HomeMinnesotaCottonwood County
Cottonwood County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Cottonwood County, Minnesota had an estimated 11,338 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,516, across 639 square miles. County output reached $865.1 m in 2024, 325 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 8 7(a) approvals worth $3.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Cottonwood County
How many people live in Cottonwood County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202411,458
- Households4,630
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$72,941
- Median age40.3
- Median gross rent$817 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$169,300
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over7,615
- Population under 182,884
- Share under 1825.2 percent
- Population 65 and over2,597
- Share 65 and over22.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 645,977
- Civilian labor force5,695
- Unemployment rate2.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.4 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties63rd of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2390th of 3,222
Cottonwood County is the 63rd largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.2 percent against 22.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Cottonwood County
Is Cottonwood County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202411,338
- Census 2020 base population11,516
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.55 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-79
- Births, 2024126
- Deaths, 2024125
- Natural change, 20241
- Net domestic migration, 2024-130
- Net international migration, 202452
- Total net migration, 2024-78
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-256
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2375th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.55 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Cottonwood County
Where are people moving to Cottonwood County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving268
- People arriving, from those returns496
- Tax returns filed by households leaving315
- Net household movement-47
- Adjusted gross income arriving$12.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-4.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$45,638
- Average income of a leaving household$52,819
- Largest single originNobles County (29 households)
- Largest single destinationJackson County (26 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nobles County | 29 | 63 | $1.1 m |
| Jackson County | 22 | 47 | $838,000 |
Households arriving report $7,181 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Nobles County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Cottonwood County
What is the Cottonwood County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$865.1 m
- County GDP, 2023$828.2 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.5 percent
- GDP change over five years27.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes58th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1964th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$75,500
Output grew 4.5 percent in the latest year and 27.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Cottonwood County
Employment by industry in Cottonwood County
- Covered employment, annual average4,847
- Establishments reporting447
- Average annual pay$49,092
- Average weekly wage$944
- Manufacturing, employment820
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$56,844
- Retail trade, employment460
- Retail trade, average annual pay$27,289
- Wholesale trade, employment345
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$73,732
- Construction, employment342
- Construction, average annual pay$60,753
- Accommodation and food services, employment265
- Other services, except public administration, employment148
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 820 | 16 | $56,844 |
| Retail trade | 460 | 46 | $27,289 |
| Wholesale trade | 345 | 29 | $73,732 |
| Construction | 342 | 40 | $60,753 |
| Accommodation and food services | 265 | 20 | $17,913 |
| Other services, except public administration | 148 | 44 | $35,036 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 111 | 13 | $44,228 |
| Finance and insurance | 99 | 23 | $80,516 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 820 jobs, 16.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Cottonwood County
How many businesses are in Cottonwood County?
- Establishments, all industries325
- Employment at those establishments5,046
- Annual payroll$237.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cottonwood County
Building permits in Cottonwood County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20248
- Declared construction value permitted$4.2 m
- Single family units authorized8
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$528,075
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.7
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Cottonwood County
SBA loans in Cottonwood County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded8
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$423,263
- Median 7(a) approval$121,050
- Largest single approval$1,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)122
- Jobs per approval15.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals5
- Median 7(a) term96 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter7
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFarm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (3)
- Most active lenderSecurity Financial Bank (3)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.4 m
- Average 504 approval$287,400
- Median 504 approval$200,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval2.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved8.4
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$4.8 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cottonwood County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Cottonwood County
Do SBA loans in Cottonwood County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 3 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cottonwood County
SBA lending by place in Cottonwood County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Mountain Lake, approvals6
- Bingham Lake, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Lake | 6 | $3,144,000 |
| Bingham Lake | 2 | $242,100 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cottonwood County
How large is Cottonwood County?
- Land area639 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties47th of 87
- Width, east to west30 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land18
- Establishments per square mile0.51
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cottonwood County
Flood risk in Cottonwood County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Cottonwood County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270622
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Cottonwood County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Cottonwood County (community 270622), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Cottonwood County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Cottonwood County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Cottonwood County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202411,458
- Households4,630
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$72,941
- Median age40.3
Common questions
Cottonwood County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 11,338 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 11,458, in 4,630 households, ranking 63rd of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Cottonwood County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.55 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,516, to 11,338 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 126 births against 125 deaths, with net migration of -78. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Cottonwood County?
$72,941. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $169,300, which is 2.3 times income, and median gross rent is $817 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Cottonwood County?
325 establishments, employing 5,046 people with an annual payroll of $237.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Cottonwood County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 820 jobs, 16.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,847 jobs at an average annual pay of $49,092, or $944 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Cottonwood County?
8 7(a) approvals totaling $3.4 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $121,050, plus 5 504 approvals worth $1.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Cottonwood County?
8 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $4.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Cottonwood County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Cottonwood County come from?
The largest single origin is Nobles County, with 29 households. Arriving households report an average income of $45,638 against $52,819 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Cottonwood County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Cottonwood County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Cottonwood County
Cities and places in Cottonwood.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Cottonwood County. All 7 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windom | city | 4,799 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mountain Lake | city | 2,070 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Westbrook | city | 792 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jeffers | city | 368 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Comfrey | city | 338 | None recorded | 6.7 percent here, 93.3 percent Brown County |
| Storden | city | 244 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bingham Lake | city | 95 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
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