Below Average CostVery SafeRochester Public School District
Rochester Minnesota Skyline 04 · Wikideas1 / CC0Downtown Rochester, MN-Peace Plaza · cjohnson7 / CC BY 2.0MayoFoundationHouseNorthSide · Jonathunder / GFDL 1.2Mayo Clinic skyline2 (cropped) · Michael Hicks from Saint Paul, MN, USA / CC BY 2.0
Rochester is a mid-sized city of 120,848 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $83,973
and a 3.7% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is
7% below the national average.
Strengths:
Rochester stands out for an affordable cost of living, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Rochester is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rochester city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 93.1
Rochester's overall cost of living index is 93.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Rochester costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
Metric
Rochester, MN
National Avg
Median Home Value
$268,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,218
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
65.5%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$83,973
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Rochester's violent crime rate is 154.0 per 100,000 residents
— 59% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
154.0 /100k
Property Crime
1368.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Rochester is served primarily by Rochester Public School District.
Metric
Rochester, MN
National Avg
School District
Rochester Public School District
—
Elementary Schools
19
—
Middle Schools
5
—
High Schools
14
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
49.1%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
94.3%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Rochester sees average highs of 22.5°F in January
and 80.3°F in July,
with 37.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 52.3 inches of snow per year.
Rochester's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Rochester roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $268,800 and median rent is $1,218/month.
Rochester's violent crime rate is 154.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1368.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Rochester are operated by Rochester Public School District.
The district has 19 elementary, 5 middle, and 14 high schools.
49.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Rochester, MN has a population of 120,848, a median household income of $83,973, and an unemployment rate of 3.7%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Rochester averages 22.5°F in January and 80.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.0 inches
with about 52.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Rochester, MN is covered by 6 ZIP codes: 55901, 55902, 55904, 55906, 55903, 55905.
The population of Rochester, Minnesota is 120,848 with a median age of 36.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Rochester: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $268,800, median household income $83,973, crime index 50 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Rochester side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
.jpg)