Real Estate Investing in Rochester, Minnesota (55904)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Olmsted County • Population: 29,682 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 55904 (Rochester, MN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (75/100)

Solid choice — stable market with a reasonable entry point and good rental backup if you ever need to move.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A cash-flow market — rent-to-price math works from day one, though value growth is modest. Great for income-focused investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Rochester, MN (55904)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $298,095
Avg Monthly Rent $1,693
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $73,588
% Renters 33.6%

Market Analysis: 55904 Rochester

Investors eyeing 55904 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $298K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 55904 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Within MN, ZIP 55904 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Olmsted County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and impressive enough to shape underwriting.

A solid renter share of 34% in 55904 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

Strategy in 55904 is an operator game, not a passive one. Stepping back, entry prices of $298K are inviting, the management lift is real and non-optional.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Rochester:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 69/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,693/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Rochester, MN Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
53 days
Average time to sell
Average
9.4%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Rochester, MN metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 55904

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
5.3% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+6.0% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$88,292/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $162,506 $1,190 5.3% +5.7% $162,506
2BR $228,567 $1,410 4.4% +5.7% $114,283
3BR $270,666 $1,960 5.2% +5.8% $90,222
4BR $353,167 $2,370 4.8% +5.6% $88,292
5BR $468,976 +6.0% $93,795

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$313K$270K$227K$184K$141K$98KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,733$1,617$1,501$1,386$1,270$1,154Jan 2020May 2023Jul 2026

📊 How Does 55904 Compare?

Metric 55904 Rochester Rochester, MN Minnesota
Home Value $298,095 $252,381 N/A $340,597
5-Year CAGR 4.6% 4.2% N/A 4.9%
Avg Rent $1,693 $1,668 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.4% 3.5% - -
💡 Why Invest in 55904? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 55904 (Rochester, MN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.4%
Fair
5yr Growth
+4.6%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Rochester, MN metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
37%
Days Pending
1/2
53 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $298,095
Monthly Rent $1,693
Price-to-Rent 14.7:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 6.8%
Cap Rate 4.4%
5-Year IRR 9.0%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.7% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +4.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.3% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.4%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
6.9%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
3.0/5
Balanced
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.6%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Moderate

Demographics in 55904

Population: 29,682

💰 Median Household Income
$73,588
This area
$73,588
State
$77,168
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
33.6%
This area
33.6%
State
18.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.3%
This area
2.3%
State
-3.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
36.9%
This area
36.9%
State
20.0%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
36.7 years
This area
36.7 years
State
37.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
6.9%
This area
6.9%
State
17.0%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 78.8%
Black/African American 10.1%
Other/Mixed 6.8%
Hispanic/Latino 4.3%
Asian 4.3%
👶 Under 18
23.6%
This area
23.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
15.3%
This area
15.3%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
6.2%
This area
6.2%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 55904

B+ Avg School Grade
25 Schools
11.4:1 Avg Class Size
$22,529 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

RIVERSIDE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
388 Students
👨‍🏫
10.2:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A+ Excellent

RPS Online High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
201 Students
👨‍🏫
11.2:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A+ Excellent

FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
492 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Lincoln K-8 District-Wide School

📚 K – 08 School
👥
488 Students
👨‍🏫
17.6:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Longfellow 45-15 Districtwide Elem

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
334 Students
👨‍🏫
15.1:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

RPS Online Elementary School

📚 K – 06 School
👥
77 Students
👨‍🏫
11.2:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

RPS Online Middle School

📚 07 – 08 Middle
👥
58 Students
👨‍🏫
9.2:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Montessori at Franklin Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
174 Students
👨‍🏫
14.4:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Middle School Right Fit

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
27 Students
👨‍🏫
6.6:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

PINEWOOD ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
275 Students
👨‍🏫
15.1:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

WILLOW CREEK MIDDLE

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
834 Students
👨‍🏫
17.5:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Mighty Oaks Early Learning School

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
76 Students
👨‍🏫
4.4:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Rochester Academy-Idp Living(RAIL)

📚 11 – 12 High School
👥
73 Students
👨‍🏫
5.7:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Rochester Phoenix Academy

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
81 Students
👨‍🏫
4.6:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Rochester Alternative Learning Cntr

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
376 Students
👨‍🏫
15.1:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Care & Treatment at ESC

📚 05 – 12 High School
👥
5 Students
👨‍🏫
5.0:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Rochester ALC Recovery Program

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
4 Students
👨‍🏫
2.0:1 Class Size
💰
$22,548 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Rosa Parks Charter High School

📚 09 – 12 High School Charter
👥
65 Students
👨‍🏫
16.7:1 Class Size
💰
$22,066 Per Student
B Good

P-TECH 535

📚 09 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$22,548 Per Student
B Good

EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
142 Students
💰
$22,548 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

4 Nearby 1,809 Off-Campus Students
D
Rochester Community and Technical College
4,714 students · 3.8 mi
C+
University of Minnesota-Rochester
588 students · 5.2 mi
C+
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
1,480 students · 5.3 mi
C
Nova Academy of Cosmetology
174 students · 10.1 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,809 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of investing works in Rochester, MN?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in Rochester, MN. With home values at $298K and rents near $1,693/mo, other strategies can work but produce measured rather than outsized returns.

What is the average home sale price in Rochester, MN?

Expect median prices around $298K in Rochester, MN. The market has run at a 0.0% 5-year CAGR, so entry costs have been steady.

Is Rochester, MN a good place for real estate investing?

Rochester, MN sits at an investability rating of 3.0/5, with median home values near $298K and average rents around $1,693/mo. That combination puts it in the sturdy tier for investor interest.

Are eviction rules reasonable in Rochester, MN?

For rental operators, Rochester, MN rates as balanced. The regulatory environment standard buy-and-hold operations.

Where do rents currently stand in Rochester, MN?

The typical rental in Rochester, MN commands about $1,693/mo monthly. That rent profile steady cash flow against the $298K purchase basis.

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How 55904 ranks in Rochester, MN

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Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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