The Town FilesRochester, Washington
Community in Thurston County · population 6,064 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $445,300
- Household income
- $99,286
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 42.7
Rochester is a community of 6,064 people in Thurston County, Washington. The median home is worth $445,300, below the typical Washington town ($475,000).
How Rochester ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rochester is worth $445,300, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $99,286, which is more affordable than 74% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,161 a month. 86.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rochester | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $445,300 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,161 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $99,286 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 86.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rochester
| People | Rochester | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.0 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Rochester
July highs average 77.5°F and January lows 34.2°F. About 41.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.8 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 48 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 27, 2004 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 4, 2019.
Severe weather in Thurston County since 1996
Thurston County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5359: Bordeaux Road Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Thurston County
Thurston County had 128,824 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,043 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Rochester itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Rochester
5 public schools with 2,144 students, about 17.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester High School | 9-12 | 600 | 19.4 |
| Grand Mound Elementary | 3-5 | 512 | 19.7 |
| Rochester Primary School | PK-2 | 505 | 14.4 |
| Rochester Middle School | 6-8 | 494 | 18.3 |
| H.e.a.r.t. High School | 9-12 | 33 | 33.0 |
Towns near Rochester
- Grand Mound, WA2.9 mi · 3,301 people · home $411,400
- Centralia, WA8.1 mi · 18,183 people · home $318,200
- Chehalis, WA11.8 mi · 7,439 people · home $372,900
- Tumwater, WA13.6 mi · 25,350 people · home $472,200
- Olympia, WA17.2 mi · 55,605 people · home $486,200
- Lacey, WA19.9 mi · 53,526 people · home $457,100
- Elma, WA20.8 mi · 3,438 people · home $409,600
- Tanglewilde, WA20.8 mi · 6,265 people · home $444,900
Rochester questions
Is Rochester, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rochester scores better for retirees than 54% of Washington towns and quieter than 68%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.7).
How much does a house cost in Rochester?
The median owner-occupied home in Rochester is valued at $445,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,286, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,161 a month.
What is the weather like in Rochester?
July highs average 77.5°F and January lows 34.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.6 inches of precipitation a year and 3.8 inches of snow.
Does Rochester get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 27, 2004. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- 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)