Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Cottonwood County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $161,553 | $243,729 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 19.1% | 7.9% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $765 | $1,234 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.9% | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Cottonwood County is about 34% lower than in Minnesota. Rent is about 38% lower than the Minnesota average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Cottonwood County, up about 19.1% and 3.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Cottonwood County rose about 26.0% between 2015 and 2023, from $607 to $765. Over the same span, rent in Minnesota rose about 45.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.4 yearly household incomes in Cottonwood County.
Buying the median-priced home in Cottonwood County costs roughly 17.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Cottonwood County. The price-to-rent ratio in Minnesota is about 16.5.
| Metric | Cottonwood County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $161,553 | $243,729 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $67,528 | $88,383 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.4 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Cottonwood County rose about 180.0%, while median household income rose about 69.4% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Cottonwood County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 68.7% | 65.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 21.6% | 25.0% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 9.8% | 9.4% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 19.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2007 | 2011 | 2011 |
Cottonwood County has a homeownership rate of 68.7%, higher than the Minnesota average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 9.8%, compared with 9.4% in Minnesota.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Cottonwood County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.37 people | 2.44 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1958 | 1976 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.4 | 6.1 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Cottonwood County was built around 1958. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 6.4 rooms, staying for about 19.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Cottonwood County, Minnesota.
What is the median home price in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?
The median home price in Cottonwood County, Minnesota is $161,553, lower than the Minnesota average of $243,729.
What is the average home price in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?
The median gross rent in Cottonwood County, Minnesota is $765 per month, lower than the Minnesota average of $1,234.
What was the median gross rent in Cottonwood County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Cottonwood County, Minnesota was $598 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?
The price-to-rent ratio in Cottonwood County, Minnesota is about 17.6, meaning it would take roughly 17.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Cottonwood County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Cottonwood County, up about 19.1% and 3.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?
68.7% of households in Cottonwood County, Minnesota own their home, higher than the Minnesota average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?
The housing vacancy rate in Cottonwood County, Minnesota is 9.8%, higher than the Minnesota average of 9.4%.