Bloomington vs Rochester
Bloomington, Minnesota versus Rochester, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bloomington and Rochester score about the same overall (45 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bloomington | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $87k | $84k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $51k |
| Home Value | $327k | $269k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.09% | 1.07% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.62% | 15.97% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 15°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.0 in | 37.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 51.2 in | 52.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 182 days | 235 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 99 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 48.9 | 74.5 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 74.4 | 87.7 |
| Violent Crime | 784/100k | 761/100k |
| Property Crime | 3752/100k | 1883/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 89,244 | 120,848 |
| Median Age | 41.8 | 36.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.48 | 0.40 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+44 | D+11 |
| White (%) | 68.7% | 72.8% |
| Black (%) | 10.7% | 9.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.7% | 5.9% |
| Asian (%) | 5.7% | 7.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.2% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 12.5/20 | 7.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 72 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.2% | 90.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 41.01 | 26.73 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bloomington or Rochester more affordable?
- Rochester has the lower cost of living: its index is $51k, compared with Bloomington's $52k and Rochester's $51k. Median rent is $1k in Bloomington versus $1k in Rochester.
- Is Bloomington or Rochester safer?
- Rochester has the lower violent crime rate. Bloomington reports 784/100k and Rochester reports 761/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bloomington or Rochester?
- The median home value is $327k in Bloomington and $269k in Rochester, so homes are more affordable in Rochester.