Cottonwood County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

Name: Cottonwood County, Minnesota Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Cottonwood County, Minnesota has a population of 11,458, the 63rd most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $72,941 and the median home value is $169,300. The poverty rate is 15.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Cottonwood County Quick Facts

Population 11,458

Median Household Income $72,941

Median Home Value $169,300

Poverty Rate 15.0%

Unemployment Rate 2.8%

Median Age 40.3 years

Homeownership Rate 74.4%

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 24.1%

High School Graduation 94.5%

Cities/Places 6

Population 11,458 63rd of 87

Median Income $72,941 18% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.0%

Unemployment 2.8%

How Cottonwood County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	11,458	11,458	+0.0%
Median household income	$68,239	$72,941	+6.9%
Median home value	$154,000	$169,300	+9.9%

Median Household Income

Cottonwood

$72,941

$89,062

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cottonwood

$169,300

$329,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.1%

$25K-$50K 21.3%

$50K-$100K 29.9%

$100K+ 33.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.8%

$10K-$15K

3.8%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

3.3%

$25K-$30K

4.5%

$30K-$35K

3.8%

$35K-$40K

5.3%

$40K-$45K

2.9%

$45K-$50K

4.8%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

8.0%

$75K-$100K

14.9%

$100K-$125K

12.1%

$125K-$150K

8.6%

$150K-$200K

5.6%

$200K+

7.3%

Employment

2.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

64.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.4%

Renter 25.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $817/mo 13.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.2%

18-34

19.5%

35-54

20.1%

55-74

24.4%

75+

10.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cottonwood County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Windom	4,799	$74,899	14.3%	$169,700
Mountain Lake	2,070	$66,490	14.3%	$143,100
Westbrook	792	$35,119	25.9%	$78,200
Jeffers	368	$50,500	41.3%	$87,400
Storden	244	$83,750	18.9%	$81,000
Bingham Lake	95	$88,125	12.6%	$216,700

Explore Minnesota Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Cottonwood County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 11,458. It is the 63rd most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cottonwood County is 40.3 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 10.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cottonwood County is $72,941. This is 18% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 10% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.0%. This is 61% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 2.8%. This is 30% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $169,300. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Cottonwood County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cottonwood County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 11.3%. The Black or African American population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (11.3% vs 6.4%).

Education

24.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 39.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cottonwood County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Minnesota and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Cottonwood County, Minnesota?

Cottonwood County has a population of 11,458, making it the 63rd most populous county in Minnesota.

What is the median income in Cottonwood County?

The median household income in Cottonwood County is $72,941 with a poverty rate of 15.0%.

How many cities are in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?

Cottonwood County contains 6 Census-designated places.