Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Rochester, MN

    Is Rochester a good place to live?

    Watch Rochester

    Rochester ranks #17 of 43 Minnesota cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (58/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.7% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $287,500
    +7.0% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,316
    per month
    Household income
    $87,767
    median
    Unemployment
    3.8%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Rochester

    The median home value in Rochester is $287,500 and median rent is $1,316 a month, against a median household income of $87,767. Homes cost about 3.3× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Rochester crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Minnesota the 2025 rate was 226 violent and 1,429 property crimes per 100,000 people — #31 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Rochester, MN

    Rochester has about 121,638 residents, 3.8% unemployment and 28% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Rochester with

    Rochester vs MinneapolisRochester vs St. PaulRochester vs BloomingtonRochester vs DuluthRochester vs Brooklyn ParkRochester vs PlymouthRochester vs WoodburyRochester vs Lakeville

    More: Where to move in Minnesota · Best counties in Minnesota

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report