Rochester, Minnesota Population 2024

122,191

Rochester is a city located in Olmsted County Minnesota. Rochester has a 2024 population of 122,191. It is also the county seat of Olmsted County. Rochester is currently growing at a rate of 0.13% annually and its population has increased by 0.51% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 121,565 in 2020.

The average household income in Rochester is $113,641 with a poverty rate of 9.11%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Rochester is 36.3 years, 35.4 years for males, and 37.2 years for females.

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.

Rochester Population and Economy Statistics

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 Population Growth

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.

Rochester Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Rochester was:

  • White: 76.26%
  • Black or African American: 9.18%
  • Asian: 7.79%
  • Two or more races: 4.86%
  • Other race: 1.63%
  • Native American: 0.19%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.09%
Land Area (mi²)
55.2 sq mi
Density (mi²)
2,213.80/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
0.51% (626)
The current population of Rochester, Minnesota is 122,191 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 121,565.

Rochester, Minnesota Population 2024

Population by Race

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Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White92,15576.26%
Black or African American11,0889.18%
Asian9,4157.79%
Two or more races5,8774.86%
Other race1,9741.63%
Native American2330.19%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1060.09%

White

Black or African American

Asian

Two or more races

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Rochester Population by Race

Rochester Population Pyramid 2024

Rochester Median Age

36.3

Total

35.4

Male

37.2

Female

Rochester Adults

There are 92,314 adults, (18,928 of whom are seniors) in Rochester.

Rochester Age Dependency

64.7

Age Dependency Ratio

25.8

Old Age Dependency Ratio

38.9

Child Dependency Ratio

Rochester Sex Ratio

Female61,57850.95%
Male59,27049.05%

Rochester Population by Age

Rochester Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All50,2362.3565.534.5
Married23,4923.0984.715.3
Non Family20,6941.2746.253.8
Female4,2003.0853.546.5
Male1,8503.3563.636.4

3.01

Average Family Size

2.35

Average Household Size

65.5%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Rochester Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Rochester Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Rochester Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 61.05%.

Rochester Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$56,673

Average Earnings

$62,120

Average Male

$53,002

Average Female

Rochester Earnings by Educational Attainment

Rochester Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Rochester Language

82.18% of Rochester residents speak only English, while 17.82% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other languages, which is spoken by 5.55% of the population.

Rochester Language

Rochester Poverty by Race

rate

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Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White86,5235,4936.35%
Black10,3583,30631.92%
Hispanic6,98892313.21%
Asian9,3516486.93%
Multiple5,8634888.32%
Other1,97136818.67%
Native1354130.37%
Islander1063028.3%

9.11%

Overall Poverty Rate

8%

Male Poverty Rate

10.18%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Rochester

The race most likely to be in poverty in Rochester is Black, with 31.92% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Rochester is White, with 6.35% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.38%. Among those working part-time, it was 13.93%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 17.17%.

Rochester Poverty

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade24.85%
High School14.86%
Some College7.75%
Bachelors or Greater2.76%

Rochester Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed31.65%
Male Unemployed27.65%
Female Employed6.31%
Male Employed4.59%

Rochester Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Rochester Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Rochester Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

50.9%

Overall Marriage Rate

52.8%

Male Marriage Rate

49.1%

Female Marriage Rate

Rochester Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Rochester Marriage

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 35-44.

Rochester Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Rochester Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

5,508

Number of Veterans

5,203

Male Veterans

305

Female Veterans

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Rochester Veterans by War

count

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Rochester Veterans by Age

count

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Rochester Veterans by Race

Rochester Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

6.75%

Veteran Poverty Rate

23.62%

Veteran Disability Rate

Rochester Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

70.9%

Labor Force Participation

68.2%

Employment Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

Rochester Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Rochester Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Rochester Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

54.13%

Born in Rochester

86.02%

Native Born

13.98%

Foreign Born

6.48%

Non Citizen

7.5%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

86.02% of Rochester residents were born in the United States, with 54.13% having been born in Minnesota. 6.48% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

Rochester Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

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Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
2029122,9731560.13%
2028122,8171570.13%
2027122,6601560.13%
2026122,5041570.13%
2025122,3471560.13%
2024122,1911570.13%
2023122,0341560.13%
2022121,8781500.12%
2021121,7281630.13%
2020121,5652,7132.28%
2019118,8521,7701.51%
2018117,0821,3841.2%
2017115,6981,5201.33%
2016114,1781,9501.74%
2015112,2289690.87%
2014111,2597870.71%
2013110,4721,5291.4%
2012108,9438290.77%
2011108,1141,0640.99%
2010107,05000%
200085,80615,06121.29%
199070,74512,83922.17%
198057,9064,1407.7%
197053,76613,10332.22%
196040,66310,77836.06%
195029,8853,57313.58%
194026,3125,69127.6%
193020,6216,89950.28%
192013,7225,87874.94%
19107,8441,00114.63%
19006,8431,52228.6%
18905,3212184.27%
18805,1031,15029.09%
18703,953-119,020-96.79%
showing: 34 rows

Rochester Population by Year