States › Washington › Rochester

Is Rochester, WA expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 14 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,23130% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$107,080about $8,923/month · 23% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$445,30034% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 74% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.2 years of household income. Commutes are long, about 32 minutes each way. Most homes (86.4%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $49,240 a year. That is $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Washington cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Washington. It is number 13 of 192 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Rochester
$1,231
Maplewood
$1,946
Manchester
$1,845
Black Diamond
$1,541
Finley
$1,165
Sudden Valley
$1,926
Blaine
$1,537

How much do households earn in Rochester?

Under $25k
12.7%
$25k–50k
16.6%
$50k–100k
35.3%
$100k–150k
27.7%
$150k+
8.9%

Share of households by yearly income. 36.6% of households earn $100,000 or more.

How expensive is Rochester overall?

Everyday prices in Washington overall are 7% above the U.S. average (index 107.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
126
Goods (food, clothes…)
104
Utilities
93
Other services
104
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Rochester, so the Washington figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Rochester

🏛️ Property tax$3,461a year · 0.78% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$191a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Rochester

Commute to work32 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree17.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home86.4%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line16.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rochester?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,859 a month less.

Renting
$1,231
Owning
$3,090

Owning assumes a typical $445,300 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $44,530 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Rochester, WA?

Renting in Rochester costs a median of about $1,231 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Washington median is $2,025.

How much do I need to make to live in Rochester?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $49,240 a year, or $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Rochester cheap or expensive?

Rochester is rated Cheap: rent takes 13.8% of the typical household income of $107,080. It ranks 13th cheapest of 192 Washington cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Rochester?

The median homeowner in Rochester pays $3,461 a year in property taxes, about 0.78% of the median home value.

Is Rochester more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Washington are 7% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Rochester?

The median home value in Rochester is $445,300, about 4.2 times the typical yearly household income.

5,834 people live in Rochester. Numbers are typical (middle) values.