The Town FilesCottonwood, Minnesota
City in Lyon County · population 1,149 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $176,200
- Household income
- $97,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 37.9
Cottonwood is a city of 1,149 people in Lyon County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $176,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 93% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 80% of Minnesota towns.
How Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood is worth $176,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $97,500, which is more affordable than 97% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $683 a month. 78.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cottonwood | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $176,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $683 | $991 |
| Median household income | $97,500 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 78.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cottonwood
| People | Cottonwood | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 14.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Cottonwood
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 3.6°F. About 28.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cottonwood since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 1, 2011 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 15, 1967.
Severe weather in Lyon County since 1996
Lyon County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lyon County
Lyon County had 13,763 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,859 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Cottonwood itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Cottonwood
2 public schools with 724 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 394 | 12.3 |
| LAKEVIEW SECONDARY | 7-12 | 330 | 16.5 |
Towns near Cottonwood
- Marshall, MN12.6 mi · 13,628 people · home $210,300
- Clarkfield, MN14.1 mi · 852 people · home $95,600
- Granite Falls, MN15.0 mi · 2,737 people · home $136,700
- Lake Marshall, MN15.2 mi · 564 people · home $335,500
- Minneota, MN15.7 mi · 1,366 people · home $161,300
- Sacred Heart, MN19.7 mi · 510 people · home $85,700
- Sparta, MN22.8 mi · 741 people · home $255,200
- Montevideo, MN23.5 mi · 5,398 people · home $141,000
Cottonwood questions
Is Cottonwood, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cottonwood scores better for retirees than 49% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 31%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.9).
How much does a house cost in Cottonwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Cottonwood is valued at $176,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,500, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $683 a month.
What is the weather like in Cottonwood?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 3.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.9 inches of precipitation a year and 45.5 inches of snow.
Does Cottonwood get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cottonwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 1, 2011. 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)