2014 · Taft Farmstead · Wikimedia Commons
Rochester’s story
207 years in pictures
2 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 1819Rochester is settled
- 2014Taft Farmstead
RochesterIL
A town of 3,766, settled in 1819. Healthier than 89% of U.S. towns.
Population
3,766
+4.7% since 2010
Median home value
$239K
Census ACS
Household income
$117K
median
Median age
39.8
years
Jobs based here
788
A commuter town
What makes Rochester stand out
The 3 things Rochester does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Rochester
Health
Healthier than 89%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than IL on 14 measures, worse on 1.
Outdoors
#250 most conserved land in IL
0.0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
6.4% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Rochester
Safety
Safer than 87%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade A. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Rochester for work
Where Rochester’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
788jobs based in Rochester
3%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Rochester’s report card
Now in Rochester
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Rochester is #18 of 635 in IL for “Highest graduation rate”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Rochester’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →77°
Mostly Cloudy
H 84° · L 61°
Local news
All →- Basketball Highlights - Lincoln Community High School - Lincoln, ILnfhsnetwork.com · Sep 26
- Glenwood vs Rochester - Boys Varsity Football 09/25/2026 | Watch Live & On Demandnfhsnetwork.com · Sep 25
- Rochester vs Eisenhower - Boys Freshman Basketball 01/27/2027 | Live & On Demandnfhsnetwork.com · Sep 25
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Rochester. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
Homes in Rochester sell for about $220K
The median sale price was $220,000 in May 2026.
$220Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
32
days on market
100.7%
sale-to-list price
5
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Rochester
Most working residents leave Rochester for work: only 3% work in town. The top destinations are Springfield (58%), Rochester (3%) and Decatur (2%). Half commute less than 7 miles.
3%work in town
Where working residents work
In Rochester3%
Springfield58%
Rochester3%
Decatur2%
Chicago2%
7 mi
median commute distance
788
jobs based in Rochester
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Rochester beats the Illinois average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
AHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Illinois
14 better17 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Rochester | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.5% | 15.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.9% | 9.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.7% | 7.6% |
St. Johns Hospital
7.9 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
89th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
6.4% of Rochester is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
6.4%conserved
6.4%
conserved · 109 of 1,712 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
#250
most conserved land in IL
#363
most walkable in IL
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rochester Community Park | — | 63 |
| 2. Wanless Park | — | 16 |
| 3. North Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 87% of U.S. towns
Rochester reports less crime per resident than 87% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
ASafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Rochester1
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Rochester3.7
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
87th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
79th
percentile among IL towns
4
violent crimes reported in 2025
15
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Rochester has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 14 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
14″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–39°
Spring43–64°
Summer64–85°
Fall44–66°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 14
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 58% of U.S. communities.
58risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
4
paid flood claims since 1979
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
About Rochester
Village in Illinois, United States
Rochester is a village and suburb of Springfield in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Rochester had a population of 3,863. The village was settled in 1819, and is located in Rochester Township. Rochester is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1819
- Population
- 3,863
- Area
- 2.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 558 ft
- ZIP code
- 62563
More about Rochester
Still missing for Rochester:a photo of Rochesterupcoming events