Maple Ridge neighbourhood scores
Living in Cottonwood, Maple Ridge
Cottonwood grades C overall (58/100), #5 of 20 residential areas in and around Maple Ridge. Its strongest categories are schools, childcare and parks; its weakest are highway access and quiet streets.
Cottonwood has about 2,448 home addresses across 4.6 km². Out of 20 residential areas, Cottonwood ranks #2 for families, #5 for seniors and #5 for commuters. It grades A for schools, kids at home, parks, nature & outdoors, childcare.
Explore Cottonwood on the mapGrades by category
| Category | Grade | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Schools | A (99) | Homes within 1 km of a public elementary school and 2 km of a public middle/secondary school |
| Kids at home | A (100) | Share of households that are families with children at home (2021 Census). Used in the Families score only |
| Road safety | D (34) | ICBC-reported crashes per km² per year, 2021–2025 |
| Parks | A (87) | Homes within 400 m of a park, plus 500 m of a playground |
| Nature & outdoors | A (83) | How close homes are to a trail, natural area or shoreline the public can reach, to a bigger one for a bike ride (a river, lake or long trail), and to a major destination for a drive (a big lake, large park or the ocean) |
| Childcare | A (96) | Homes within 800 m of a licensed group centre or preschool, and 1 km of care for under-3s (home daycares alone don’t count) |
| Quiet streets | D (29) | How close homes are to traffic: right beside a highway counts most, fading out by 300 m; arterial roads fade out by 150 m and collector roads by 100 m (OpenStreetMap road types) |
| Shops & food | D (42) | Homes within 1 km of a grocery store or pharmacy, and 800 m of a café or restaurant |
| Transit | C (61) | Homes within 400 m of a bus stop, and of a stop with 40+ weekday departures |
| Health care | C (54) | Homes within 1.5 km of a walk-in clinic or hospital, and 1 km of a pharmacy |
| Commute time | D (42) | Workers with a commute under 15 minutes, less a penalty for commutes of an hour or more (2021 Census) |
| Highway access | E (8) | Average straight-line distance from homes to the nearest Highway 1 interchange |
Who lives here
About 13,000 people live in Cottonwood (2021 Census), with a median age of 39.1 (city: 42.2). 87.2% of households own their home and 13.1% rent. 49% of households are families with children at home, 20% of residents are under 15 and 11.6% are 65 or older. 45% of homes are houses and 2% are apartments.
Schools
98.4% of homes are within 1 km of a public elementary school, and 99.2% are within 2 km of a public middle or secondary school. Across School District 42 (Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows), 96.8% of students graduate within six years of starting Grade 8 (BC: 92.5%, 2024/2025); the Province doesn't publish this for single schools.
| School | Beats % of BC schools | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Kanaka Creek Elementary elementary | 49 | FSA reading beats 47% of BC schools; FSA math beats 51% |
| Alexander Robinson Elementary elementary | 52 | FSA reading beats 62% of BC schools; FSA math beats 41% |
Provincial test results (FSA 2023/2024–2025/2026, graduation assessments 2022/2023–2024/2025) compared with every BC school. They don't count toward any grade, because scores follow family income closely. How we work these out.
Nature & outdoors
73.5% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: The Trans Canada Trail, Kanaka Creek Regional Park, Kanaka Creek and Kanaka Creek. A bike ride away: Derby Reach Regional Park, Trans Canada Trail, Fraser River, Salmon River and Golden Ears Provincial Park. A short drive away: Green Timbers Urban Forest, Green Timbers Greenway, ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park, Coquitlam River and Serpentine River.
Parks
5 city parks covering 4.6 hectares. 83.7% of homes are within a five-minute walk (400 m) of a park.
Transit
42 bus stops with 1,754 weekday departures on routes 701, 745, 746, 748, 749, 865. 96.2% of homes are within 400 m of a stop.
Road safety
ICBC recorded 1,196 crashes inside Cottonwood from 2021 to 2025, 396 of them with injuries or deaths.
Crime
No public crime data exists at the neighbourhood level, so we don't estimate it.
Common questions about Cottonwood
Is Cottonwood a good place to live?
Cottonwood grades C overall (58/100), #5 of 20 residential areas in and around Maple Ridge. Its strongest categories are schools, childcare and parks; its weakest are highway access and quiet streets. For families it ranks #2, for seniors #5 and for commuters #5. Grades come from public data only, never from reviews or opinion.
What outdoor spots are near Cottonwood?
73.5% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: The Trans Canada Trail, Kanaka Creek Regional Park, Kanaka Creek and Kanaka Creek. A bike ride away: Derby Reach Regional Park, Trans Canada Trail, Fraser River, Salmon River and Golden Ears Provincial Park. A short drive away: Green Timbers Urban Forest, Green Timbers Greenway, ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park, Coquitlam River and Serpentine River. Nature & outdoors grades A.
What schools are in Cottonwood?
Public schools inside the boundary: Kanaka Creek Elementary, Alexander Robinson Elementary. 98.4% of homes are within 1 km of an elementary school. Check catchments with School District 42 (Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows).
Are the schools in Cottonwood good?
On provincial tests, Alexander Robinson Elementary beats 52% of BC schools and Kanaka Creek Elementary beats 49% of BC schools (FSA 2023/2024–2025/2026, graduation assessments 2022/2023–2024/2025). SD42 graduates 96.8% of students within six years (BC 92.5%). Test scores follow family income closely, so visit and talk to the school too.
How many people live in Cottonwood?
About 13,000 people (2021 Census), with a median age of 39.1. 87.2% of households own their home.
Is there good transit in Cottonwood?
96.2% of homes are within 400 m of a bus stop; 42 stops get 1,754 TransLink departures on a weekday. Transit grades C.
Compare Maple Ridge neighbourhoods
Best overall · Best for families with young kids · Best for seniors and retirees · Best for commuters
- Town Centre B · 65
- Hammond C · 62
- West Maple Ridge C · 62
- Central Maple Ridge C · 60
- Albion Flats C · 54
- Yennadon C · 51
- East Maple Ridge D · 44
- Albion D · 44
- Smith D · 44
- South Alouette D · 42
- Silver Valley D · 38
- Websters Corners D · 33
- Alouette D · 33
- Rothsay D · 29
- Whonnock D · 29
- Thornhill D · 28
- Whispering Falls E · 23
- Spilsbury E · 23
- Ruskin E · 21
Data last built 2026-11-06. How these grades are calculated