The Town FilesCottage Grove, Oregon
City in Lane County · population 10,574 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $346,600
- Household income
- $80,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 38.9
Cottage Grove is a city of 10,574 people in Lane County, Oregon. The median home is worth $346,600, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for cycling than 80% of Oregon towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Oregon towns, better transit than 72% of Oregon towns.
How Cottage Grove ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cottage Grove is worth $346,600, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $80,875, which is more affordable than 79% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,254 a month. 59.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cottage Grove | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $346,600 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,254 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $80,875 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 59.0% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cottage Grove
| People | Cottage Grove | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.0% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Cottage Grove
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 33.4°F. About 46.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.7 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 59 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Cottage Grove since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 2, 1999 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 2, 1999.
Severe weather in Lane County since 1996
Lane County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 27, 2023 | Fire | FM-5457: Cedar Creek Fire |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 10, 2020 | Fire | EM-3542: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Lane County
Lane County had 157,428 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,020 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Cottage Grove itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Cottage Grove
7 public schools with 2,475 students, about 18.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage Grove High School | 9-12 | 674 | 16.4 |
| Lincoln Middle School | 6-8 | 491 | 21.3 |
| Harrison Elementary School | K-5 | 454 | 20.6 |
| Bohemia Elementary School | K-5 | 410 | 19.5 |
| Academy for Character Education (charter) | K-12 | 298 | 19.9 |
| Al Kennedy High School | 9-12 | 84 | 16.8 |
| London School | K-8 | 64 | 10.7 |
Towns near Cottage Grove
- Creswell, OR9.0 mi · 5,641 people · home $435,500
- Springfield, OR18.2 mi · 61,851 people · home $358,700
- Eugene, OR18.3 mi · 176,654 people · home $460,400
- River Road, OR20.2 mi · 8,732 people · home $397,800
- Santa Clara, OR22.4 mi · 11,239 people · home $415,100
- Veneta, OR22.7 mi · 5,214 people · home $385,200
- Junction City, OR29.6 mi · 6,787 people · home $421,900
- Oakridge, OR29.7 mi · 3,206 people · home $240,200
Cottage Grove questions
Is Cottage Grove, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cottage Grove scores better for retirees than 40% of Oregon towns and quieter than 49%. 17.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Cottage Grove?
The median owner-occupied home in Cottage Grove is valued at $346,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,875, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,254 a month.
What is the weather like in Cottage Grove?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 33.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.5 inches of precipitation a year and 2.7 inches of snow.
Does Cottage Grove get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Cottage Grove since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 2, 1999. The typical Oregon town has had 2.
- 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)