Mayo Clinic Buildings · National Register of Historic Places
Rochester’s story
172 years in pictures
13 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1854Rochester is settled
RochesterMN
A city of 122,330, settled in 1854. Healthier than 84% of U.S. towns.
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: cjohnson7 · CC BY 2.0
Population
122,330
+13.7% since 2010
Median home value
$311K
Census ACS
Household income
$89K
median
Median age
36.3
years
Jobs based here
96,136
A job hub
What makes Rochester stand out
The 3 things Rochester does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Rochester
Health
Healthier than 84%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than MN on 4 measures, worse on 0.
96,136jobs here
Work
96,136 jobs
based in Rochester, a regional job hub
76% of working residents work in town.
3colleges
College town
3 colleges
Rochester Community and Technical College
Students are part of everyday life here.
College town
Rochester Community and Technical College calls Rochester home
3 colleges in town.
Rochester Community and Technical College3,164 students on campus
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- $14,435
- Graduate
- 29%
- Admission
- 39%
- Net price
- —
- Graduate
- —
- Admission
- 71%
- Net price
- $13,744
- Graduate
- 57%
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Rochester’s report card
Now in Rochester
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Rochester is #5 of 275 in MN for “Closest to a top hospital”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Rochester’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →54°
Clear
H 0° · L 41°
Local news
All →- Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management meeting in RochesterKIMT · Oct 1
- New Weekly Downtown Market Kicks off this Weekend in Rochesterkroc.com · Oct 1
- Rochester’s Downtown Dazzle Announces Return for 2026kroc.com · Oct 1
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Rochester. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Rochester beats the Minnesota average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
A−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
4 better28 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Rochester | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer smokers | 11.4% | 13.1% |
| Fewer adults with COPD | 4.7% | 5.4% |
Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester
0.5 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
80th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Rochester
76% of Rochester’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Minneapolis (2%), Stewartville (1%) and Eden Prairie (1%). Half commute less than 3 miles.
76%work in town
Where working residents work
In Rochester76%
Minneapolis2%
Stewartville1%
Eden Prairie1%
St. Paul1%
3 mi
median commute distance
96,136
jobs based in Rochester
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
Homes in Rochester sell for about $352K
The median sale price was $352,000 in May 2026.
$352Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
16
days on market
100.3%
sale-to-list price
205
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
4.1% of Rochester is conserved land
34 miles of trails across 114 parks and preserves.
#98for trails in MN
4.1%
conserved · 1,492 of 36,328 acres
34 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
#67
most walkable in MN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Quarry Hill Park | 7.4 mi | 248 |
| 2. Willow Creek Reservoir Park | 3 mi | 196 |
| 3. Essex Park | 3 mi | 167 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 76% of U.S. communities.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
526
paid flood claims since 1978
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Rochester has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 52 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
52″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–27°
Spring34–55°
Summer58–80°
Fall37–58°
Oct 6
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 45% of U.S. towns
Rochester reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 55% report less. Compared with places its own size, it does better than 85%.
B−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Rochester1.8
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Rochester14.3
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
45th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
30th
percentile among MN towns
228
violent crimes reported in 2025
1,773
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Schools
Rochester’s public schools outperform 55% of Minnesota districts
The public schools Rochester’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 55% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
BSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gibbs Elementary School | PK–5 | 675 | A− |
| Franklin Elementary School | PK–5 | 600 | C |
| Bamber Valley Elementary School | PK–5 | 599 | B |
| Overland Elementary School | PK–5 | 549 | Not graded |
| Bishop Elementary School | PK–5 | 545 | B |
| Riverside Central Elementary School | PK–5 | 509 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduationAll 62 schools →
A growing town
Rochester has grown 13.7% since 2010
106,769 people in 2010; 122,330 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Landmarks
13 places in Rochester on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Rochester
City in Minnesota, United States
Rochester is a city in and the county seat of Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. The population was 121,395 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 124,292 in 2025, making it the third-most populous city in Minnesota. The Rochester metropolitan area has an estimated 230,000 residents. The city is the home and birthplace of Mayo Clinic. Rochester first developed as a stagecoach stop between Dubuque, Iowa, and Saint Paul, Minnesota. With the creation of the Mayo Clinic in 1864, Rochester became a national center for healthcare, as well as a hub for regional agriculture. For higher education nee…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1854
- Population
- 121,395
- Area
- 55 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,030 ft
- ZIP code
- 55901, 55902, 55903
- Area code
- 507
Rochester’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Rochester.
CascadeRochesterHaverhillMarionHigh ForestKalmarRochester
More about Rochester
Still missing for Rochester:archive photosupcoming events