Rochester is a medium-sized city located in the state of Minnesota. The city has a population of 111,396 people. If we take a look at the last Census, the vast majority of the population falls within one racial group (81% White). Given that fact, Rochester could be considered less diverse than other cities. If you are looking for a family friendly city, Rochester might be a good fit as 78% of the population over 15 years old are married, and 55% have kids who are 18 years old or younger.
Whether you’re relocating to a new town to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Rochester could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Minnesota if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Rochester and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes crime, health & safety, education, housing and other important metrics.
With a livability score of 90 out of 100, Rochester is ranked #40 in the United States and #2 in Minnesota. Clearly, Rochester is doing something right, as this score ranks well above the average of most cities. The cherry on top is that Rochester also ranks in the top 10 percent of all cities. If we consider each of the categories individually, we see that Rochester ranks well for cost of living (A-), education (A-), employment (A+) and housing (A+).
Location, location, location - those 3 words empasize the significance of the location of any property and are possibly the three most important words in your search for a new place to live. Fortunately, in Rochester, there are an abundance of amazing local amenities and other interesting things to do. These include grocery stores, coffee shops, places to eat and parks. Some of the interesting things to do and attractions include: Plummer House, Assisi Heights, and Chateau Theater.
A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Rochester has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.
Being close to public transit, grocery stores, parks and other conveniences are all important when weighing your options for a new home in Rochester. Before you determine if any of these amenities are available in the area, you will also want to know if the real estate prices in Rochester are affordable. The median home price for Rochester homes is $167,800, which is 12.4% lower than the Minnesota average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Rochester, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 2.6, which is 13.3% lower than the Minnesota average.
| Statistic | Rochester | Minnesota | National |
| Average one way commute | 16min | 23min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 71.8% | 78.0% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 12.2% | 8.7% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 6.4% | 3.5% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 1.1% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 4.2% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 3.4% | 5.3% | 4.6% |
| Walk | Bike | Compact | Car | S.U.V. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | |||||
| Duration | |||||
| Cost/Month |
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