Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety62#5,969/15,637
Economy62#6,010/15,631
Housing49#7,580/14,977
Health41#9,195/15,609
Healthcare29#11,050/15,650
Environment38#9,623/15,453
Education10#14,094/15,649
Infrastructure65#5,552/15,650
Community47#8,292/15,651
Leisure & amenities27#11,463/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Cottonwood Shores, Texas ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Burnet County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.324
97/100Texas 0.478United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Broadband subscriptions · high97.5%
94/100Texas 91.3%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Hospital quality rating · high4.5
94/100Texas 3.4United States 3.2Jul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesBurnet County value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Texas 5.1 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataBurnet County value
Primary care shortage · low0.0
90/100Texas 5.6United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationBurnet County value
Comfortable days · high32.2%
87/100Texas 30.7%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationBurnet County value

Weaknesses

Uninsured residents (under 65) · high35.2%
1/100Texas 19.1%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Grocery stores · low0.7 /10k
4/100Texas 1.1 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBurnet County value
Access to exercise opportunities · low42.2%
7/100Texas 82.3%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBurnet County value
Hot days · high108 days
8/100Texas 111 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationBurnet County value
High school diploma or higher · low84.4%
9/100Texas 86.0%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Suicide rate · high24.1 /100k
10/100Texas 14.4 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataBurnet County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,467 (2015-2019) → 1,859 (2020-2024)
+27%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
76.5% (2015-2019) → 97.5% (2020-2024)
+21 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
19.4% (2015-2019) → 35.4% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
2.5× (2015-2019) → 4.2× (2020-2024)
+70%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
25.9% (2015-2019) → 35.2% (2020-2024)
+9.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
New homes permittedWorsening
15.3 /1k (2021) → 9.1 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−40%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Cottonwood Shores, Texas improved on 1 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 9 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Broadband+21 points76.5% → 97.5%

Declined1

Price / income+1.7×2.5× → 4.2×

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of Cottonwood Shores, Texas between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	23.5 min2015-2019	20.9 min2020-2024	−2.6 min	Within the margin of error	76%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.4%2015-2019	17.0%2020-2024	−1.4 points	Within the margin of error	19%
Broadband subscriptions	76.5%2015-2019	97.5%2020-2024	+21 points	Improved	92%
Effective property tax rate	1.48%2015-2019	1.14%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	78%
High school diploma or higher	86.0%2015-2019	84.4%2020-2024	−1.6 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	4.2×2020-2024	+1.7×	Declined	6%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3772015-2019	0.3242020-2024	−0.053	Within the margin of error	85%
Median household income	$54,7662015-2019	$63,3652020-2024	+16%	Within the margin of error	25%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	20.2%2015-2019	23.9%2020-2024	+3.7 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	25.9%2015-2019	35.2%2020-2024	+9.3 points	Within the margin of error	4%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Cottonwood Shores, Texas five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Cottonwood Shores, Texas in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Cottonwood Shores, Texas itself moved +1.8 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,859 residents (±480)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 men (+7.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,859 residents (±480)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

White51%955
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino47%†867
Asian0.3%†6
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races1.7%†31

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

1,259 residents (±282)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

No high school diploma16%†196
High school or GED43%†541
Some college18%†225
Associate degree6.6%†83
Bachelor's degree14%†178
Graduate degree2.9%†36

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

607 households (±137)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

Under $25k12%†75
$25k–50k17%†106
$50k–75k31%†187
$75k–100k15%†90
$100k–150k18%†107
$150k–200k5.6%†34
$200k or more1.3%†8

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

607 households (±137)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

Own72%436
Rent28%†171

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

113 households (±57)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

Under $7509.7%†11
$750–1,00021%†24
$1,000–1,50033%†37

Home values

436 homes (±121)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

Under $150k19%†81
$150k–250k26%†113
$250k–400k42%†182

Age of homes

685 homes (±143)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

2010 or later41%†279
2000–200915%†103
1980–199926%†181

Size of homes

685 homes (±143)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

Studio2.5%†17
1 bedroom3.4%†23
2 bedrooms20%†140

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,049 workers (±264)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

Drive alone84%881
Carpool9.5%†100
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home4.5%†47
Other2.0%†21

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Carpool (−16.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,002 workers (±264)

Cottonwood Shores, Texas
Texas share

Under 15 min42%†418
15–29 min38%†376
30–44 min6.0%†60

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Burnet County, the county holding most of Cottonwood Shores's residents.

Burnet County has 1,600 employer establishments, 294 for every 10,000 residents (1.18× the US rate of 248; 1.35× Texas's), with 15,327 paid employees at an average annual pay of $52,427. The Census Bureau also counts 6,190 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,600; 6,190 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 294; US 248 · Texas 218
Paid employees: 15,327
Average annual pay: $52,427; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Burnet County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	196	36	2.33×More than typical	1,123	$54,363	831
Ambulatory health care services	103	18.9	0.91×About typical	1,141	$72,222	175
Restaurants and other eating places	102	18.8	1.02×About typical	1,398	$26,127	25
Building equipment contractors	92	16.9	2.81×More than typical	478	$54,515	117
Construction of buildings	89	16.4	2.16×More than typical	235	$62,655	343
Lessors of real estate	74	13.6	1.10×About typical	183	$47,197	763
Services to buildings and dwellings	66	12.1	1.80×More than typical	317	$46,028	562
Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors	51	9.4	2.84×More than typical	264	$51,758	71
Religious organizations	51	9.4	1.69×More than typical	272	$25,875	—
Full-service restaurants	48	8.8	1.15×About typical	675	$27,308	11
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	46	8.5	2.68×More than typical	276	$48,149	205
Landscaping services	44	8.1	2.31×More than typical	217	$48,765	180

Rank places for an industry Open Burnet County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 54,390 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Cottonwood Shores, Texas: $0 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $2,007
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

891.5FY2020

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Cottonwood Shores, Texas, so they do not add up across cities.

Cottonwood Shores, Texas's figures are part of those of Burnet County, TX ($3.6M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Cottonwood Shores is mostly in Burnet County.

See federal money in Burnet County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Cottonwood Shores, Texas is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

John R. CarterR-TX-31 · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 1.9%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Burnet County50100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Burnet County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/4817208