Moving To Rochester MN | 5 Pros & 5 Cons

Moving can be stressful and relocating to a new town can certainly be uncomfortable. My goal is to give an honest insight into what you can expect moving to Rochester MN and what your live may be like living in Rochester MN.

Personally I moved to Rochester MN in the Summer of 2014 after graduating from Luther College – just a little over an hour South of Rochester. My intention was to work as an intern at the local Mayo Clinic for a while while I prepared for graduate school. However, I learned quickly that I am not someone who enjoys being stuck in a cubical all day. But I did love Rochester and soon after became real estate agent here.

Earlier this year I was awarded Winner of Best Real Estate Agent 2022 through the PostBulletin – the local Rochester MN news source. I type this out because I want you to know that if you are moving to Rochester MN or currently living in Rochester MN then I know this area best, can get you up to speed on what you need to do to be successful, and can make it a whole lot of fun! You can check out my online reviews – I’ve got hundreds: Reviews Rochester Area Homes By Alex.

I am working real estate here every single day! So if this is something you are looking to do, reach out to me directly. My personal cell is 507-696-7510, but I’ll also keep forms on this page available to you as well. I am happy to help you whether you are making a move in three days or in three months, I am in a hurry to serve. You’ll see I respond quickly, you’ll work directly with me, and I have a deep love of helping people through this transition.

Top 5 Pros & Top 5 Cons to Living in Rochester MN [2023] | Moving to Rochester MN [2023]

Pro # 1: Everything is 15 Minutes Away

Pro number one, everything seems to be about 15 minutes away living in Rochester MN. The reason being is we have 3 major highways that go through Rochester MN: Highway 63, Highway 52 and Highway 14. Highways 63 and 52 run North and South with Highway 14 Running East to West about halfway through the city.

Because of this you can usually get there in about 15 minutes if we’re not running into some crazy rush hour traffic. This is a big change for a lot of people who are moving here from some of these more densely populated cities, you will find that getting around here in Rochester is actually really easy, and you can get most anywhere pretty quickly.

Pro #2: Traveling Is Quick and Easy

The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is just over an hour north of Rochester. You can get virtually anywhere you want from there! We also have the Rochester International Airport on the South side of Rochester. If you’re looking to do something a little bit more common, a lot of people who work at the Mayo Clinic will use that to get down to Arizona or to Florida where Mayo also has offices.

We also have Interstate 90 just South of Rochester about 15 minutes South. Personally, I like road trips so I oftentimes will use I-90 if I’m going anywhere across the country. But again with flights you can get virtually anywhere you want from the MSP airpot – one of the best airports in the nation.

Pro #3: #1 Hospital in the World

The Mayo Clinic has been consistently ranked the #1 Hospital in the World by US News and The World Report. That may be why you’re visiting here, it might be why you’re working here, or you may just recognize it as the largest employer in the city.

If you are currently living in Rochester MN or are looking at moving to Rochester MN, we have over 41,000 people in the Rochester area who actually work at the Mayo Clinic. That is 63,000 in the United States – information from 2018. Personally, one of my sisters works there as a Registered Nurse and my mother has been on staff for 35 years.

Pro #4: Parks and Trails

According to the Rochester Parks and Recreation, we have over a hundred parks and trails here in Rochester. Three of my favorites are Quarry Hill Nature Center, Silver Lake Park, and Cascade Lake Park. Quarry Hill Nature Center is located over on the Northeast side of Rochester. Silver Lake Park is located in the heart of Rochester, and my personal favorite Cascade Lake Loop Park, which is a two-mile walk around a lake – is located on the Northwest side of Rochester.

There’s also two great dog parks! I personally have two large Alaskan Malamute dogs, Atlas and Kaia so you’ll see me out there pretty regularly. Either way, if you are looking at moving to Rochester MN, you will find that we have plenty of parks and trails available to you.

Pro #5: Events and Activities

You’ll find a significant amount of events are available to you living in Rochester MN. My personal favorite is in February, it’s called Social-Ice. We have a bunch of local restaurants and bars which will have ice sculptures done, and you can go out there, and you can kinda walk around, there’s good music, it’s a good time, you can get a drink as well. There is also RochesterFest, which is the main city celebration here in Rochester.

We also have a weekly event called Thursdays on First and Third, which every Thursday – weather-permitting – where about a hundred different vendors will go out there, and you go to shops, restaurants, bars, and you can buy little trinkets that you want on Thursdays on First, they usually will have music in two different locations down there. It’s a real big favorite of people here in the warmer months as well. Finally, we also have the Mayo Civic Center, where you can go, watch performances, shows, dances, and plenty of concerts.

Con # 1: Winters

We do get Winter here. We get all four seasons living in Rochester MN. It does gets cold here and we do get a lot of snow from time to time. You may need to shovel your car or shovel the driveway if you are renting or own a home here in Rochester. Be mindful that you might have to take care of some these Winter things.

I always encourage people, if you are driving here in the winter and it’s getting blizzardy outside, make sure you have a warm blanket, some extra food, and some water with you just in case you get stranded somewhere. Travel can go down here living in Rochester MN area when we get bad storms.

Con #2: Ranked Second Windiest City in the Nation

People are always shocked when I tell them this, but we have been ranked as the #2 Windiest City in the Nation. So, I always encourage people, on top of just looking at what the temperature is outside, make sure you’re checking the wind chill as well. Take the time to invest in a scarf, because when it gets windier outside, it can seem really cold outside. Make sure that you are dressing appropriately if you are moving here to Rochester.

Con #3: Parking Downtown is Difficult

We do not have a good amount of parking in downtown Rochester. In fact, I’ve heard it said by some of the top people over at Mayo Clinic, that if we had a 20-story ramp in downtown Rochester, we would not have enough parking available for staff. We do have a lot of ramps downtown, but many times, people will park in other locations and take bus transit – which we do have in several locations in Rochester. Here’s a link to the bus routes if you are looking at moving to Rochester MN so you can get a feel for access from where you are looking at living in Rochester MN: Rochester MN Bus Routes. Also because of Destination Medical Center (DMC), we do expect parking to become an even greater issue as we progress in the city’s current master plan.

Con #4: Housing Shortage

As of this current recording, we have less than 200 homes available here in Rochester that are currently for sale. All Rochester MN Homes For Sale. The average rent for an apartment here in Rochester is $1,900/month. And I do expect those things to increase. According to the National Association of Realtors, we’re expecting anywhere between 20230% increases in rental prices here just this last year.

If you are looking to purchase here in Rochester, make sure to reach out to me directly 507-696-7510. I actually have a few different home search engines that I give to my exclusive clients where you’ll know the moment that any new listing comes onto the market, I can get out there quicker than the average real estate agent, and get you what it is that you want. So, reach out to me on that anytime. Connect With Alex.

Con #5: Can Seem Like A Small City

Although, we are the third largest economy in Minnesota, you will likely be seen a lot of the same people every day. In fact, in Rochester, we have a population of less than 130,000 people and in the metro area (30 mile radius) we have a population of less than 250,000 people.

I say Rochester can feel like a smaller city, but personally I’m from a very small town in Iowa of less than 900 people. When I first moved here, it seemed like a large city. But I guess maybe due to the nature of my business, I get recognized pretty regularly and I’ll run into a lot of the same people every day. However, I think a lot of people would feel the same way about this. You will consistently come in contact with a lot of the same people, and you really can’t go anywhere without running into somebody that you know.

Final Thoughts:

If you are looking at moving to Rochester MN or you are currently living in Rochester MN and are looking to buy a new home in the area please reach out to me as I can get you everything you need to be successful. I’ll also include a link to the Five Things Anyone Needs to Know if they are looking to purchase a home here in Rochester.

As always, you are welcome to reach out to me directly 507-696-7510 and I will connect with you quickly! I’m happy to help anytime! Connect With Alex.