Population 11,902 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cottage Grove
Household size in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.77 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.42 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.35 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Cottage Grove run small, averaging 2.42 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in the wider Madison area, where it has 2.30 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.77, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.4 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.7 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.7 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 39.7, the median age in Cottage Grove is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.7, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.1% of households in Cottage Grove, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 5.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only six have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cottage Grove
Renters in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.3% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Cottage Grove is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 18.3% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 6.8 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Cottage Grove: just 3.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 18 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1989 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1991 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1991 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1998 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Cottage Grove has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1998, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1989 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southwest has the oldest housing. Only seven of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,140 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $988 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,276 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,533 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$393 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cottage Grove pays $1,533 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in the wider Madison area ($1,366). Rent has climbed $393 a month since 2006–10, up 34%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 23.2% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cottage Grove
Bachelor's degrees in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.9% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.2% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.7 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Cottage Grove: 51.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 14.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.0% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.0% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.2% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Cottage Grove: 98.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.2 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Only 16 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cottage Grove
| Period | Cottage Grove | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.3% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Cottage Grove has been low: just 2.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cottage Grove compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage Grove | 2.42 | 39.7 | 4.1% | 24.3% | 3.3% | 1998 | $1,533 | 51.2% | 98.2% | 2.2% |
| Nora | 2.63 | 39.8 | 12.0% | 11.1% | 2.0% | 1981 | $1,004 | 36.7% | 96.3% | 1.3% |
| Deerfield | 2.59 | 38.9 | 8.7% | 17.1% | 2.1% | 1986 | $1,123 | 37.0% | 95.8% | 1.3% |
| McFarland | 2.48 | 41.0 | 12.9% | 21.3% | 2.6% | 1992 | $1,587 | 51.7% | 98.4% | 2.7% |
| Monona | 2.14 | 44.7 | 8.6% | 39.5% | 5.6% | 1963 | $1,476 | 57.5% | 97.1% | 2.3% |
| Sun Prairie | 2.47 | 37.8 | 9.9% | 35.6% | 3.3% | 1995 | $1,482 | 51.7% | 97.0% | 2.3% |
| Utica | 2.62 | 48.9 | 3.3% | 12.9% | 5.8% | 1975 | $1,052 | 38.5% | 98.2% | 3.3% |
| Marshall | 2.56 | 41.1 | 9.9% | 21.2% | 5.4% | 1983 | $1,188 | 26.8% | 97.1% | 1.8% |
| Maple Bluff | 2.43 | 45.2 | 5.1% | 15.4% | 7.1% | 1960 | $1,862 | 82.4% | 99.3% | 1.0% |
| London | 2.65 | 41.9 | 4.5% | 17.0% | 3.9% | 1992 | $1,270 | 44.4% | 96.4% | 2.0% |
| Madison area | 2.30 | 38.9 | 8.2% | 39.7% | 5.5% | 1983 | $1,366 | 50.6% | 95.1% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dunlap, IL · Walkersville, MD · Clearfield, PA · View Park-Windsor Hills, CA · Vicksburg, MI · Venetia, PA · Urbana, MD · Coarsegold, CA · Tyrone, PA · Corryton, TN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cottage Grove. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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