City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Rochester, MI

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.

12,939
Residents
$104,920
Median income
$450,800
Median home
$1,411
Median rent (state)

Rochester - the verdict

Nationally, Rochester sits in the 80th percentile for household income and the 89th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

80th
percentile, household income
81st
percentile, home value
55th
percentile, median rent
89th
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, MI

Michigan's Rochester is a small town, with 12,939 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Rochester households earn a median of $104,920 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.2%. Home values in Rochester run a median of $450,800, and the median resident age is 39.4 years. 70.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 66.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 13 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 30% from five years earlier. Rochester reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 401.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: the state registers 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,411 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

12,939 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$104,920 /yr

Poverty 2.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan 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 80% higher than other cities
Home value 81% pricier than other cities
Median rent 55% pricier than other cities
Safety 89% 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 Michigan alone, Rochester ranks #22 of 254 Michigan 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 Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Rochester's strongest outlier among Michigan cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Rochester ranks #25 - the 97th 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
#53 of 718
93rd percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#61 of 727
76th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#28 of 721
96th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#604 of 727
16th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#25 of 727
97th percentile in Michigan

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 Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

80thIncome percentile
89thSafety percentile

80th percentile nationally for median household income · 89th 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 67 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+)

$450,800 19th percentile more affordable than 19% 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%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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, MI Rochester, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rochester, MI-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, MI median $104,920/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, MI'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, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 70.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.2%

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

Population
12,939
Median Income
$104,920
Median Home Value
$450,800
Median Age
39.4
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Labor force participation
66.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
70.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
401.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
23.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
377.8
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
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,700 residents12,800 residents12,900 residents13,000 residents13,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,987 residents 12,824 residents ▼ -1.3%
Rochester's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
13
housing units authorized
Single-Family
13
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10
2020 8
2021 11
2022 4
2023 11
2024 13

Permit volume increased 30% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
69.5%
Carpool
1.4%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
3.2%
Work from Home
25.0%
Other
0.8%

Based on 6,884 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan 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 Michigan 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
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,411/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Ionia
12,950 people
Woodhaven
12,761 people
Melvindale
12,605 people
Sault Ste. Marie
13,373 people
Escanaba
12,374 people
Riverview
12,269 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rochester's 12,939 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Avocado Heights, CA
12,934 people
Newcastle, WA
12,945 people
Mandeville, LA
12,931 people
Somerville, NJ
12,958 people
Sugarland Run, VA
12,920 people
Bedford, OH
12,960 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rochester's $104,920 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Northford, CT
$104,919 median income
Waconia, MN
$104,929 median income
Massanetta Springs, VA
$104,911 median income
Upper Lake, CA
$104,936 median income
White Island Shores, MA
$104,940 median income
Ogdensburg, NJ
$104,946 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rochester, MI 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, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.7% 8.3% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.2% White 82.7% Black or African American 2.1% Asian 8.3% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 6.6% 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 Michigan 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) 12,939 $104,920
Ionia 12,950 $60,729
Woodhaven 12,761 $83,291
Melvindale 12,605 $41,356
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rochester, MI?

What is the population of Rochester, MI? +

Rochester, MI has a population of 12,939 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Rochester is $104,920 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 Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Rochester, MI safe? +

Rochester has a total crime rate of 401.4 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, MI? +

Rochester's median home value sits at $450,800, 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.