Rochester, MN: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities

Rochester, MN is an incorporated city located in Olmsted County in the state of Minnesota. Our data estimates 119,942 residents, places it at 44.015°N, 92.478°W, and lists it in Central time. This page explains its population rank, ZIP codes, nearby cities and distance to big metros.

What are the key facts about Rochester, MN?

What is the population of Rochester, MN?

Rochester has an estimated population of 119,942. That makes it the 3rd largest of 896 places in Minnesota, placing it among the state's ten biggest, and the largest place in its county. The typical place in Minnesota has about 648 residents, so Rochester is many dozens of times larger than a typical place in the state.

Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.

Places in Minnesota with a similar population include Duluth (119,476), St. Cloud (115,028), Bloomington (84,943), Brooklyn Park (80,389), Plymouth (79,768). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how Rochester differs from communities of the same scale.

How dense is Rochester?

Rochester has about 2,152 people per square mile (831 per square kilometer), which we classify as suburban. Within Minnesota, it is denser than about 93% of the listed places. Land at this level is usually a mix of single-family neighborhoods, shopping corridors and parks, where driving is common but destinations are close. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.

What ZIP codes does Rochester use?

Rochester uses 5 ZIP codes: 55902, 55901, 55906, 55904, 55905. Several codes in one place usually reflect separate delivery areas, post offices or large buildings with their own code. Codes beginning with 5 are assigned to the Upper Midwest and northern Plains (Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, the Dakotas and Wisconsin). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.

What time zone is Rochester in?

Rochester is in the Central time zone, which is UTC−6 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/Chicago). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is Houghton, MI, about 286 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Central time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.

Where is Rochester located in Minnesota?

Rochester lies in the southeastern part of Minnesota, at 44.015° north latitude and 92.478° west longitude. The state capital, St. Paul, is about 71 miles to the northwest. The closest listed place in another state is River Falls, WI, roughly 59 miles to the north, which shows how near Rochester is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is La Crosse, WI, 64 miles to the east.

Which cities are near Rochester, MN?

The closest listed place to Rochester is Byron, MN, 8.3 miles to the west. Of the eight nearest places below, 2 are in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.

Which county is Rochester in?

Rochester is in Olmsted County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 27109. The county contains 6 places in our data, 3 of which have their own page here and 3 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include Stewartville (6,094), Byron (5,639), Eyota (2,001), Oronoco (1,525), Dover (770). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.

How far is Rochester from major US cities?

Among six major hubs, Rochester is closest to Chicago, IL at about 285 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 1,541 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.

Are there other places called Rochester?

Yes. Our data lists 12 other places named Rochester: Rochester, NY (703,952), Rochester, NH (31,526), Rochester, MI (13,296), Rochester, IN (7,046), Rochester, WI (3,867), Rochester, IL (3,709), Rochester, PA (3,440), Rochester, WA (3,126), and 4 more. When you search for Rochester, add the state or county so you land on the right one. This page covers the Rochester in Olmsted County, Minnesota.

Planning a move to Rochester?

If you are weighing Rochester, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. The radius search tool lists every place within any distance of it. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.

Where to go next

Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.