The Town FilesCosmos, Minnesota
City in Meeker County · population 507 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $105,500
- Household income
- $56,635
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 47.1
Cosmos is a city of 507 people in Meeker County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $105,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Cosmos 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 Cosmos is worth $105,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $56,635, which is more affordable than 95% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $685 a month. 83.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cosmos | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $105,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $685 | $991 |
| Median household income | $56,635 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 83.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cosmos
| People | Cosmos | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Cosmos
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows -0.2°F. About 29.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.8 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cosmos since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 27, 1977 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 24, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 19, 2003.
Severe weather in Meeker County since 1996
Meeker County has been included in 11 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 6, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4069: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3242: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Meeker County
Meeker County had 8,042 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,874 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Cosmos itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Cosmos
1 public school with 40 students, about 5.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWWC ELC - Cosmos | K-12 | 40 | 5.7 |
Towns near Cosmos
- Greenleaf, MN8.1 mi · 744 people · home $319,000
- Acoma, MN12.3 mi · 1,130 people · home $425,700
- Litchfield, MN12.7 mi · 828 people · home $338,100
- Hector, MN13.5 mi · 1,012 people · home $132,000
- Lynn, MN13.7 mi · 519 people · home $348,900
- Buffalo Lake, MN14.3 mi · 660 people · home $113,400
- Ellsworth, MN14.3 mi · 841 people · home $395,000
- Atwater, MN14.4 mi · 1,124 people · home $159,900
Cosmos questions
Is Cosmos, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cosmos scores better for retirees than 19% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 61%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.1).
How much does a house cost in Cosmos?
The median owner-occupied home in Cosmos is valued at $105,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,635, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $685 a month.
What is the weather like in Cosmos?
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows -0.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.8 inches of precipitation a year and 42.8 inches of snow.
Does Cosmos get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cosmos since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 27, 1977. 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)