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COUNTY

Cottonwood County

Minnesota · 11,405 residents (2025 est.) · 640 sq mi
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The short version

With 11,458 people, Cottonwood County is a county in Minnesota. Few US counties rank higher on income. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $169,300, having roughly tripled since 2000. There are 18 people per square mile. Getting to work takes 15 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 67%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
11,458
−6%since 2000
from 12,167 in 2000
11,405 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
18 / sq mi
+1%since 2009
from 18 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.3
−3%since 2000
from 41.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
640 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K12K12K12K13K19902000201020202024Cottonwood County
202411K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.3%(726)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.4%(849)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.1%(812)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.9%(788)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.8%(668)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.1%(1,275)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.5%(1,199)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.6%(1,098)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.6%(1,446)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.7%(1,346)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.3%(841)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.6%(410)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$72,941
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,943 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,506
+119%since 2000
from $16,647 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
48.5%
+29.6 ptssince 2009
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.0%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.430
−5%since 2010
from 0.455 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade14.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing11.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction11.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Information9.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services5.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$169,300
+67%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$817
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $308 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
74.4%
−6.0 ptssince 2000
from 80.4% in 2000
25.6% rent
Vacancy rate
10.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.39 people
+5%since 2009
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
16.3%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
25.8%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.3
+14%since 2009
from 2.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
87
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic94.6%(11,509)
Black0.3%(39)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(267)
Asian1.6%(197)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic80%(9,172)
Black1.7%(190)
Hispanic / Latino11.3%(1,298)
Asian3.8%(435)
Other3.2%(363)
Diversity Score
43
+107%since 2009
from 21 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
34
+112%since 2020
from 16 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican6%(684)
Guatemalan2%(226)
Puerto Rican1.5%(168)
Salvadoran0.3%(33)
Cuban0.3%(29)
Dominican0.3%(29)
Honduran0.3%(29)
Spaniard0.2%(22)
Argentine0.1%(6)
Asian origin
Laotian1.5%(168)
Vietnamese1.2%(138)
Hmong0.4%(49)
Burmese0.2%(22)
Filipino0.2%(21)
Korean0%(1)
Ancestry
German39.5%(4,521)
Norwegian14.8%(1,691)
English5.5%(632)
Irish4.9%(557)
Swedish4.2%(477)
American2.9%(337)
Danish2.3%(260)
Dutch1.7%(195)
French1.1%(121)
Polish1%(119)
Czech0.8%(88)
Scottish0.6%(65)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.6%(64)
Italian0.5%(60)
Welsh0.4%(48)
Finnish0.4%(42)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(41)
Belgian0.3%(34)
Swiss0.2%(27)
Austrian0.1%(15)
Arab0.1%(11)
Egyptian0.1%(11)
Hungarian0.1%(11)
Nigerian0.1%(6)
British0%(5)
Slovak0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.1%
+9.8 ptssince 2000
from 14.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.5%
+14.0 ptssince 2000
from 80.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 3.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
15.3 min
+34%since 2000
from 11.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 72.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.3%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.9%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.8%
−1.6 ptssince 2011
from 4.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2011
from 64.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
79.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 78.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
17.9%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.2%
+7.1 ptssince 2009
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.5%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Female
49.5%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Foreign born
6.9%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.1%
−5.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2012
from 13.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.9%
Unchangedsince 2013
from 5.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.3%
+13.3 ptssince 2017
from 72.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.7%
+5.0 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 90.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
89.7%
−2.7 ptssince 2016
from 92.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.5%
+2.7 ptssince 2016
from 3.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.1%(1,432)
Married55.8%(2,567)
Widowed2%(91)
Divorced11.1%(509)
Women 15+
Never married21.8%(974)
Married56.8%(2,542)
Widowed10%(447)
Divorced11.4%(509)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.9%
Unchangedsince 2013
from 5.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
50.3%
−7.2 ptssince 2020
from 57.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
18.8%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
23.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 24.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
22.8%
+6.2 ptssince 2020
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.0%
−9.3 ptssince 2020
from 76.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.7%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 39.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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)5.7%(25)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.4%(54)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.8%(191)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.4%(28)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.7%(3)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 436 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
Drill deeper

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Pop 11,473
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Head to head

Compare Cottonwood County to nearby counties

COTTONWOOD COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income$75,743+4%
Home value$157,100−7%
Population9,857−14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COTTONWOOD COUNTY VS
Redwood County
Income$67,866−7%
Home value$158,200−7%
Population15,265+34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COTTONWOOD COUNTY VS
Brown County
Income$69,378−5%
Home value$191,200+13%
Population25,517+124%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COTTONWOOD COUNTY VS
Watonwan County
Income$71,699−2%
Home value$162,400−4%
Population11,459same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?

Cottonwood County, Minnesota has about 11,458 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?

The typical household in Cottonwood County, Minnesota earns about $72,941 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cottonwood County, Minnesota expensive?

In Cottonwood County, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $169,300, and the typical rent is about $817 a month.

How educated are people in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?

About 24.1% of adults age 25 and over in Cottonwood County, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?

About 15.0% of people in Cottonwood County, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cottonwood County, Minnesota grown since 1990?

Yes, Cottonwood County, Minnesota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,236 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →