Cottage Grove is home to 40,992 people in Minnesota. Owners hold 88% of the housing stock. Few US cities rank higher on income. Households here earn about 36% more than in Minnesota as a whole. 10,410 more people live here than in 2000. Median household income runs $120,791, well clear of the $82,259 US median.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $120,791, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.5
US median: 38.9
More educated
41% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 52%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Cottage Grove
What changed most since 1990
Population22,935 → 40,992(+79%)US over the same years: +35%
Adults with a bachelor's degree19.1% → 40.8%(+21.7 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Homes owned by their occupants93.5% → 88.2%(−5.3 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)29.8%(472)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)26.4%(418)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.3%(512)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.8%(44)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.3%(37)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,586 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Cottage Grove, decade by decade
Cottage Grove population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
22,935
$110,468
$209,766
19.1%
11.3
2000
30,582
$119,910
$249,931
23.9%
18.5
2010
34,589
$116,280
$330,871
31.5%
36.7
2020
38,839
$124,355
$316,948
37.8%
53.7
2024
40,992
$120,791
$378,800
40.8%
55.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
