Census Data for Cottonwood Heights
Population ...
The last Decennial Census<1> was in 2010, which gave Cottonwood Heights a population of 33,433 people.
The city of Cottonwood Heights is located in Salt Lake County. The 2010 Census gave Salt Lake County; a population of 1,029,655 people. This means that Cottonwood Heights had 3.25% of the county's total population, making it Salt Lake's 10th most populous community.
At the same time, Utah had a population of 2,763,885 people, meaning that Cottonwood Heights had 1.21% of the total population of Utah - making it the state's 21st most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Cottonwood Heights has a total area of 8.83 square miles [22.9 km²].
Salt Lake County has a land area of 742 square miles [1,922.5 km²]. At 8.83 square miles [22.9 km²], Cottonwood Heights has 1.19% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Cottonwood Heights, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
- Things like population, area and housing for Cottonwood Heights reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Cottonwood Heights might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 40° 36' 55" (or 40.62°)
- Lon: -111° 48' 54" (or -111.82°)
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Cottonwood Heights had 13,194 Housing Units<2> and with its population of 33,433 people, this averages 2.53 people per Housing Unit.
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- The 2010 Census shows Cottonwood Heights had a land area of 8.83 square miles [22.9 km²]. This translates to 1,494 Housing Units per square mile [576 housing units/km²].
Salt Lake County ...
The community of Cottonwood Heights is located in Salt Lake County<3>.
The county had a population of 1,029,655 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 33,433 people, Cottonwood Heights represented 3.25% of the county's total.
In addition, where the city of Cottonwood Heights has a population density of 3,785 people per square mile [1,461 people/km²], Salt Lake County averages 1,387 people per square mile [535 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Salt Lake County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Cottonwood Heights, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Cottonwood Heights. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Cottonwood Heights or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Cottonwood Heights, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Cottonwood Heights.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Censuses, the location was given as:
Lat: 40.615295° (or 40°36'55" N)
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2410245) to Cottonwood Heights. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Cottonwood Heights. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 40.614928° (or 40°36'53" N)
- Lon: -111.815110° (or -111°48'54" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 135.1 feet to the north<4> of the point given by the GNIS for Cottonwood Heights. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Cottonwood Heights.
Lon: -111.815178° (or -111°48'54" W)
Miscellaneous Information for Cottonwood Heights ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Salt Lake County or the city of Cottonwood Heights:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 49 (Utah)
- County Code: 035 (Salt Lake County)
- Place Code: 16270 (Cottonwood Heights)
- State & County Code: 49/035 (Utah / Salt Lake County)
- State & Place Code: 49/16270 (Utah / Cottonwood Heights)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Cottonwood Heights is located in Census Region #4 (the West Region) and Division #8 (the Mountain Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Cottonwood Heights.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for Cottonwood Heights: cottonwoodheights.utah.gov/
The official website for Salt Lake County: www.slco.org/
The official website for State of Utah: https://www.utah.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <2> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <3> | If you're interested in how the shape of Utah's counties, including Salt Lake, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <4> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 8 degrees and a distance of 135.1 feet. |