Cottonwood is a town in Houston County, Alabama, home to about 971 people across 5.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 36320, and parts of 36343 are in Cottonwood too.
Homes sold for a median of $121 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly Cottonwood; also Madrid
Part is in Cottonwood, part in Gordon
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Cottonwood. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Cottonwood’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Cottonwood well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Pensacola International Airport (PNS)119 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Dothan Regional Airport (DHN)20 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Atlanta, GA194 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Houston, TX607 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Cottonwood; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Cottonwood had 1,048 residents in the 2020 census, down 10% since 2000.
It’s the 327th largest of 591 towns in Alabama by population.
Houston County grew from 32,414 residents in 1910 to 107,202 in 2020.
Houston County, 1910–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 92°F in summer, and winter lows average 41°F. About 51.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Marianna Muni Ap, FL weather station (17 miles away).
44,694 jobs at 2,859 businesses in Houston County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
6 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Cottonwood.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 1 |
| Mental health providers | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (1 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Houston County. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood Elementary SchoolCottonwood | Pre-K–6 | 502 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| Cottonwood High SchoolCottonwood | 7–12 | 379 | Public | 0.3 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Gordon and Madrid.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.