Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Cottondale, Alabama
A $119,000 home here costs
$1,115per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.32% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $48,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $654. The real number is $461 higher every month, 70% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Tuscaloosa County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Cottondale from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,850 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Tuscaloosa County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Cottondale against Tuscaloosa County and Alabama
| Measure | Cottondale | Tuscaloosa County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,600 | $233,700 |
| Median property tax | $306 | $754 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.258% | 0.323% |
| Median gross rent | $904 | $997 |
| Population | 2,850 | 234,036 |
The weather behind that power bill
Cottondale sits in Tuscaloosa County, which averages a high of 92.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.2°F in its coldest, with 57.31" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,212 cooling and 2,423 heating degree days, which is what sets the $187 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Tuscaloosa County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Tuscaloosa County
Full Tuscaloosa County cost breakdown · Every county in Alabama
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Cottondale averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Cottondale every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Cottondale I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Cottondale?
A $119,000 home in Cottondale, Alabama costs approximately $1,115 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $654 principal and interest, $26 property tax, $81 homeowners insurance, $255 utilities and $99 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Cottondale?
Cottondale has an effective property tax rate of 0.258%, based on a median home value of $118,600 and median real estate taxes of $306. That is lower than the Tuscaloosa County average of 0.323%.
What is the average home price in Cottondale?
The median owner-occupied home value in Cottondale, Alabama is $118,600, against $233,700 across Tuscaloosa County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cottondale?
Median gross rent in Cottondale is $904 a month, against $1,115 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Cottondale?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Cottondale, Alabama at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $48,000 a year. That covers the full $1,115 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Cottondale, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Alabama.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.