Blooming Grove Farm, 2013
Cottage Grove’s story
185 years in pictures
Census counts: 261 in 1930, 7,303 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1890 on.
- 1841Cottage Grove is settled
Photo: Corey Coyle · CC BY 3.0
Population
8,930
2025 Census estimate · +22.4% since 2020
Typical home
$474K
+3.5% in a year
Household income
$139K
median
Median age
37.5
years
Jobs based here
3,039
Balanced
TownGrade
A−
#86 of 357 in WI
Is Cottage Grove a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Cottage Grove grades A− overall, 86th of 357 graded towns in Wisconsin. The median household earns $139K. Residents are healthier than 92% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and it reports less crime per resident than 87% of U.S. towns. The trade-off is money: homes are expensive, about $474K for a typical one and 5.3 times the Madison metro’s $89K median household income. 60% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Cottage Grove, above both Wisconsin’s towns (32%) and U.S. towns (29%). The biggest park or preserve is Phoebe Bakken Memorial Park, at 38 acres.
What makes Cottage Grove stand out
Where Cottage Grove beats most towns.
A growing town
Cottage Grove has grown 44% since 2010
6,192 counted in 2010 and 7,303 in 2020; an estimated 8,930 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 22.4% since 2020, after 17.9% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Cottage Grove grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Cottage Grove is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for jobs and income (better than 98% of comparable towns) to D for cost of living (better than 15%), so the A− overall blends very different results.
Jobs & incomeA+Open →HealthUnitypoint Health - Meriter 10 miles awayAOpen →SafetyAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 17% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →SchoolsBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8 of 20; 4.4% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 3% conserved landB+Open →HistoryC+Open →Civic life4.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 35 attractions →Camp Randall Stadium and 20 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cottage Grove. Close and well known come first.
11 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
10 mi Stadium & arenaKohl Center
17 mi State parkAztalan State Park
35 mi Park & preserveIce Age Trail
7 mi GardenOlbrich Botanical Gardens
11 mi Zoo & aquariumHenry Vilas ZooSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Camp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Kohl Center: Pbrown111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Aztalan State Park: Joshua Mayer - Flickr user wackybadger, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ice Age Trail: MDuchek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Olbrich Botanical Gardens: Chief-O at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Henry Vilas Zoo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Cottage Grove: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cottage Grove, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCottage Grove Waterworks1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet10 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressHire your own · day by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereVillage of Cottage Grove ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5352753527 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cottage Grove.
Cottage Grove has less tooth loss than most of Wisconsin and has fewer 90° days than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin; it also has seen reported crime rise by about half.
HealthA
Fewer of Cottage Grove’s adults have diabetes than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
Its widest gap with Wisconsin is tooth loss: 4.4% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 9.9% statewide. Against the 3,633 U.S. towns with household incomes like Cottage Grove’s, it is healthier than 72%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
7.9% of adults have diabetes in Cottage Grove. Cottage Grove beats the Wisconsin average on 21 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 26% of adults have high blood pressure in Cottage Grove.
92%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Cottage Grove | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.9% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
21 better9 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Cottage Grove | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 4.4% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.4% | 12.1% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 74.4% | 77.8% |
Unitypoint Health - Meriter
10 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
95th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB
Cottage Grove’s schools rank ahead of 57% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Monona Grove School District. One of its 4 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
57%of WI districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glacial Drumlin SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 766 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
SafetyA
Cottage Grove’s grade for safety is an A
Reported crimes rose from 18 to 44 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 8 reported in 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 residents.
The property crime rate in Cottage Grove is 3.8 per 1,000 residents.
87%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Cottage Grove | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.8 per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.8 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Cottage Grove0.8
Wisconsin2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Cottage Grove3.8
Wisconsin10.3
U.S.15.5
87th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
86th
percentile among WI towns
8
violent crimes reported in 2025
36
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade D
Cottage Grove’s grade for cost of living is a D
The median property tax bill is $7,458, against $3,792 across Wisconsin, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Cottage Grove’s median rent is $1,531 a month. The typical Cottage Grove home is worth about $474,000, up 3.5% in a year, 41% above the Wisconsin typical home.
$474KZillow home value
| Cottage Grove | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,531 a month | $1,076 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Cottage Grove$474K
Wisconsin$337K
Market temperature
77
days on market
97.2%
sale-to-list price
+3.5%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Cottage Grove, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 83% of U.S. communities.
17risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Cottage Grove, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Madison Dane Rgnl Ap weather station, 8 miles away, records that about 9 days a year reach 90°: fewer than most of the country, but more than 77% of Wisconsin places with climate records. July afternoons average 82.4°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 87% of Wisconsin places with climate records; January nights average 10.9°.
Cottage Grove has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. About 52 inches of snow falls in a winter.
52″snow a winter
| Cottage Grove | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 11°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall39–60°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
About half of Cottage Grove’s working residents commute to Madison
Jobs based here grew from 1,705 in 2013 to 3,039.
Most working residents leave Cottage Grove for work: only 7% work in town. Jobs based in Cottage Grove grew to 3,039 in 2023, 1,334 more than in 2013. 3.7% of Cottage Grove residents live below the poverty line.
7%work in town
| Cottage Grove | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $139,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 17% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Cottage Grove7%
Madison50%
Monona4%
Sun Prairie3%
Fitchburg3%
10 mi
median commute distance
3,039
jobs based in Cottage Grove
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 44% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
3.3%conserved
| Cottage Grove | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.3% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
3.3%
conserved · 97 of 2,983 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Phoebe Bakken Memorial Park | 0.2 mi | 38 |
| 2. Northlawn Park | — | 14 |
| 3. Fireman's Park | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cottage Grove
19pages on Cottage Grove
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 57% of WI districts · 4 schoolsSafetyA0.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than WI on 21 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$474K typical home · up 3.5% in a yearWork & commuteA+$139K median household income · 3,039 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 17% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Cottage Grove
Herzing University-MadisonUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Madison5.6 mi$13,450 tuitionMadison Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Madison6.5 mi$4,977 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity or college · Public · Madison10.1 mi$11,603 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Cottage Grove residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Cottage Grove
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Cottage Grove is a village in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 7,303 at the 2020 census. A suburb of Madison, it shares a school district with Monona. The village is located partially within the survey township of Cottage Grove. The village was named from a settler's cottage in a grove near the village site.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 892 ft
- ZIP code
- 53527
- Area code
- 608
Cottage Grove’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Cottage Grove.
Cottage GroveSun PrairieCottage Grove
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage Grove | #86 | A− | D | A | B | A |
| Cottage Grove | #275 | B− | D | — | B | A |
| Sun Prairie | — | — | C | — | B | A |
Sun Prairie has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Cottage Grove and Sun Prairie report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Cottage Grove with a neighbor →
Questions about Cottage Grove
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cottage Grove, WI a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Cottage Grove grades A− overall, better than 85% of U.S. towns and #86 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades A for health, A for safety and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Cottage Grove, WI expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.