Cottage Grove is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, home to about 40,992 people across 34 square miles. Its ZIP code is 55016, and parts of 55033 are in Cottage Grove too.
Homes sold for a median of $202 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
All in Cottage Grove
Mostly Hastings; part is in Cottage Grove
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Cottage Grove. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Cottage Grove’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)15 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | St. Paul, MN12 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL334 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Cottage Grove; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Cottage Grove had 38,839 residents in the 2020 census, up 27% since 2000.
It’s the 24th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Washington County grew from 27,808 residents in 1900 to 267,568 in 2020.
Washington County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 6°F. About 33.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Hastings Dam 2, MN weather station (5 miles away).
95,631 jobs at 6,542 businesses in Washington County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
179 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Cottage Grove.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 30 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 21 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 22 |
| Mental health providers | 56 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 25 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 20 |
| Pharmacies | 7 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (39 nearby)
Grocery stores (5 nearby)
Pharmacies (3 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1843.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by South Washington County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ages 3-5 Early Childhood Special EdCottage Grove | Pre-K | 591 | Special Education | 0.2 mi |
| Armstrong ElementaryCottage Grove | Pre-K–5 | 325 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| Cottage Grove ElementaryCottage Grove | Pre-K–5 | 432 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Crestview ElementaryCottage Grove | Pre-K–5 | 425 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Hillside ElementaryCottage Grove | Pre-K–5 | 417 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Grey Cloud ElementaryCottage Grove | K–5 | 797 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Pine Hill ElementaryCottage Grove | K–5 | 502 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| SoWashCo Online K-5Cottage Grove | K–5 | — | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Cottage Grove Middle SchoolCottage Grove | 6–8 | 1,005 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Oltman Middle SchoolCottage Grove | 6–8 | 956 | Public | 3.3 mi |
| South Washington Alternative HSCottage Grove | 6–12 | 97 | Alternative Education | 0.2 mi |
| Park High SchoolCottage Grove | 9–12 | 1,992 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Great Rivers Adult EducationCottage Grove | 10–12 | 7 | Alternative Education | 0.2 mi |
| Next Step Transition ProgramCottage Grove | 12 | 86 | Special Education | 1.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Hastings, Ravenna, Denmark, Marshan, Nininger, Vermillion Township, Douglas, Miesville and Hastings City.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.