Rochester, MN — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Minnesota·Rochester

Olmsted County · Rochester · population 123,624

Rochester, MN
Image: Wikipedia · Rochester, Minnesota
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Rochester stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 4.1% in the last year.

Median home $344,633
1-year +4.1%
5-yr CAGR +4.4%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$345k$178k$238k$298k$358k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,695/mo$1,289$1,542$1,796202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent124124100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 16.9
Lean buy

At a 16.9 price-to-rent ratio, Rochester is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
71 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
61 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
54 · w16%
Rent YoY
59 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
68 · w10%
Long thesis

Rochester has held up across the cycle: home values at $344,633 with +4.4% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Rochester's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Rochester

Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, with an estimated population of 123,624. The median home value in Rochester is $344,633 as of 2026-04, up 4.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.4% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Rochester average $1,695 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.1%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Quiet strength: +4.1% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Rochester (Wikipedia)

Rochester is a city in and the county seat of Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. The population was 121,395 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 123,624 in 2024, making it the third-most populous city in Minnesota. The Rochester metropolitan area has an estimated 230,000 residents. The city is the home and birthplace of Mayo Clinic.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorKim Norton
Area57.151 sq mi
Elevation1129 ft
FoundedJuly 12, 1854
NicknameMed City, Roch
Motto''America's City of Care and Innovation''Cite web
Densityauto/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Olmsted County right now.

NWS active alerts (MN)Minnesota Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Olmsted County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Rochester

22 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Folwell$465,743+0.0%
2Glendale$439,044+3.3%
3Northwest Rochester$407,204+2.9%
4Viking Hills$388,144+4.2%
5Historic Southwest$382,394+4.4%
6Viking Park$372,290+6.2%
7Parkway$370,399-1.8%
8Lincolnshire-Arbor Glen$359,093+3.0%
9Apple Hill$351,365+6.7%
10Manor Park$339,368+6.3%
11Kutzky Park$327,720+3.2%
12Elton Hills$303,751+3.2%
13John Adams$303,655+4.9%
14Cimarron$298,418+6.0%
15Meadow Park$298,020+4.4%
16John Marshall$283,628+5.9%
17Washington$273,334+5.0%
18Slatterly Park$238,175+6.0%
19East Side$237,765+7.2%
20Sunnyside$233,097+6.5%
21Lowertown$230,122+4.0%
22Downtown$194,412+2.0%

Cities like Rochester

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Run the numbers for Rochester

ToolCan I afford Rochester?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Rochester rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Rochester to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolRochester cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
22° / 4°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 62°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
198
~54% of year
Annual precip
28″ rain
45″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Rochester listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Rochester area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$84,300
Minnesota state median
Top industries (state-level)
Medical DevicesFinanceManufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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