°18′8″W / 31.05361°N 85.30222°W / 31.05361; -85.30222
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Houston
Area [1]
• Total	5.80 sq mi (15.03 km2)
• Land	5.78 sq mi (14.97 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation	164 ft (50 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,048
• Density	181.25/sq mi (69.99/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	36320
Area code	334
FIPS code	01-17824
GNIS feature ID	0116695
Website	www.cottonwoodalabama.com

Cottonwood is a town in Houston County, Alabama, United States. One source said the town incorporated in 1901, ^[2] although the 1910 U.S. Census stated 1903. It is part of the Dothan, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census the population was 1,289, ^[3] up from 1,170 in 2000. The area was heavily damaged by an EF2 tornado on January 9, 2024. One person was killed and five others were injured. ^{[4] [5]}

Geography

Cottonwood is located in southern Houston County at 31°3′13″N85°18′9″W / 31.05361°N 85.30250°W / 31.05361; -85.30250 (31.053646, -85.302409). ^[6] Alabama State Route 53 passes through the center of town, leading north 14 miles (23 km) to Dothan and southeast 7 miles (11 km) to the Florida state line. Malone, Florida, is 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Cottonwood.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15.0 km²), of which 0.03 square miles (0.07 km²), or 0.45%, are water. ^[3]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	352		—
1920	293		−16.8%
1930	410		39.9%
1940	600		46.3%
1950	864		44.0%
1960	953		10.3%
1970	1,149		20.6%
1980	1,352		17.7%
1990	1,385		2.4%
2000	1,170		−15.5%
2010	1,289		10.2%
2020	1,048		−18.7%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 2013 Estimate [8]

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 1,170 people, 485 households, and 323 families in the town. The population density was 212.9 inhabitants per square mile (82.2/km²). There were 548 housing units at an average density of 99.7 per square mile (38.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 69.06% White, 29.06% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, and 1.20% from two or more races. 1.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. ^[9] Of the 485 households 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 30.5% of households were one person and 15.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01.

The age distribution was 26.5% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median household income was $21,452 and the median family income was $32,065. Males had a median income of $25,833 versus $15,515 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,111. About 18.1% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.8% of those under age 18 and 42.1% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 1,289 people, 553 households, and 350 families in the town. The population density was 234.4 inhabitants per square mile (90.5/km²). There were 638 housing units at an average density of 116 per square mile (45/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 71.8% White, 25.4% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, and 1.9% from two or more races. 1.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. ^[10] Of the 553 households 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 33.5% of households were one person and 13.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.99.

The age distribution was 22.5% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% 65 or older. The median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

The median household income was $26,570 and the median family income was $27,465. Males had a median income of $28,942 versus $27,857 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,090. About 26.1% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.5% of those under age 18 and 13.5% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

Cottonwood racial composition ^[11]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	692	66.03%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	278	26.53%
Native American	3	0.29%
Asian	6	0.57%
Other/Mixed	45	4.29%
Hispanic or Latino	24	2.29%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,048 people, 494 households, and 305 families residing in the town.

Notable people

• Pete Coachman, former Major League Baseball player (California Angels)
• Emmett Ripley Cox, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• Curtis McGriff, former defensive lineman for the New York Giants of the National Football League
• Katherine Reid, born in Cottonwood in about 1901, performed stage shows as the Lady Alligator Wrestler in the 1930s before retiring. But in 1968, at age 67, she came out of retirement to appear on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. ^[12]

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
2. "Cottonwood".
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Cottonwood town, Alabama". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 12, 2017.^{[ dead link ]}
4. National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida (2024). Florida Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
5. National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida (2024). Alabama Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
8. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013". Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved July 25, 2015.
11. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
12. "The Shields Giants of Alabama, Lady Alligator Wrestler and other circus and sideshow tales". AL.com. May 29, 2014.

External links

• Official website

31°03′13″N85°18′09″W / 31.053646°N 85.302409°W / 31.053646; -85.302409