United States › Minnesota › Cottonwood County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Cottonwood County Minnesota · 11,517 residents · 640 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Cottonwood County is home to 11,517 people in Minnesota. Owners hold 77% of the housing stock. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The typical home is worth $106,900, having more than doubled since 2000. Households here earn about 30% less than in Minnesota as a whole. The median age is 42.5, about 4 years above the US median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.5
US median: 38.8
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 41.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K 12K 12K 12K 13K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cottonwood County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $51,067
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,943 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $16,647 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 12.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.3%
Public administration 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$106,900
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$599
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $308 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 80.4% in 2000
23.1% rent
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.6%(11,509)
Hispanic / Latino 2.2%(267)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 81.8%(9,418)
Hispanic / Latino 9.7%(1,115)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 14.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 80.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 3.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 72.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 64.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 5.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 31.1%(1,432)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 5.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 18.8%(130)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.2%(112)
Share of the 692 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Cottonwood County Head to head
Compare Cottonwood County to nearby counties COTTONWOOD COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income $75,743 +48%
Home value $157,100 +47%
Population 9,857 −14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COTTONWOOD COUNTY VS
Redwood County
Income $67,866 +33%
Home value $158,200 +48%
Population 15,265 +34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COTTONWOOD COUNTY VS
Brown County
Income $69,378 +36%
Home value $191,200 +79%
Population 25,517 +124%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COTTONWOOD COUNTY VS
Watonwan County
Income $71,699 +40%
Home value $162,400 +52%
Population 11,459 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Cottonwood County, Minnesota? Cottonwood County, Minnesota has about 11,517 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cottonwood County, Minnesota? The typical household in Cottonwood County, Minnesota earns about $51,067 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 $106,900, and the typical rent is about $599 a month.
How educated are people in Cottonwood County, Minnesota? About 20.7% 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 11.7% 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 1,177 residents, a change of about -9 percent over that period.
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