Pros & Cons of Moving To Rochester, MN

Things you would love about moving to Rochester, Minnesota

1) The Mayo Clinic

Yes, Rochester is the host town of Mayo Clinic. It is ranked as Number 1 medical hospital in the United States. For a century, Mayo clinic is serving more than 2 million patients annually from around the world. With a variety of medical specialists, Rochester is a place where you could find people from a diverse ethnicity.

In other words, Rochester is a “Salad Bowl” that makes it a perfect place to have fun all together.

2) Growing City

Since 2013, more than $5 billion has been invested in Rochester for the public-private venture called “Destination Medicine Center”. People, as well as private organizations, are putting in their money to create a vibrant hub for different opportunities here including business, education medical facilities, etc.

3) Low Traffic and Short Commutes

Unlike big and metropolitan cities, you wouldn’t find any bottleneck while driving through Rochester. The average commute time in Rochester is only 16 minutes that is way less than the US average of 26 minutes at least. So, you would have more productive time to spend wherever you want it.

4) Community Events

Rochester hosts a range of community events, particularly for each season. The most popular one is “Thursday on Downtown”. It is a small community-level event every Thursday in the summer. In particular, it is the best option to socialize with your family and friends. Mainly, it features live band performances, small kiosks, art stalls, food vendors, etc.

Some of the other top things to do are Social Ice and much more.

5) Safe City to Live in

On the whole Minnesota, Rochester is the safest place. It has the least crime rate as compared to other densely populated urban areas. Out of 100, where 1 is the highest, Rochester is ranked as the 11th safest city in the US to raise a family.

These are some of the basic key factors highlighting why you should consider moving to Rochester. Now, let us talk about some of the things that you might want to alter in Rochester.

Things you should consider before moving to Rochester, Minnesota

1) Winter Weather

On top of the list is the Winter Season in Rochester. It extends from November till early March. Usually, people move to warmer areas like Mexico to spend their winter vacations.

The winters here are icy cold and white with snow. It might snow in May as well.

Tip: Get a Remote Car Starter or Turn on the heater before actually moving into the car. Since the commute time is very low. Thus, you wouldn’t get enough time to get your car warmed up. So, the pro-tip is to get it warm to avoid teeth-rattling while driving for work.

2) Basements

Basements are pretty common here. But, you might find it problematic. If there is no proper drainage set up in your house, it gets filled in easily on rainy days. Although, basements are fun units where you could watch movies, hang out with friends and family but it might be troublesome for you.

Tip: If you are living in an old house, invest in a good quality sump pump. It will help you to throw water out of the basement.

3) Shoveling

Winters are vigorous here. There would be more than 90 inches of snow annually. You might have to work out by shoveling the snow out of your driveway. You might get to know your neighbors as well who are also doing the same. But it is not something you want to do every morning.

Tip: To save yourself from shoveling hassle, you would need to invest in a good snowblower.

4) No Beaches

Rochester is a land lock community. It doesn’t have access to any sea-sight. It is a major turn-off for those who grew up in a place where you have a beach within half an hour drive. So, you have to go to some other places to spend your evening in Rochester. However, it has some beautiful lakes.

Tip: Cascade Lake in Rochester has a little king of the beach area. So, you can simply go there to have a beach party.

5) Small Airport

Rochester has an international airport with limited destinations including Chicago, Atlanta, and Denver. Being a major medical center, it must have an airport with more options to fly off. However, despite having limited destinations, it is ranked as one of the best airports in the US.

Tip: You can simply go to Minneapolis, Saint Paul for more flying options.

For more detailed information about the pros and cons of moving to Rochester, Minnesota, watch out the detailed video here: Living in Rochester, MN – 5 Things I LOVE & 5 Things I would CHANGE