Rents are 2% below what Rochester's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,602 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Rochester usually run 1.4% below trend in December and 1.3% above it in June, about $43 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Rochester is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2016.
Rent in Rochester changed +1.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 53 Minnesota cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Rochester rose 23.4% while median household income rose 22.3% ($73,106 to $89,389). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Rochester is 28.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($89,389) is $2,235 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,918); a 4-bedroom is $2,298.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Rochester, 55902 ($1,668/mo), costs 8% more than the cheapest, 55906 ($1,542/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Rochester. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Rochester, MN is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 50.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Rochester, MN has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Rochester, MN paid around $1,282 a month. That figure now sits near $1,602, up 25.0% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in Rochester, MN now reports about $89,389, up from $79,159 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Rochester, MN adding about 2,598 residents over the five-year window, up 2.2% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 48.7% to 50.9% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Rochester, MN reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Rochester on your salary?
At $1,602/mo, how Rochester rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Rochester rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Rochester. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Rochester
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Rochester is $1,602/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,010/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,368/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,120/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,918/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($89,389/yr), Rochester ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Rochester?
At $1,602/mo, rent takes ~22% of Rochester's median household income ($89,389/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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