The typical owner-occupied home in Rochester is worth about $445,300, 21% below the Washington median of $564,600 and 34% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,461 a year in property taxes, about 0.78% of their home's value, close to the Washington rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $99,286 a year, so the median home costs 4.5 times the median income (5.8 times for Washington). 86% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 77% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Rochester at a glance
| Rochester | Washington | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $445,300 | $564,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,461 | $4,556 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.78% | 0.81% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $99,286 | $98,141 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 86% | 64% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 77% | 66% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,204 | $2,445 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.9% | 22.2% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,161 | $1,760 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 51.0% | 30.0% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1994 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 4.7% | 7.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 5,834 | 7,816,116 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Rochester
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Rochester home of $445,300 with 20% down costs about $2,871 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,613, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $123,062 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 35% of the median Rochester household income of $99,286; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $359,000.
The median rent here is $1,161 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,710 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $89,060 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $356,240 |
| Principal and interest | $2,396 |
| Property taxes (0.78% a year) | $289 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $186 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,871 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $15,586 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $437,234 |
| Principal and interest | $2,941 |
| Property taxes (0.78% a year) | $289 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $186 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $197 |
| Total per month | $3,613 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Rochester
What is the median home value in Rochester?
About $445,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Rochester?
Homeowners pay a median $3,461 a year, which is about 0.78% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Rochester?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,871 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $123,062 a year.
More about Rochester
- Mortgage Refinance in Rochester
- Debt Relief in Rochester
- Home Equity Loans in Rochester
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data