Residential comparison · 13 facts
Owatonna, MN vs Rochester, MN
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Owatonna needs about $91,500 in Rochester to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Rochester, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $78,500 in Owatonna.
A few differences
- Rochester is higher on median household income ($89,389 vs $80,750).
- Owatonna is lower on cost of living index (88 vs 95).
- Owatonna is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,125/mo vs $1,390/mo).
Owatonna vs Rochester · facet by facet
| Facet | Owatonna, MN | Rochester, MN |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $245,200 | $310,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,125/mo | $1,390/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.05% | 1.05% |
| State & local income tax | 3.68% | 3.68% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Cost of living index | 88 | 95 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $80,750 | $89,389 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 40/100 | 40/100 |
| School rating | 7.0/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 195 days | 195 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Owatonna, MN · Rochester, MN
Questions & answers
- Is Owatonna cheaper than Rochester?
- Owatonna has the lower day-to-day cost index (88 vs 95 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Rochester equals $85,000 in Owatonna?
- A household earning $85,000 in Owatonna needs about $91,500 in Rochester to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Rochester lifestyle costs about $78,500 in Owatonna.