Outdoor Activities
grade B
editorial
Rochester is a city in Minnesota with a population of 117,134. Rochester is in Olmsted County and is one of the best places to live in Minnesota. Living in Rochester offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Rochester there are a lot of parks. Many families and young professionals live in Rochester and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Rochester are above average.
About
Real Estate
Rent
33%
Own
67%
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Rochester Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
Crime & Safety
Crime & Safety
grade C+
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Assault
202.9
national 282.7
Murder
0.8
national 6.1
Rape
55.3
national 40.7
Robbery
34.6
national 135.5
Burglary
249.9
national 500.1
Theft
1,553.3
national 2,042.8
Motor Vehicle Theft
128
national 284
Residents
Diversity
grade A minus
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
<10 years
14%
10-17 years
10%
18-24 years
8%
25-34 years
16%
35-44 years
13%
45-54 years
11%
55-64 years
12%
65+ years
15%
More
Master's degree or higher
21%
national 13%
Bachelor's degree
27%
national 20%
Some college or associate's degree
28%
national 29%
High school diploma or equivalent
18%
national 27%
Less than high school diploma
6%
national 11%
More
Working in Rochester
Jobs
grade A
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
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grade A
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Rochester Reviews
Rating 3.95 out of 5 276 reviews
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Overall, I enjoy living in Rochester. It's a decent place to raise our family. I laugh when people complain about the roads or traffic. There is no traffic, and the roads are well-maintained (compared to every other place I've lived). But you'll find Minnesotans love complaining about the roads, weather, and how bad the Vikings choke in the playoffs (if they make it).
Housing is still
fairly affordable compared to the rest of the country, but higher than places like Iowa, Kansas, etc. Rochester has a lot of family-friendly activities, but is geared towards family with younger kids. Teens would probably struggle to find things to do here.
I enjoy outside activities: fishing, hiking, skiing, hunting, etc. There's a fair amount of that, but you have to travel 25+ miles for anything good. Growing up in Montana, I have high standards for that sort
of thing, but the trout fishing in nearby streams is satisfactory.
Overall, a nice place. I long for the mountains and scenery though!
Start Your Review of Rochester
Overall, Rochester is a safe and fairly quiet community; however, it has outgrown its resources. The roads and infrastructure are in constant disarray and unable to handle a rapidly growing community. The housing prices have skyrocketed recently and have made it difficult to attract single-family buyers. Instead, a lot of properties are turning into investment units for rent to multiple tenants. May main complaint is
the overbearing taxes and salaries our city council members have demanded and received, especially during a pandemic when a large portion of our community was either overworked or furloughed.
I moved to Rochester recently and have enjoyed my time so far! There are great opportunities to explore and
socialize in the summer months. This town would benefit from more organized activities during the colder weather months.
Is Rochester MN a wealthy city?
What's it like living in Rochester Minnesota?
Is it expensive to live in Rochester MN?
What is the racial makeup of Rochester MN?
Population | ||
White alone, percent | 83.0% | 78.4% |
Black or African American alone, percent(a) | 7.4% | 8.6% |
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) | 1.4% | 0.4% |
Asian alone, percent(a) | 5.4% | 7.4% |