Rochester, MN
Census place 2754880 · pop 122,330
Home of the Mayo Clinic, the world-renowned medical center that anchors the city's economy.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
36.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
44 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$310,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.05% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1380 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
65.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,698/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
159 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
80/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
8.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$89,389 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+5.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
50.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
14.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Rochester, MN a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Rochester scores 63/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is income inequality. Minnesota overall ranks #5 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Rochester, MN?
- Rochester reports 159 violent crimes per 100k and 1380 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Rochester, MN expensive to live in?
- Rochester has a median home value of $310,500 and typical rent around $1,698/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Rochester, MN?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.46) — 31/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Rochester, MN best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.3%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home of the Mayo Clinic, the world-renowned medical center that anchors the city's economy.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.