Cost of living in Rochester, Minnesota: rent and home prices
Living costs in Rochester, Minnesota sit 9.2% below the US average. For 2024, BEA's RPP in the Rochester, MN metro area is 90.8, housing on its own is 78.6, and the US is 100.
- Prices in general
- 90.8US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 78.6 for rents, with US = 100.
Cost of living index for Rochester, Minnesota
For one basket of goods and services, a regional price parity measures its cost in a place against the US average of 100. BEA prices the Rochester, MN metro area as a whole, including Rochester, Minnesota. Housing (rents) sits furthest from the US average, at 78.6, or 21.4% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Rochester, MN metro | Minnesota | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.8 | 98.6 | −9.2% |
| Goods | 95.4 | 100.5 | −4.6% |
| Housing (rents) | 78.6 | 91.3 | −21.4% |
| Utilities | 87.4 | 90.8 | −12.6% |
| Other services | 92.2 | 100.2 | −7.8% |
The 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) include regional price parities for metro areas and states. BEA regional price parities
What rent costs in Rochester, Minnesota
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts typical asking rent in Rochester, Minnesota at $1,602 a month. It measures rent on homes listed now and is +1.7% on a year. In the US, the figure is $1,932. Census reports a median gross rent of $1,500, a figure that covers every renting household, not just new leases. Twelve months of asking rent equals 21% of the median household income.
| Rent | Rochester, Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,602 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +1.7% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,500 | $1,487 |
| One year of asking rent measured against median income | 21% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index, plus Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 figures, one-year estimates.
What homes cost in Rochester, Minnesota
The Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) valued a typical home in Rochester, Minnesota at $340,589 in September 2026. It tracks what a home in the middle of the market is worth. The yearly change is +3.5%, while the US figure stands at $366,157. That equals 3.8 years of median household income. For the US it is 4.5.
| Home prices | Rochester, Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $340,589 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +3.5% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +72.1% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 3.8 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 17.7 | 15.8 |
The forecast, days on market, and the price chart since 2000: Rochester, Minnesota housing market.
The salary you need to live in Rochester, Minnesota
What you earn and where you live are the two questions behind the salary needed in Rochester, Minnesota to buy what your pay buys now.
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Cost of living in Rochester, Minnesota compared with other cities
| City | Prices in general | Housing | Typical rental amount | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, Minnesota | 90.8 | 78.6 | $1,602 | $340,589 |
| Minneapolis | 104.8 | 111.8 | $1,747 | $328,351 |
| Duluth | 88.8 | 71.1 | $1,434 | $296,120 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
Price levels: BEA regional price parities 2024, with US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home value comes from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living by city. State-by-state cost of living: every state.