City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Rochester, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Rochester - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

3,784
Residents
$112,689
Median income
$241,900
Median home
$1,203
Median rent (state)

Rochester - the verdict

Nationally, Rochester sits in the 84th percentile for household income and the 81st percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

84th
percentile, household income
54th
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
81st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Rochester, IL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 3,784 residents in Rochester, a small town within Illinois. Rochester households earn a median of $112,689 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.4%. Home values in Rochester run a median of $241,900, and the median resident age is 39.2 years. 49.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 56.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 28 residential building permits were authorized in Rochester (Building Boom), up 250% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Rochester reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 613.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Illinois at 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,203 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $240 across Illinois, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 91.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

3,784 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$112,689 /yr

Poverty 0.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Rochester compare to other US cities?

Here's how Rochester stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 84% higher than other cities
Home value 54% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% pricier than other cities
Safety 81% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Illinois alone, Rochester ranks #140 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Rochester against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Rochester near the bottom of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,335 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Rochester ranks #1,237 - the 7th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rochester only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#137 of 1,311
90th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#469 of 1,336
63rd percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#246 of 1,315
81st percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#1,237 of 1,335
7th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#111 of 1,336
92nd percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

84thIncome percentile
81stSafety percentile

84th percentile nationally for median household income · 81st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rochester's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rochester's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 73 Avg. percentile National median
Rochester's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Rochester's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$241,900 46th percentile more affordable than 46% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Rochester $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Rochester, IL Rochester, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rochester, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Rochester, IL median $112,689/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Rochester, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Rochester, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 49.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
3,784
Median Income
$112,689
Median Home Value
$241,900
Median Age
39.2
Poverty Rate
0.4%
Labor force participation
56.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
49.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
613.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
76.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
536.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,800 residents3,900 residents4,000 residents4,100 residents4,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,863 residents 4,093 residents ▲ +6.0%
Rochester's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
28
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
26
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 8
2020 11
2021 12
2022 30
2023 53
2024 28

Permit volume increased 250% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.9%
Carpool
6.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
15.7%

Based on 1,717 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rochester sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,203/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
91.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Morrison
3,781 people
Red Bud
3,789 people
Dwight
3,794 people
Eldorado
3,762 people
Aledo
3,753 people
Oregon
3,821 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rochester's 3,784 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ajo, AZ
3,783 people
Buckner, KY
3,786 people
Lawrence Park, PA
3,786 people
Navy, VA
3,787 people
La Cienega, NM
3,780 people
Rochester, WI
3,780 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rochester's $112,689 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Manchester, MD
$112,679 median income
Lake Fenton, MI
$112,676 median income
Urbana, IA
$112,672 median income
Trumbull, NE
$112,708 median income
Coupland, TX
$112,713 median income
California, MD
$112,717 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rochester, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Rochester, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.7% White 94.7% Black or African American 0.4% Asian 2.6% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 2.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Rochester compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Rochester (this city) 3,784 $112,689
Morrison 3,781 $67,580
Red Bud 3,789 $68,051
Dwight 3,794 $67,712
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rochester, IL?

What is the population of Rochester, IL? +

Rochester, IL has a population of 3,784 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rochester, IL? +

In Rochester, the typical household earns $112,689 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rochester? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rochester; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Rochester, IL safe? +

Rochester has a total crime rate of 613.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Rochester, IL? +

Homes in Rochester carry a median value of $241,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.