Population 5,485 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cotton County
Household size in Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.60 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.63 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.19 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.68 people per household, Cotton County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in Oklahoma as a whole, where it has 2.58 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.50, even as the national average fell.
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 Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.0 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.3 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 38.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.2 | +0.6 | +2.3 |
Cotton County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only seven of Oklahoma's 77 counties are older.
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 Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 12.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Cotton County (9.1%), below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Cotton County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Oklahoma counties.
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 Cotton County
Renters in Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.2% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 34.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.4 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 19.7% of households in Cotton County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About six in ten owners (60.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 7.4 points, even as the national share rose. Of Oklahoma's 77 counties, only seven have a lower share of renters.
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 Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 12.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 25.6% | 13.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 11.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Cotton County: 22.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 4.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1979 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Cotton County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1966 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $560 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $615 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $604 | $897 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $741 | $1,127 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$182 | +$411 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cotton County pays $741 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $182 a month since 2006–10, up 32%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 24.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Cotton County
Bachelor's degrees in Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 24.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 24.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 26.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.6% | 28.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +4.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Cotton County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.6%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 4.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southeast.
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 Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.8% | 86.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.7% | 87.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.6% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.4% | 89.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Cotton County is close to the national rate: 88.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.6 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Cotton County
| Period | Cotton County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 6.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Cotton County than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Cotton County has lower unemployment than at least four in five Oklahoma counties. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Cotton County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton County | 2.68 | 44.2 | 9.1% | 19.7% | 22.6% | 1971 | $741 | 23.6% | 88.4% | 3.5% |
| Tillman County | 2.53 | 41.7 | 12.7% | 27.2% | 26.7% | 1963 | $687 | 16.4% | 81.8% | 5.5% |
| Hardeman County | 2.85 | 45.2 | 10.8% | 26.1% | 31.9% | 1962 | $688 | 17.4% | 87.5% | 2.4% |
| Johnston County | 2.55 | 39.2 | 14.6% | 27.8% | 16.8% | 1983 | $782 | 20.0% | 87.8% | 4.4% |
| Childress County | 2.90 | 38.2 | 16.9% | 29.0% | 33.4% | 1967 | $842 | 13.9% | 82.1% | 0.6% |
| Atoka County | 2.60 | 39.6 | 9.9% | 25.6% | 17.2% | 1983 | $730 | 17.5% | 85.1% | 4.4% |
| Pushmataha County | 2.44 | 44.1 | 12.3% | 25.1% | 20.5% | 1981 | $712 | 15.4% | 87.8% | 4.3% |
| Briscoe County | 2.34 | 47.8 | 2.9% | 17.2% | 35.2% | 1964 | $629 | 24.9% | 84.1% | 0.7% |
| Bailey County | 3.13 | 38.9 | 14.7% | 20.1% | 14.4% | 1971 | $910 | 14.7% | 63.2% | 0.0% |
| Curry County | 2.62 | 34.2 | 14.0% | 37.3% | 13.3% | 1978 | $1,051 | 24.1% | 83.2% | 8.3% |
| Hot Spring County | 2.52 | 43.0 | 7.8% | 23.5% | 13.7% | 1982 | $813 | 18.3% | 89.9% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cleburne County, AL · Ward County, TX · Walworth County, SD · Walthall County, MS · Cheyenne County, NE · Wahkiakum County, WA · Chicot County, AR · Vinton County, OH · Choctaw County, AL · Vermillion County, IN
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 Cotton County. 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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