Cost of Living in Rochester, MN
Cost of Living in Rochester, MN has an overall index of 99, 1% below the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $334,408; typical monthly rent is $1,316; and median household income is $87,767.
Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 metro-area price parities. Home value: Zillow ZHVI market signal as of 2026-02. Rent: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.
Rent and home prices are comparatively balanced with local income. This describes the local market, not your household.
Can your household carry the housing cost?
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Other Minnesota cities with a useful tradeoff.
Recommendations require usable housing and income data and exclude very small places for a city of this scale.
Frequently asked questions about Rochester
Living in Rochester
What is the cost of living like in Rochester, MN?+
Living costs in Rochester land close to the national average, with a Cost Index of 99 (where 100 = the US baseline). Housing is the largest variable: the median home value here is $334,408, and typical monthly rents are $1,316. Groceries and utilities are slightly below what you would find in most US cities.
How does Rochester fit a household housing budget?+
Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,316, while local median household income is $87,767. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 18% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.
How much are taxes in Rochester, MN?+
Minnesota uses a progressive model; 9.85% is top marginal-rate context. Applying the 1.11% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $334,408 gives a planning estimate near $3,712 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 7.54%.
How much does it cost to rent in Rochester, MN?+
The typical monthly rent in Rochester is around $1,316. That's close to the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $334,408, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.
How much does a house cost in Rochester, MN?+
The typical home value in Rochester is $334,408. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $1,623/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 65% of residents here own their homes.
Are groceries and utilities expensive in Rochester?+
Grocery prices in Rochester are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 95, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 87). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.
What is Rochester, MN like to live in?+
Rochester is a mid-sized city with a population of about 121,638. The median age of residents is 36.4, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 9.05%, near the national average of 12.4%.