County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Cottonwood County
- What is the median household income in Cottonwood County?
- The median household income in Cottonwood County is $68,239 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Cottonwood County?
- The poverty rate in Cottonwood County is 8.9% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Cottonwood County?
- $154,000 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Cottonwood County?
- The median gross rent in Cottonwood County is $765 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Cottonwood County residents have a college degree?
- 22.9% of adults in Cottonwood County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
11,458
Median Income
$68,239
Median Home Value
$154,000
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
3.9%
Median Age
41.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$16,152 (+31%)
Home Value:
+$59,800 (+63.5%)
Poverty Rate:
+0.1 pp (+1.1%)
Bachelor's+:
+2.9 pp (+14.5%)
Unemployment:
-0.1 pp (-2.5%)
Demographics
Total Population
11,458
Median Age
41.0
Female
50.0%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
White (non-Hisp.) 81.5%
Black 1.8%
Asian 3.4%
Two or More 5.0%
Other 5.5%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Vietnamese
0.7%
Filipino
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
6.5%
Puerto Rican
1.0%
Cuban
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$68,239
±$7,395
-$19,317 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$80,596
Median Family Income
$87,667
Poverty Rate
8.9%
+3.4 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
13.3%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
8.3%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
21.9%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
4.3%
$10–15k
3.7%
$15–25k
7.0%
$25–35k
9.0%
$35–50k
13.6%
$50–75k
16.4%
$75–100k
16.1%
$100–150k
18.3%
$150–200k
6.3%
$200k+
5.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
5,163
Owner-Occupied
76.1%
Renter-Occupied
23.9%
Vacancy Rate
9.8%
Median Home Value
$154,000
-$151,500 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$765
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
13.7%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
22.8%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
7.4%
$50–100k
20.6%
$100–200k
20.8%
$200–300k
16.9%
$300–500k
12.5%
$500k–$1M
2.1%
$1M+
0.9%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
18.9%
$500–1k
46.1%
$1–1.5k
22.8%
$1.5–2k
0.7%
$2–2.5k
2.6%
$2.5–3.5k
5.4%
$3.5k+
3.6%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
5.6%
1 vehicle
24.7%
2 vehicles
43.4%
3+
26.3%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
84.5%
Single-fam. att.
3.3%
2–4 units
1.8%
5–19 units
1.6%
20+ units
4.1%
Mobile home
0.4%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
26.7%
1940–1969
8.8%
1970–1999
15.7%
2000–2009
3.6%
2010+
2.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
92.4%
Bachelor's or Higher
22.9%
-15.9 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
6.0%
Some College / Associate
22.2%
Less Than High School
2.7%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
63.5%
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
+0.0 pp vs. state
Work from Home
10.1%
Self-Employed
10.0%
Government Workers
16.8%
Private For-Profit
73.0%
Industry
Edu/Health
25.0%
Manufacturing
16.9%
Agriculture
10.6%
Retail
9.4%
Transportation
7.6%
Public Admin
5.9%
Construction
5.8%
Finance
5.0%
Arts/Entmt.
3.7%
Prof. Services
1.9%
Wholesale
1.8%
Information
1.6%
Occupation
Management
35.8%
Production
20.1%
Sales
19.8%
Food Prep
12.7%
Construction
11.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
16.0 min
Drove Alone
74.2%
Carpool
9.6%
Public Transit
0.2%
Work from Home
10.1%
Walked
3.8%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
4,659
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
48.9%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
19.9%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.3%
5–9
7.3%
10–14
7.3%
15–19
6.5%
20–24
5.1%
25–34
11.3%
35–44
11.0%
45–54
9.7%
55–64
5.7%
65–74
7.3%
75–84
11.8%
85+
7.1%
Under 18: 25.2%
Working age (18–64): 74.8%
65 and over: 22.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
5.9%
Naturalized Citizen
38.9%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
4.2%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
50.4%
Asia
28.7%
Africa
11.5%
Europe
0.7%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
6.1%
With a Disability
12.3%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
94.6%
Uninsured
5.4%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
83.5%
Has a Computer
91.2%
Same House 1 Year Ago
89.9%
Moved from Abroad
0.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Cottonwood County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Cottonwood County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Nicollet County | 62 | 69 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 40 | 76 |
| Jackson County | 31 | 48 |
| Watonwan County | 24 | 42 |
| Nobles County | 20 | 56 |
| Other flows - South | 20 | 45 |