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Rochester, MN

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US location · verified

Neighborhood intelligence

Your Rochester relocation brief

Safety, noise, air quality, true cost, hazard, and commute intelligence for Rochester.

Median rent

$1,399/mo

ACS 2024 5-year

HUD 2-bedroom FMR $1,422/mo

Median household income

$89,389

ACS 2024 5-year

Median home value

$310,500

ACS 2024 5-year

Safety score

76/100

FBI CDE

Weather

54°F (H 61° / L 46°)

Open-Meteo

Buying in Rochester? Check current mortgage rates early — before you fall in love with a ZIP.

Safety & Crime Index

76/100

FBI CDE

Above-average peace of mind — 40% below average FBI data, 2023–2024

Above Average

Noise Level

40 dB — Quiet Suburb

Open-Meteo

Open-Meteo 16-day avg 54°F

Quiet — Low environmental index

Environmental / Air Quality

AQI 35 — Good

Open-Meteo

Low pollen & dust baseline · wind index 77 (100 = avg)

Good / Low Pollen

Neighborhood guide

Living in Rochester MN

Rochester offers above-average safety (76/100). Rent runs $1,399/month and median income sits at $89,389.

Rochester has about 122,330 residents. Scores below are citywide. Your ZIP can land better or worse on rent and crime.

Is Rochester MN Safe?

Rochester MN scores 76/100 on safety (above average). Crime is about 40% below the national average. Pick the neighborhood carefully. Some ZIPs are fine, others are not.

Detail: overall crime index 60 (100 = avg); violent crime index 43; property crime index 76. Indexes near 100 track a typical U.S. load. Higher means more crime pressure on that category.

Schools in Rochester MN

School quality varies by neighborhood in Rochester. Check GreatSchools.org or your local district for current ratings before you choose a ZIP.

Cost of Living in Rochester MN

Typical rent in Rochester is about $1,399/month (moderate). At $1,399/month for a typical unit, you need about $50,364+ in household income to rent comfortably without stretching (3× rent × 12). Typical home value: $310,500.

Median household income is $89,389, property taxes run about 1.45%, and homes typically sell in around 28 days. Local median income ($89,389) clears the $50,364 comfort line for that rent.

Walk Score 68 (Somewhat Walkable); transit score 42 (Some Transit).

Weather and Climate in Rochester MN

Average temperature is about 54°F (highs near 61°F, lows near 46°F).

Cooler months cut into patio season; plan indoor hobbies for part of the year. Heating will show up on winter bills more than AC does in summer. If you visit, go in January. That is when the cold is honest.

Who Should Move to Rochester MN?

Who tends to thrive in Rochester: (1) Households that want quieter streets (safety sits at 76/100) (2) Renters who want $1,399/month housing without coastal prices (comfort income is about $50,364) (3) Tech and finance workers (the job market is real and local pay near $89,389 helps carry housing costs) (4) People relocating for a job who can pick a safer ZIP (citywide safety is 76/100)

Who should look elsewhere: (1) Households expecting top marks on rent and safety at once (Rochester does not clear every bar) (2) People who will not research ZIP-level crime maps before leasing

Income sniff test: clear about $50,364 household income for $1,399/month rent. Under that, pick a cheaper ZIP or a different city.

Bottom Line

Rochester holds up well on the core metrics we publish. Safety at 76/100 makes it a reasonable choice for households who can manage $1,399/month rent. Verify school ratings for your target ZIP separately.

Next steps

Tools for your move

Quotes and listings for Rochester when you're ready to act.

Relocation deep-dive

Before you sign anything

True ownership costs, insurance hazards, and commute math for Rochester.

True Cost Matrix

Property tax trajectories and climate-adjusted utility estimates

Monthly carrying cost

$2,151

Mortgage + tax + insurance + HOA

Annual property tax

$4,502

Annual est. $5,580

Est. monthly utilities

$492

Climate-adjusted electric, gas & water

Median home price

$310,500

ACS 2024 5-year

Home price trend

5-year median sale price

+11.2% · 5 yr
$279k
2022
$287k
2023
$294k
2024
$302k
2025
$311k
2026

Modeled from +14.2% cumulative appreciation · median sale price by year

Rent vs buy index

Estimated monthly cost comparison

Renting saves ~$752/mo vs buying
$1,399ACS 2024 5-year
Rent
$2,151
Buy

Mortgage

$1,570

Property tax

$375

Insurance

$111

HOA

$95

Buy estimate: 20% down, 30-yr fixed at 6.5% APR · taxes, insurance & HOA included

Property tax trajectory

Effective rate and estimated annual bill on median home

2023

1.33%

$4,120/yr

2024

1.37%

$4,244/yr

2025

1.41%

$4,371/yr

2026

1.45%

$4,502/yr

Buying in Rochester? See current mortgage rates in minutes.

Disaster & Insurance Risk

Flood zone exposure and average insurance premium impacts

Flood zone

Zone X — minimal flood risk

moderate exposure

Wildfire hazard index

22 (100 = avg)

low exposure

Est. annual homeowners insurance

$1,331/yr

moderate exposure
Wind hazard index77 (100 = avg)
Tornado index—
Earthquake index—
Insurance trendTypical near-term temperature around 54°F

Flood and wind exposure can materially affect premiums — verify FEMA maps and carrier quotes before closing. Estimated annual homeowners insurance: $1,331.

Custom Commute Calculator

Work address, MPG, and toll footprint estimates

Work commute & expense calculator

Monthly gas and toll footprint from Rochester to your workplace

One-way drive

~24 min

At ~30 mph average

Monthly fuel

$66

18.9 gal · 22 days

Monthly tolls

$0

Round-trip toll estimate

Monthly total

$66

Gas + tolls · 48 min/day

Annual footprint

$792

Commute-only estimate

✓ Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau, HUD, FBI & Open-Meteo