Rochester Life

With three generations in Rochester real estate, we’re attached to this place for a reason. We love the quality education, the wealth of recreational opportunities, the combination of bustling city and quiet town. Rochester feels both simultaneously large and small. Here are some of the things you can look forward to as you settle into Rochester life.

Stable Economy and Affordability

The median home cost in Rochester, MN is $140,300 compared to a national median home value of $152,300, making Rochester a more affordable place to live in. This is great for the housing market, which is one of the most confident in the state.

An estimated 32,000 new jobs are predicted throughout the next twenty years for the community as a result of the Mayo Clinic’s Destination Medical Center, or DMC.

This continued economic growth means that buying a home in Rochester is a wise investment. (Want to learn more about buying a home here? Visit our Buying a Home in Rochester page.)

Excellent Education System

In addition to many private school options, Rochester offers seventeen public elementary schools, three public middle schools, and three public high schools. Century High School ranked #9 in the entire state of Minnesota for top high schools.

Rochester Community and Technical College offers many degree programs for continuing education, and the University of Minnesota, Rochester downtown offers a variety of four-year and post-graduate degree programs.

No Traffic

You can easily drive stress-free from one corner of Rochester to the other in fifteen minutes. The average work commute is fourteen minutes–the lowest of the 300 biggest cities nationwide.

If you prefer to leave your car in the garage, (or even sell it), public transportation and shuttles are available citywide.

In addition, over 85 miles of trails offer bicycling, which makes for another great commuting option and won Rochester a place on the League of American Bicyclists list of  “Bicycle Friendly Community.”

You can look forward to the future too, as Rochester’s Area Master Bicycle Plan is collaborating with Olmsted County to increase opportunities for cyclists as the city grows.

Shopping, Dining, Arts and Entertainment

Local boutiques and gift shops with unique inventory, “big box” stores with ample parking, franchise restaurants with well-known favorites, locally-owned bistros with ambiance, stadium style concerts, small venue bluegrass concerts, an active food co-op, comedy clubs–Rochester has it all.

Run to Target for a one-stop assortment of groceries and home goods, and then meet friends under the twinkling café lights on the brick paver patio at City Café. Variety is the spice of life, and Rochester knows it.

Seasonal Events

The fabulously successful Thursdays on First & Third runs every first Thursday of the month from June 5th through August 28th. Rochester’s food vendors, bars, local artisans, shop owners, and performers all collaborate to put on this monthly event and pack the streets for an unforgettable celebration of summer.

Families and friends also love throwing down a blanket on the lawn of Mayo Park for outdoor concerts at Down by the Riverside. Local, national, and international music performers hold free outdoor shows on the banks of the Zumbro River in downtown Rochester from July through August.

The 4th of July fireworks shows, Rochesterfest, annual parade, Olmsted County Fair, Winterfest, and year round Saturday farmer’s markets are just a few of the many other seasonal goodies to look forward to.

Great Park System

Rochester boasts an incredible park system with more than 3,500 acres of park land distributed among 100 individual parks.

Public playgrounds, tennis courts, picnic shelters, beaches, horseshoe courts, ballparks, groomed cross-country ski trails, trail running paths, and football/soccer fields are just a few of the available park amenities.

Dog Parks

Rochester is pet friendly, too. Bring Fido to one of Rochester’s off-leash dog parks or doggie day cares and let him run wild.

Currently there are two off-leash dog parks in Rochester and a dog-friendly swimming beach at Foster Arend Park. If you feel like going for a walk around Silver Lake, many dog- friendly homeowners even set out a water bowl for four-legged passers by.

Have more questions? Drop us a line