Population 131,694 · 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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in Rochester has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.52, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.1 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 38.6, the median age in Rochester is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.5, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the southwest.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Rochester than nationally: 9.3%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Minnesota.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.6% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.6% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.3% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.5% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Rochester is about as common as it is nationally: 32.5% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Minnesota as a whole (27.8%). Among homeowners, 39.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 6.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Rochester than nationally: 6.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Minnesota.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Rochester are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $937 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $951 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,108 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,509 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$571 | +$522 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rochester pays $1,509 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in Minnesota as a whole ($1,404). Rents are up $571 a month from 2006–10, a 61% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 28.9% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.5% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.2% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.7% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.9% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Rochester is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (50.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.4 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the southeast.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.5% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.5% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Rochester: 94.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Minnesota.
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 | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Rochester runs below the national rate: 3.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. That is in line with the rest of Minnesota. 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 | 2.47 | 38.6 | 9.3% | 32.5% | 6.9% | 1986 | $1,509 | 50.9% | 94.5% | 3.7% |
| Golden Hill | 2.44 | 37.8 | 8.8% | 26.1% | 3.4% | 2003 | $1,317 | 46.4% | 98.0% | 2.5% |
| Douglas | 2.88 | 36.1 | 2.7% | 15.4% | 6.0% | 1998 | $1,673 | 51.3% | 98.5% | 2.7% |
| Oronoco | 2.72 | 42.9 | 5.7% | 15.9% | 3.4% | 1996 | $994 | 56.6% | 95.3% | 4.5% |
| Byron | 2.83 | 36.2 | 8.8% | 16.2% | 2.6% | 1992 | $1,253 | 46.2% | 98.3% | 3.9% |
| Marion | 2.13 | 43.5 | 4.2% | 30.3% | 3.8% | 2000 | $1,666 | 44.6% | 97.7% | 2.7% |
| Post Town | 2.97 | 37.2 | 2.7% | 7.4% | 5.6% | 1994 | $1,546 | 51.6% | 98.5% | 2.3% |
| Simpson | 2.23 | 48.9 | 5.0% | 17.4% | 3.0% | 1987 | $1,539 | 36.6% | 97.3% | 2.2% |
| Salem Corners | 2.62 | 45.7 | 3.5% | 6.4% | 7.5% | 1978 | $1,385 | 44.0% | 98.2% | 2.0% |
| Viola | 2.67 | 48.2 | 5.4% | 5.5% | 4.7% | 1977 | $1,019 | 36.4% | 97.4% | 2.0% |
| Potsdam | 2.38 | 47.0 | 4.3% | 18.4% | 11.9% | 1976 | $1,578 | 30.9% | 96.9% | 1.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lakeland, FL · Harlingen, TX · Hawthorne, CA · Hammond, IN · Haverhill, MA · Hollywood, FL · Hemet, CA · Hendersonville, TN · Highlands Ranch, CO · Hartford, CT
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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