Affordable Rochester Storage Units

Moving and storage go hand in hand. Whether traveling across town or the country, moving is an exciting and fresh start. While Storage Rentals of America is here to help you with all your storage needs, we also want to help you get familiar with the area. That's why we put together this resource guide for Rochester.

About Rochester, MN

Rochester is the county seat of Olmsted County in southeast Minnesota. It sits on the banks of the south fork of the Zumbro River. It is the third-largest city in Minnesota, with a population of 121,395 within the city limits (2020 U.S. Census). It has 226,329 people, including the nearby agricultural areas as part of the larger Rochester Metropolitan Area.

The city had a humble beginning in the mid-1850s when it started as a stagecoach stop on the way from Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Dubuque, Iowa. George and Henrietta Head built a log cabin in 1854 as the first building and called it Head's Tavern. They named the settlement Rochester after George's hometown of Rochester, New York.

Rochester is best known for being the birthplace of the world-famous Mayo Clinic, named after the Civil War surgeon for the Union Army, Dr. William W. Mayo, who arrived in the area in 1863. Dr. Mayo and his two sons raised money to build the first medical facility, St. Mary's Hospital, which opened in 1889. Thus began the legacy of the Mayo family that would ultimately lead to the founding of the Mayo Clinic.

What to do in Rochester, MN

Whether you love a rural lifestyle or like the convenience of city living, this area can accommodate your needs.

• Shopping: The shopping malls in this area include the Apache Mall, the Galleria at University Square, the Crossroads Center, and the Hillcrest Shopping Center.
• Destination: The Quarry Hill Nature Center is a beautiful natural habitat for hiking and mountain biking during summer and cross-country skiing or snowshoeing during winter.
• Features: Mayowood is the historic home of Dr. Charlie Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic. The 38-room home with 23,000 square feet was built in 1910 of concrete. It was the first concrete home constructed in southeast Minnesota.

Working in Rochester, MN

The Mayo Clinic is the largest employer in Minnesota, with over 34,000 employees. The Mayo Clinic buildings make up most of downtown Rochester.

Rochester's local economy depends on healthcare and higher education. Currently, the unemployment rate is 3.6%, which compares favorably to the U.S. average of 6%. The median household income is $74,527 per year. The predicted job growth rate in Rochester over the next ten years is 34.7%, higher than the national average of 33.5%. The average commute time is 15.3 minutes.

The most popular industries are health care (29.5%, computers/electronics (9.2%), education (6.5%), hospitality/restaurants (5.7%), construction (4.8%), professional, scientific, technical services (4.6%), and social assistance (2.9%).

Rochester, MN Neighborhoods

Rochester has many nice neighborhoods that are well-established. Here are the areas with the most expensive luxury homes:

• Southern Hills: This area is on the southwest side of town, north of the airport. The Willow Creek Country Club, with a nice lake, and the Oak Summit Golf Course are in this neighborhood. The median real estate price is $572,012, which costs more than 93% of the communities in Minnesota. Most homes here are owner-occupied single-family homes with four, five, or more bedrooms on large, well-maintained lots.
• Baihly Meadows/Baihly Woodlands: This area has a mixture of luxury homes and nice apartment complexes. The median home price is $480,850 for a four- or five-bedroom single-family home. Most of the homes here are owner-occupied. The average rent for a luxury apartment in this area is $1,578 monthly.
• Schmidt Park: This neighborhood is on the northern side of the city. You will find the Northern Hills Golf Course in this area. The median home price is $423,568, which is more expensive than 71.3% of other neighborhoods in the state. There are mostly three- to five-bedroom homes. Rental homes are not very easy to find, and the average rent is $1,760 per month, which is 70.6% higher than in other parts of Minnesota.

Rochester, MN School District

The public schools are managed by Rochester Public Schools. The district spends around $14,818 per student each year. The student-to-teacher ratio is around 21.75 to one, which is very high.

There are 20 private schools in the area. The best-ranked private schools are John Elementary School, St. John The Evangelist/St. Pius X School, and Holy Spirit School.

There are four colleges and universities in Rochester for higher education, including Crossroads College (a private four-year school), the University of Minnesota Rochester (a public four-year school), the Minnesota School of Business (a private four-year school), and Rochester Community Technical College (a public two-year school).

Moving to Rochester, MN

If you are moving to Rochester, here is some information to help get your utilities turned on and get involved in the community.

Electricity, water, and sewer services are available from Rochester Public Utilities (RPU). Natural Gas is available from MN Energy. Garbage pickup is available from Sunshine Sanitation. Telephone, television, and internet connections are available from Spectrum, Mediacom, Centurylink, and others.

The City of Rochester Parks and Recreation Department maintains the 2,978 acres of public parks. There are sports leagues, hiking trails, lakes, activities, classes, and the Rochester City Golf Course.

Rochester's city government consists of elected officials, including a Mayor and seven members serving on the City Council.

Rochester, MN Housing

The median home price in Rochester is $330,000, which has appreciated by 11.9% over the past year. The somewhat moderate home prices that are 10% less than other areas in Minnesota help reduce Rochester's cost of living, which is 9% lower than other communities in the state and 6% lower than the national average.