State
County
Land Area
55.2 sq mi
Density
2,223.30/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
1.56%
Growth Since 2010
14.93%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
226,135
Rochester is a city located in Minnesota. With a 2020 population of 122,711, it is the 3rd largest city in Minnesota (after Minneapolis and St. Paul) and the 233rd largest city in the United States. Rochester is currently growing at a rate of 1.56% annually and its population has increased by 14.93% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 106,769 in 2010. Rochester reached it's highest population of 122,711 in 2021. Spanning over 55 miles, Rochester has a population density of 2,223 people per square mile.
The average household income in Rochester is $96,015 with a poverty rate of 10.07%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $974 per month, and the median house value is $200,100. The median age in Rochester is 35.7 years, 35 years for males, and 36.9 years for females. For every 100 females there are 94.9 males.
Rochester is located along the Zumbro River in the Southeast region, and it serves as the county seat for Olmstead County. Numerous publications have named Rochester as one of the best places in the country to live, and it is also one of the most educated cities in the world.
The city’s top employer is the Mayo Clinic, which employs over 34,000 people. IBM is another top employer, providing jobs to nearly 3,000 people. Other top employers include Rochester Public Schools, the City of Rochester and Olmsted County.
Rochester has seen its population grow at a steady rate since the 19th century. The city’s population rose to over 5,000 by 1880 and had more than doubled by 1920. The city’s population reached over 50,000 at the time of the 1970 census. This number more than doubled by the 2010 census. Current estimates show that the population is up almost 7% since the last census, indicating that this city will continue to see growth into the future.
The region that is now the city of Rochester was initially inhabited by native tribes including the Sioux and Winnebago people. European explorers arrived in 1660. It wasn’t until 1853 when a treaty with the U.S. government transferred hands from the Dakota/Sioux Indians to the government.
Rochester was originally a stagecoach coach located between Dubuque, Iowa, and Saint Paul, Minnesota. In 1854, George Head laid claims to land which now make up the central business district of Rochester. One year later, Olmsted County was established, and Rochester was designated as the county seat. In 1858, it received designation as a city. The area began to expand, and the population grew with the arrival of the Winona and St. Peter Railroad in 1864. By 1880, the city had a population of over 5,000.
The city was struck by disaster with a tornado that killed 24 and injured 100 - this same system also destroyed many buildings in the area. Dr. W.W. Mayo, the “County Doctor” and the Sisters of Saint Francis were of great assistance following the storm. Shortly after, the Sisters approached Dr. Mayo with an opportunity to build a hospital provided that Dr. Mayo and his sons would join the practice. This partnership led to St. Marys Hospital. The partnership continued to grow through the 20th century, and the Mayo Clinic was developed. Today, it is one of the most innovative medical practices in the world. Two other people from Rochester – Thomas J. Watson, Jr. and Leland Fiegel – became famous for innovation for their role at IBM, which was founded by Watson’s father.
Throughout the 20th century, the city was plagued with floods. This led to the development of a flood control system for the city, which wasn’t completed until 1996.
Today, the economy of Rochester is centered on the Mayo Clinic. The city’s population has continued to grow as has the city itself with the addition of hotels, restaurants, and retail stores. Agriculture is also important to the economy, as well as manufacturing, particularly with IBM’s Rochester campus. Numerous publications have named Rochester as one of the best places in the U.S. to live, and it is also one of the most educated cities not just in the U.S., but in the world.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Rochester was:
2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.
Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 226,135 | 2,107 | 0.93% |
2020 | 224,028 | 2,107 | 0.94% |
2019 | 221,921 | 2,107 | 0.95% |
2018 | 219,814 | 1,821 | 0.83% |
2017 | 217,993 | 1,830 | 0.84% |
2016 | 216,163 | 2,230 | 1.03% |
2015 | 213,933 | 1,274 | 0.60% |
2014 | 212,659 | 1,157 | 0.54% |
2013 | 211,502 | 1,955 | 0.92% |
2012 | 209,547 | 1,074 | 0.51% |
2011 | 208,473 | 1,251 | 0.60% |
2010 | 207,222 | 0.00% |
Race | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 91,786 | 79.43% |
Black or African American | 9,430 | 8.16% |
Asian | 8,410 | 7.28% |
Two or More Races | 3,929 | 3.40% |
Some Other Race | 1,324 | 1.15% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 550 | 0.48% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 128 | 0.11% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
---|---|---|---|
All | 47,097 | 2.4 | 67.8 |
Married | 22,878 | 3.11 | 86 |
Non Family | 18,205 | 1.25 | 48 |
Female | 4,380 | 3.14 | 55.3 |
Male | 1,634 | 3.38 | 67.7 |
3.04
Average Family Size
2.4
Average Household Size
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 2,458 | 3.15% |
9th to 12th Grade | 2,203 | 2.82% |
High School Graduate | 14,552 | 18.66% |
Some College | 13,423 | 17.21% |
Associates Degree | 8,929 | 11.45% |
Bachelors Degree | 20,042 | 25.70% |
Graduate Degree | 16,380 | 21.00% |
Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 62,483 | 60,807 | 30,421 |
Asian | 5,882 | 4,930 | 3,525 |
Black | 4,546 | 3,508 | 819 |
Hispanic | 3,551 | 2,630 | 930 |
Multiple Races | 1,291 | 1,240 | 668 |
Other Race | 735 | 536 | 168 |
Native American | 360 | 337 | 41 |
Islander | 82 | 82 | 67 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100.00%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 81.71%.
$48,380
Average Earnings
$53,339
Average Male
$43,478
Average Female
82.23% of Rochester residents speak only English, while 17.77% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other languages, which is spoken by 5.63% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 85,294 | 5,433 | 6.37% |
Black | 9,195 | 3,727 | 40.53% |
Hispanic | 6,637 | 1,318 | 19.86% |
Asian | 8,378 | 592 | 7.07% |
Multiple | 3,888 | 342 | 8.80% |
Other | 1,213 | 127 | 10.47% |
Native | 501 | 39 | 7.78% |
Islander | 128 | 15 | 11.72% |
10.07%
Overall Poverty Rate
8.85%
Male Poverty Rate
11.22%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Rochester is Black, with 40.53% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Rochester is White, with 6.37% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.35%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.79%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 16.08%.
52.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
54.1%
Male Marriage Rate
50.7%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 5,350 | 7.39% |
Black | 123 | 2.16% |
2 or More | 101 | 5.93% |
Hispanic | 76 | 1.77% |
Asian | 64 | 0.99% |
Indian | 22 | 5.63% |
Other | 7 | 0.74% |
4.29%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.06%
Veteran Disability Rate
70.8%
Labor Force Participation
68.3%
Employment Rate
3.5%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
85.90%
Native Born
14.10%
Foreign Born
7.59%
Non Citizen
6.51%
Naturalized
85.90% of Rochester residents were born in the United States, with 54.47% having been born in Minnesota. 7.59% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 122,711 | 1,888 | 1.56% |
2020 | 120,823 | 1,888 | 1.59% |
2019 | 118,935 | 1,888 | 1.61% |
2018 | 117,047 | 1,461 | 1.26% |
2017 | 115,586 | 1,535 | 1.35% |
2016 | 114,051 | 1,891 | 1.69% |
2015 | 112,160 | 962 | 0.87% |
2014 | 111,198 | 771 | 0.70% |
2013 | 110,427 | 1,511 | 1.39% |
2012 | 108,916 | 819 | 0.76% |
2011 | 108,097 | 1,050 | 0.98% |
2010 | 107,047 | 21,241 | 2.24% |
2000 | 85,806 | 15,061 | 1.95% |
1990 | 70,745 | 12,839 | 2.02% |
1980 | 57,906 | 4,140 | 0.74% |
1970 | 53,766 | 13,103 | 2.83% |
1960 | 40,663 | 10,778 | 3.13% |
1950 | 29,885 | 3,573 | 1.28% |
1940 | 26,312 | 5,691 | 2.47% |
1930 | 20,621 | 6,899 | 4.16% |
1920 | 13,722 | 5,878 | 5.75% |
1910 | 7,844 | 1,001 | 1.37% |
1900 | 6,843 | 1,522 | 2.55% |
1890 | 5,321 | 218 | 0.42% |
1880 | 5,103 | 1,150 | 2.59% |
1870 | 3,953 | 0.00% |