Population 486 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Rochester
Household size in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.43 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.27 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Rochester run small, averaging 2.43 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The picture is much the same across Iowa. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.70, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.4 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 49.1 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.0 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.5 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Rochester skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.7% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Rochester (10.5%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Iowa as a whole looks much the same.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Rochester
Renters in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.1% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.1% of households in Rochester rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly half of owners (47.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.0% of homes in Rochester are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1949 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Rochester is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The picture is much the same across Iowa.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $622 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $664 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $813 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $965 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$343 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rochester pays $965 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 20.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Rochester
Bachelor's degrees in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.8% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.3% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Rochester: 18.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.7% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.4% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Rochester: 97.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Rochester
| Period | Rochester | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.7% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.5% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.0% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
The survey found almost no one in Rochester out of work and looking, against 5.4% of the labor force nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Rochester compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | 2.43 | 48.5 | 10.5% | 14.1% | 5.0% | 1971 | $965 | 18.5% | 97.9% | 0.0% |
| Springdale | 2.23 | 49.6 | 10.8% | 16.3% | 5.9% | 1948 | $965 | 26.0% | 97.4% | 6.8% |
| Tipton | 2.40 | 44.6 | 14.3% | 21.2% | 10.5% | 1963 | $855 | 21.4% | 94.0% | 1.1% |
| Atalissa | 2.40 | 41.8 | 13.9% | 7.5% | 2.2% | 1970 | $793 | 11.2% | 89.2% | 6.2% |
| Moscow | 2.25 | 44.7 | 9.7% | 16.0% | 2.0% | 1968 | $853 | 7.2% | 93.2% | 2.3% |
| West Liberty | 2.74 | 37.4 | 22.5% | 18.4% | 4.6% | 1973 | $1,024 | 22.4% | 79.2% | 2.5% |
| Wilton | 2.23 | 45.9 | 7.5% | 27.5% | 3.0% | 1976 | $925 | 31.3% | 97.8% | 0.5% |
| West Branch | 2.42 | 42.2 | 10.0% | 16.8% | 8.1% | 1987 | $1,041 | 32.3% | 96.5% | 3.1% |
| Bennett | 2.53 | 43.8 | 5.8% | 14.4% | 11.4% | 1942 | $901 | 20.5% | 97.6% | 5.8% |
| Cedar Bluff | 2.92 | 41.5 | 4.5% | 10.7% | 13.0% | 1975 | $735 | 27.0% | 97.8% | 5.2% |
| Sunbury | 2.52 | 42.5 | 4.3% | 16.8% | 8.1% | 1955 | $975 | 29.0% | 97.6% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hudson, SD · Iron Junction, MN · Irisburg, VA · Ione, GA · Indian Springs, MD · Idlewood, IL · Idledale, CO · Idaho, OH · Ida, AR · Hunts Point, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Rochester. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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