The Town FilesRochester, Massachusetts
Town in Plymouth County · population 5,717 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $599,100
- Household income
- $120,273
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 46.5
Rochester is a town of 5,717 people in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $599,100, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks easier by car than 100% of Massachusetts towns, better for first-time buyers than 96% of Massachusetts towns, better for families than 92% of Massachusetts towns.
How Rochester ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rochester is worth $599,100, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $120,273, which is more affordable than 39% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,432 a month. 88.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rochester | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $599,100 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,432 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $120,273 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 88.1% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rochester
| People | Rochester | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.5% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 36.5 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in Rochester
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 20.1°F. About 53.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.8 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 8, 2023 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 8, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 22, 2020.
Severe weather in Plymouth County since 1996
Plymouth County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| April 18, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4651: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Plymouth County
Plymouth County had 194,985 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,858 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Rochester itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Rochester
2 public schools with 1,043 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | 9-12 | 549 | 8.9 |
| Rochester Memorial | PK-6 | 494 | 12.0 |
Towns near Rochester
- Acushnet, MA4.4 mi · 10,559 people · home $436,400
- Marion, MA5.9 mi · 5,347 people · home $653,500
- Wareham Center, MA6.2 mi · 2,972 people · home $425,700
- Acushnet Center, MA6.3 mi · 3,030 people · home $378,900
- Mattapoisett Center, MA6.5 mi · 3,190 people · home $651,900
- Mattapoisett, MA7.0 mi · 6,508 people · home $681,600
- Wareham, MA7.1 mi · 23,303 people · home $424,500
- Lakeville, MA7.9 mi · 11,523 people · home $565,900
Rochester questions
Is Rochester, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rochester scores better for retirees than 50% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 66%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Rochester?
The median owner-occupied home in Rochester is valued at $599,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,273, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,432 a month.
What is the weather like in Rochester?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 20.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.4 inches of precipitation a year and 30.8 inches of snow.
Does Rochester get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 8, 2023. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)