The Town FilesCokato, Minnesota
City in Wright County · population 2,799 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $223,300
- Household income
- $70,288
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 33.3
Cokato is a city of 2,799 people in Wright County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $223,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 92% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 78% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 76% of Minnesota towns.
How Cokato ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cokato is worth $223,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $70,288, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $797 a month. 67.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cokato | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $223,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $797 | $991 |
| Median household income | $70,288 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 67.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cokato
| People | Cokato | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 31.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.4% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Cokato
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 2.0°F. About 28.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cokato since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 19, 1951 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 2, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on July 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Wright County since 1996
Wright County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wright County
Wright County had 48,758 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,999 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Cokato itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Cokato
7 public schools with 1,734 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DASSEL-COKATO SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 593 | 16.0 |
| DASSEL-COKATO MIDDLE | 5-8 | 589 | 14.7 |
| COKATO ELEMENTARY | PK-4 | 410 | 14.1 |
| DASSEL-COKATO ALTERNATIVE CTR. | 9-12 | 109 | 54.5 |
| VILLAGE RANCH ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM | 5-12 | 33 | 5.5 |
| Dassel-Cokato Virtual School EL | K-4 | — | — |
| Dassel-Cokato Virtual School Middle | 5-8 | — | — |
Towns near Cokato
- Annandale, MN13.0 mi · 3,330 people · home $251,800
- Montrose, MN13.1 mi · 3,775 people · home $275,700
- Corinna, MN15.4 mi · 2,540 people · home $457,100
- Hutchinson, MN16.1 mi · 14,599 people · home $229,600
- Litchfield, MN16.8 mi · 6,624 people · home $187,600
- Franklin, MN17.2 mi · 2,885 people · home $637,800
- Buffalo, MN17.3 mi · 16,168 people · home $314,400
- Watertown, MN18.6 mi · 4,659 people · home $337,200
Cokato questions
Is Cokato, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cokato scores better for retirees than 44% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 31%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.3).
How much does a house cost in Cokato?
The median owner-occupied home in Cokato is valued at $223,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,288, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $797 a month.
What is the weather like in Cokato?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 2.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.7 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does Cokato get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cokato since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 19, 1951. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)