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Living in
Rochester.
About
Life in Rochester
This is a city built on healthcare and stability rather than hype. Mayo Clinic dominates Rochester's economy—it's the largest private employer in Minnesota with 51,000 workers—which means the job market here is genuinely strong and diversified beyond just medical positions, with tech companies like IBM historically anchoring the Technology Campus and supporting industries throughout the region. The median household income sits around $89,389, and the unemployment rate hovers at just 3.1%, so if you're moving here for work, the prospects are solid across multiple sectors.
Rochester at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.5%
Foreign-Born
13.3%
Broadband Internet
92.1%
of households
Population Growth
+2.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Rochester: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Rochester, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (8.1%), and 3.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.3%
of residents
65 and Older
16.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.8%
of households
Married Couples
46.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 9% above MN average
Rent, home values, and income in Rochester
In Rochester, rent runs 9% above the MN average, and home values are 6% below the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
90.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,258
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1989
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $340,589 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below MN average
Unemployment in Rochester
Unemployment in Rochester is 0.8 percentage points lower than the MN average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Rochester Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.4 min avg
How Rochester residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Rochester, most residents drive alone to work (65%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Rochester International Airport (RST)
Regional airport · few flights105k passengers boarded in 2025
- 70 mi
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Major hub17.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 43% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Rochester runs 43% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
186.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,444.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Rochester Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
82.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Olmsted County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Olmsted County, which includes Rochester, the most common type is hail, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Hail | $95,000 |
| 2024 | 23 | Winter Weather | $173,000 |
| 2023 | 21 | Winter Weather | $20,000 |
| 2022 | 19 | Hail | $780,000 |
| 2021 | 14 | Hail | $647,000 |
| 2020 | 12 | Blizzard | $35,000 |
| 2019 | 30 | Hail | $1.4M |
| 2018 | 19 | Winter Storm | $83,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Olmsted County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Olmsted County, which includes Rochester, is typically good — 239 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
239
per year
Moderate Days
97
per year
Unhealthy Days
3
per year
Olmsted County, county-wide
Climate79°F summers, 10°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Rochester has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 10°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
57°/38°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
26°/10°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.0"
Annual Snowfall
52.3"
Hot Days/Year
5
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
156
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
117
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 7°F | 0.99" |
| Feb | 27°F | 11°F | 1.02" |
| Mar | 40°F | 23°F | 2.02" |
| Apr | 55°F | 35°F | 3.52" |
| May | 68°F | 47°F | 4.35" |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 5.35" |
| Jul | 80°F | 61°F | 4.19" |
| Aug | 78°F | 58°F | 4.12" |
| Sep | 72°F | 50°F | 3.60" |
| Oct | 58°F | 38°F | 2.43" |
| Nov | 42°F | 26°F | 1.80" |
| Dec | 28°F | 14°F | 1.28" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 4.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Rochester
Rochester has 3 hospitals, averaging 4.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
3.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.5 / 5
Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Olmsted Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Community Behavioral Health Hospital Rochester
Psychiatric
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Rochester
Rochester's student/teacher ratio is 16.2:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 50.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
52
within city limits
Private Schools
13
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Rochester
Rochester Community and Technical College
Public · 2-year · 3,365 students · in-state tuition $6,616 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,427 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Public · 4-year · 568 students · in-state tuition $15,944 · 63% graduate · median earnings $74,314 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, 71 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Rochester
Rochester has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (71 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
71 mi awayEffigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
91 mi awayPublic Libraries in Rochester
Rochester - Main
101 2nd Street Se, Rochester
Cities Near Rochester
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Rochester?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Rochester FAQ
Is Rochester, Minnesota affordable?⌄
Rochester's median rent is $1,399/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $89,389/year. Median home value is $310,500.
Is Rochester, Minnesota safe?⌄
Rochester's violent crime rate was 186 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1444 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Rochester, Minnesota?⌄
Rochester has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Rochester, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in Rochester is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,399/month and median household income is $89,389/year. The median home value is $310,500. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Rochester, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in Rochester is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from