The Town FilesRochester, Indiana
City in Fulton County · population 6,270 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $137,400
- Household income
- $57,008
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 44.8
Rochester is a city of 6,270 people in Fulton County, Indiana. The median home is worth $137,400, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for a vacation home than 94% of Indiana towns, more vibrant than 89% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 88% of Indiana towns.
How Rochester ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rochester is worth $137,400, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $57,008, which is more affordable than 58% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $867 a month. 65.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rochester | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,400 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $867 | $888 |
| Median household income | $57,008 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 65.8% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.0% | — |
Who lives in Rochester
| People | Rochester | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.3% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Rochester
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 17.3°F. About 40.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.1 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 2.8 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 154 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 19, 2009.
Severe weather in Fulton County since 1996
Fulton County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
| May 4, 2018 | Flood | DR-4363: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Fulton County
Fulton County had 6,326 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,502 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Rochester itself the ACS puts it at 7.7%.
Public schools in Rochester
6 public schools with 2,056 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caston Jr-Sr High School | 6-12 | 434 | 13.2 |
| Caston Elementary School | K-5 | 414 | 16.6 |
| George M Riddle Elementary School | 2-4 | 377 | 13.5 |
| Rochester Community Middle School | 5-7 | 324 | 10.1 |
| Columbia Elementary School | PK-1 | 306 | 13.9 |
| Rochester Community High School | 8-12 | 201 | 4.7 |
Towns near Rochester
- Plymouth, IN20.9 mi · 10,214 people · home $131,800
- Peru, IN21.9 mi · 11,073 people · home $92,500
- Warsaw, IN22.3 mi · 15,804 people · home $181,200
- North Manchester, IN22.4 mi · 5,277 people · home $138,200
- Winona Lake, IN22.8 mi · 5,053 people · home $274,500
- Logansport, IN23.1 mi · 18,366 people · home $92,200
- Wabash, IN26.2 mi · 10,440 people · home $116,500
- Bremen, IN26.9 mi · 4,696 people · home $211,700
Rochester questions
Is Rochester, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rochester scores better for retirees than 83% of Indiana towns and quieter than 28%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.8).
How much does a house cost in Rochester?
The median owner-occupied home in Rochester is valued at $137,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,008, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $867 a month.
What is the weather like in Rochester?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 17.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.8 inches of precipitation a year and 30.1 inches of snow.
Does Rochester get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- 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)