The Town FilesCottage Grove, Minnesota
City in Washington County · population 38,839 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $378,800
- Household income
- $120,791
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 36.5
Cottage Grove is a city of 38,839 people in Washington County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $378,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more vibrant than 92% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 91% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 83% of Minnesota towns.
How Cottage Grove 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 Cottage Grove is worth $378,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $120,791, which is more affordable than 65% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,783 a month. 88.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cottage Grove | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $378,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,783 | $991 |
| Median household income | $120,791 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cottage Grove
| People | Cottage Grove | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.4% | — |
| Work from home | 21.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Cottage Grove
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 5.7°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cottage Grove since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 25, 1954 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 107 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 20, 2007.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 95,625 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,700 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Cottage Grove itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Cottage Grove
14 public schools with 7,555 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park High School | 9-12 | 1,957 | 21.7 |
| OLTMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,002 | 19.6 |
| COTTAGE GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 972 | 16.5 |
| GREY CLOUD ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 774 | 15.2 |
| Ages 3-5 Early Childhood Special Ed | PK-PK | 561 | 51.0 |
| PINE HILL ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 521 | 14.9 |
| HILLSIDE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 424 | 12.5 |
| COTTAGE GROVE ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 421 | 14.0 |
| CRESTVIEW ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 418 | 11.9 |
| ARMSTRONG ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 308 | 10.6 |
| Next Step Transition Program | 12-12 | 95 | 31.7 |
| South Washington Alternative HS | 7-12 | 92 | 7.7 |
Towns near Cottage Grove
- St. Paul Park, MN4.2 mi · 5,544 people · home $263,500
- Newport, MN5.9 mi · 3,797 people · home $378,100
- Hastings, MN6.4 mi · 22,154 people · home $322,400
- Woodbury, MN6.4 mi · 75,102 people · home $450,200
- Inver Grove Heights, MN7.2 mi · 35,801 people · home $363,400
- Prescott, WI7.4 mi · 4,333 people · home $306,900
- Afton, MN7.5 mi · 2,955 people · home $679,300
- South St. Paul, MN8.1 mi · 20,759 people · home $281,600
Cottage Grove questions
Is Cottage Grove, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cottage Grove scores better for retirees than 10% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 9%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Cottage Grove?
The median owner-occupied home in Cottage Grove is valued at $378,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,791, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,783 a month.
What is the weather like in Cottage Grove?
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 5.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.3 inches of precipitation a year and 45.4 inches of snow.
Does Cottage Grove get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cottage Grove since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 25, 1954. 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)