Total enrollment
1,966
+143 (+8%) vs SY 2020-21
Cottonwood County
Minnesota · Public K-12
Cottonwood County is one of Minnesota's public-school counties, with 14 schools serving about 1,966 students (4 elementary, 2 middle, and 6 high). Median household income in the county is roughly $72,941.
4-year change in Cottonwood County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
9
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Cottonwood County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Minnesota | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 39.5% | #56 of 80 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,966 | #60 of 80 | #2,234 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 9 | #57 of 80 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.6:1 | #9 of 80 | #746 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 53.2% | #12 of 80 | #1,463 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 58.7% | #9 of 80 | #644 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Cottonwood County school rankings
Residents
11,458
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
14
4 districts
Enrollment
1,966
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$72,941
Below Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
53.2%
Above Minnesota avg
Elementary
4
758 students
Middle
2
359 students
High
6
807 students
Combined / other
2
42 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Windom Public School District
1,187 students · 4 districts in Cottonwood County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Cottonwood County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
24.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.8%
civilian labor
Median age
40
25.2% under 18
Test scores in Cottonwood County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 6 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Windom Senior High· 54.0%
- Windom Middle· 44.0%
- Windom Area Elementary· 43.0%
- WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SECONDARY· 40.0%
- MOUNTAIN LAKE ELEMENTARY· 39.6%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- MOUNTAIN LAKE SECONDARY· 34.5%
- MOUNTAIN LAKE ELEMENTARY· 39.6%
- WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SECONDARY· 40.0%
- Windom Area Elementary· 43.0%
- Windom Middle· 44.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windom Area Elementary | Windom | Elementary | PK-04 | 493 | · |
| Windom Middle | Windom | Middle | 05-08 | 359 | · |
| Windom Senior High | Windom | High | 09-12 | 327 | · |
| MOUNTAIN LAKE ELEMENTARY | Mountain Lake | Elementary | PK-06 | 257 | · |
| MOUNTAIN LAKE SECONDARY | Mountain Lake | High | 07-12 | 241 | · |
| WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SECONDARY | Westbrook | High | 07-12 | 198 | · |
| SWWC ELC - Windom | Windom | Combined | KG-12 | 42 | · |
| SWWC ALC - Windom | Windom | High | 09-12 | 41 | · |
| Early Childhood Learning Center | Windom | Elementary | PK-PK | 8 | · |
| Out-of-State Care and Treatment | Windom | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
| STARRS ONLINE ACADEMY | Windom | High | 06-12 | 0 | · |
| STARSS Online Academy Elementary | Windom | Elementary | KG-05 | 0 | · |
| SWWC ALC Midlevel - Windom | Windom | Middle | 07-08 | 0 | · |
| Windom Learn Center Credit Recovery | Windom | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Cottonwood County
About Cottonwood County
Cottonwood County is a thinly populated Minnesota county of about 11,458 residents, home to 14 public schools and roughly 1,966 students.
For perspective, census numbers show median household income runs near $72,941, about 24% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 6% lower than the Minnesota median.
For a sense of the school types, Cottonwood County consists of 4 elementary schools (758 students), 2 middle schools (359), 6 high schools (807), and 2 combined or other schools.
Windom Public School District dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 1,187 students on its own.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment climbed 8%: 1,823 students in SY 2020-21 versus 1,966 in SY 2024-25.
On this page, the community for Cottonwood County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data