Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,793, settled in 1869. Public schools that outperform most of Minnesota.
Trash day: FridayYes, by almost any measure. Cokato earns an A, 49th of 271 graded towns in Minnesota. Its public schools beat 93% of Minnesota towns on state tests and graduation, a typical home costs about $332K, 3.3 years of the Minneapolis metro’s $100K median household income, and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 76% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a C+, is in incomes. On civic life, just 51 of Minnesota’s 572 towns do better. 21% of working residents work locally in Cokato, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 9.7% and U.S. towns at 8%. Only 8 of the 273 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Cokato.
Where Cokato beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Cokato Elementary | PK–4 | 401 |
| Dassel-Cokato Alternative CTR. | 9–12 | 78 |
Where Cokato’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Cokato is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 274 in 1880, 2,799 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1988 and 2 maps from 1958 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cokato, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Cokato.
Cokato pairs an A for schools with modest home prices, draws workers from Cokato Township and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
1,843 jobs are based in Cokato, 1.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
About one in 5 of Cokato’s working residents works in town. 14% of residents live below the poverty line in Cokato. Jobs based in Cokato grew to 1,843 in 2023, 235 more than in 2013.
| Cokato | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $91,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its A for schools comes with an A− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $332K.
Its public schools are run by the Dassel-Cokato Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cokato ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 401 | A |
| Dassel-Cokato Alternative CTR.Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 78 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
The Dassel 3se weather station, 5 miles away, records that 41 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 79% of Minnesota places with climate records.
Cokato has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Cokato is 82°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cokato.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 10,535 U.S. towns with household incomes like Cokato’s, it is healthier than 74%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income. Within Minnesota it is less healthy than 74% of the 271 graded towns: Minnesota sets a high bar.
Cokato beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 30% of Cokato adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Cokato | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 12% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 16% |
| What stands out | Cokato | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.8% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 6.8% | 5.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Cokato’s median rent is $797 a month. The typical Cokato home is worth about $332,000, up 2.8% in a year, close to the Minnesota typical home.
| Cokato | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $797 a month | $1,199 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.0 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Peterson Park | — | 5 |
| 2. Prairie Park | — | 3 |
| 3. Veterans Memorial Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Cokato; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Cokato residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
5 notable people were born in Cokato.
City in Minnesota, United States
Cokato ( koh-KAY-toh) is a city in Wright County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,799 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Cokato.
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cokato | #49 | A | A− | — | A | B |
| Cokato Township | — | — | B | — | A | B |
Cokato Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Cokato and Cokato Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Cokato with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Cokato grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #49 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades B for health and A for schools.
Not for the area. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
5 notable people were born here, including Sydney E. Ahlstrom and Alondra Cano.
