Cottage Grove, MN

Census place 2713456 · pop 40,992

B72/ 100
👍 Solid
A
in MN
📍 Minnesota ranks #5 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.4% · top 4%
🚽 Cost$378,800 · bottom 33%
Taxes
1.05% property · US 0.99%8.14% sales · US 7.00%up to 9.85% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Housing cost$378,80033

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$378,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,974/mo36

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,974/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Property-tax burden1.05%45

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.05% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Commute time24 min50

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level87/10053

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

87/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity33.2%60

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

33.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Adult smoking12.0%63

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

12.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Bachelor's degree or higher40.8%70

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

40.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Broadband access94.4%74

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

94.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Property crime rate682/100k76

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

682 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Physical inactivity19.4%81

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

19.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Uninsured adults6.3%82

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

6.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health14.4%84

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Population growth (5yr)+12.0%85

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+12.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Violent crime rate39/100k87

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

39 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Median household income$120,79187

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$120,791 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Air quality (AQI)County-level35 AQI89

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

35 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poverty rate4.2%91

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

4.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Homeownership88.2%95

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

88.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Income inequality0.3595

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.35 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.4%96

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Frequently asked

Is Cottage Grove, MN a good place to live?
By the numbers, Cottage Grove scores 72/100 — a B (Solid) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is housing cost. Minnesota overall ranks #5 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Cottage Grove, MN?
Cottage Grove reports 39 violent crimes per 100k and 682 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Cottage Grove, MN expensive to live in?
Cottage Grove has a median home value of $378,800 and typical rent around $1,974/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Cottage Grove, MN?
Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($378,800) — 33/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Cottage Grove, MN best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.4%) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.