The Town FilesCologne, Minnesota
City in Carver County · population 2,047 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $383,600
- Household income
- $129,398
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 52 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 37.1
Cologne is a city of 2,047 people in Carver County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $383,600, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for families than 91% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 89% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Cologne 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 Cologne is worth $383,600, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $129,398, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $585 a month. 90.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cologne | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $383,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $585 | $991 |
| Median household income | $129,398 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 90.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 2004 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cologne
| People | Cologne | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 32.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Cologne
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 3.9°F. About 34.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cologne since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 6, 1965 about 2.2 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 350 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 79 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on June 16, 2025.
Severe weather in Carver County since 1996
Carver County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Carver County
Carver County had 40,848 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,445 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Cologne itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Cologne
1 public school with 665 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLOGNE ACADEMY (charter) | K-8 | 665 | 12.3 |
Towns near Cologne
- Benton, MN2.6 mi · 753 people · home $421,900
- Dahlgren, MN4.2 mi · 854 people · home $480,400
- Waconia, MN5.0 mi · 13,033 people · home $431,000
- Laketown, MN5.5 mi · 1,966 people · home $500,900
- Norwood Young America, MN6.1 mi · 3,863 people · home $299,300
- San Francisco, MN6.7 mi · 871 people · home $581,500
- Waconia, MN6.9 mi · 1,068 people · home $622,900
- Carver, MN7.9 mi · 5,829 people · home $445,800
Cologne questions
Is Cologne, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cologne scores better for retirees than 44% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 85%. 7.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Cologne?
The median owner-occupied home in Cologne is valued at $383,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $129,398, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $585 a month.
What is the weather like in Cologne?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 3.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.1 inches of precipitation a year and 51.6 inches of snow.
Does Cologne get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cologne since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 6, 1965. 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)