Rochester, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 90, Rochester's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Rochester is a small community located in Iowa, within Cedar County. The total population is 90. It ranks as the 871st most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rochester is 59.7 years. This is 55% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Rochester. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in Rochester, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $340,300. Housing costs are 64% higher than the state median of $208,000. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Rochester is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.0% of the population.

Education

15.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% lower than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Rochester, Iowa is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Iowa state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.