Population 1,158 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cottage City
Household size in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.73 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.82 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 2.86 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.77 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | +0.04 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Cottage City run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 37.0 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.9 | 37.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.3 | 38.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.2 | 39.2 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.6 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 47.2, Cottage City is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 37.6 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 11.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Cottage City than nationally: 13.5%, against 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cottage City
Renters in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6% | 34.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 36.6% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.0% | 36.8% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.6% | 36.3% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −14.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Cottage City own their homes; 26.6% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 25.2% have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 8.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 6.6% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 5.9% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Cottage City: 11.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1977 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1978 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1979 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1953 | 1982 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Cottage City is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1953, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $338 | $1,470 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $384 | $1,583 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $997 | $1,907 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,565 | $2,236 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,227 | +$766 | +$620 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cottage City costs $1,565 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the wider Washington area ($2,236). Rent takes 47.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cottage City
Bachelor's degrees in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 46.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 48.2% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.4% | 51.0% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 53.9% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.2 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Cottage City: 24.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.0% | 89.4% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 73.0% | 90.2% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 75.4% | 90.8% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 77.6% | 91.2% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in five adults in Cottage City never finished high school, well above the national share: only 77.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cottage City
| Period | Cottage City | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 6.9% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Cottage City: 6.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cottage City compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage City | 2.51 | 47.2 | 13.5% | 26.6% | 11.4% | 1953 | $1,565 | 24.5% | 77.6% | 6.6% |
| Colmar Manor | 3.54 | 34.8 | 5.9% | 22.2% | 6.1% | 1938 | $2,222 | 30.2% | 75.0% | 4.0% |
| North Brentwood | 2.67 | 39.5 | 17.4% | 45.0% | 4.5% | 1953 | $1,901 | 25.2% | 65.1% | 5.0% |
| Brentwood | 2.60 | 39.7 | 15.0% | 57.8% | 4.2% | 1956 | $1,854 | 26.3% | 67.3% | 5.7% |
| Mount Rainier | 2.33 | 39.4 | 10.5% | 73.4% | 5.6% | 1958 | $1,633 | 36.0% | 83.5% | 6.4% |
| Edmonston | 2.84 | 34.1 | 9.4% | 35.3% | 3.9% | 1964 | $1,884 | 36.5% | 78.9% | 7.3% |
| Bladensburg | 3.30 | 31.0 | 17.7% | 74.0% | 6.6% | 1966 | $1,649 | 17.6% | 81.6% | 8.5% |
| Riverdale Park | 3.09 | 32.2 | 26.0% | 52.0% | 3.8% | 1956 | $1,820 | 27.3% | 66.7% | 2.7% |
| Hyattsville | 3.55 | 33.3 | 22.1% | 55.4% | 4.4% | 1966 | $1,850 | 28.9% | 64.9% | 6.3% |
| Cheverly | 2.64 | 38.7 | 16.2% | 29.9% | 4.9% | 1962 | $2,190 | 49.7% | 91.4% | 5.9% |
| University Park | 2.63 | 45.0 | 1.6% | 11.7% | 5.6% | 1954 | $2,717 | 74.2% | 93.8% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Tumbling Shoals, AR · Chesapeake, WV · Cheshire, OR · Clarington, OH · Corolla, NC · Crainville, IL · Shandon, CA · St. George, GA · Strong, AR · Towanda, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cottage City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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