City profile
Rochester, MN
Home of the Mayo Clinic — unmatched healthcare in a safe, small city.
Climate
Climate type
Four seasons
Winter avg
15°F
Summer avg
72°F
Sunny days / yr
195
Home prices & cost of living
Median home price
$320,000
Typical monthly housing
$2,165
Cost of living (100 = U.S.)
98
Taxes
- Property tax
- 1.05%
- State income tax (top)
- 9.85%
- Social Security
- Taxed (with exemptions)
- Pensions
- Partly exempt
- Sales tax (state + avg. local)
- 8.04%
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively Moderate · county score 82/100
Top hazards: Cold wave, Tornado, Riverine flooding
Nearest major airport
70 mi to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Political lean (2024 county vote)
Leans Democratic · 54% Democratic / 44% Republican
Demographics (Census ACS)
Population (2024)
122,330
Growth since 2019
+5.9%
Median age
36.3
Residents 65+
15.9%
Median household income
$89,389
Income growth since 2019
+22.3%
Black household income
$54,688
Home ownership
65.1%
Poverty rate
8.5%
Poverty rate, 65+
8.2%
Race & ethnicity: Black 9.8% · White 70.6% · Hispanic 6.6% · Asian 7.8% · Other 5.3%
Crime (per 100,000 residents, 2025)
Violent crime
201 · 39% below the national average
Property crime
1,453 · 6% below the national average
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, Rochester Police Department. State average: violent 226, property 1,430.
2025–2026 trends
2026 market trends
- ▸Home insurance premiums are rising quickly here
- ▸Home prices are still rising in 2026 — good for long-term value, less room to negotiate
- ▸Climate/cost risks to check: hail, extreme cold
Highlights
- Mayo Clinic
- Very safe
- Short commutes
Trade-offs
- Very cold winters
- Small Black community
Figures are estimates from public sources (see How we match). Verify before making decisions.