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Elevation

Elevation of Rochester, Minnesota

1,024ft

above sea level · 312 m

Rochester is a city in Minnesota with 124,292 people, the 3rd most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 56th highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
44.02° N · 92.47° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 44° 1′ 18″ N · 92° 28′ 12″ W
UTM coordinates
15T · 542,485 E · 4,874,412 N
Zone 15 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Olmsted County
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
Minnesota
MN · capital: St. Paul
Time zone
Central Time
UTC−6 · UTC−5 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
124,292 people
56.8 sq mi of land · 2,188 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from April 2022: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Rochester had 124,292 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 2.4% more than in April 2020, when it had 121,398. Its 56.8 sq mi of land work out to 2,188 people/sq mi; the state average is 73 people/sq mi.

It’s the 3rd most populous of the 916 places the Census counts in Minnesota (cities, towns and CDPs), after Minneapolis (430,324), and holds 2.1% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Olmsted County. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 0.7 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

Compared with US cities of 100,000 to 250,000

Rochester sits at 1,024 ft (312 m) above sea level. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, the highest is Lakewood (5,520 ft) and the lowest is Fort Lauderdale (3 ft). The average is 862 ft: Rochester is 162 ft above it.

The state capital, St. Paul, is 71 mi away in a straight line and 235 ft lower than Rochester.

Of the 3 cities in Minnesota with a page, Rochester is the highest. The others are Minneapolis (830 ft) and St. Paul (789 ft).

The highest point in Minnesota is Eagle Mountain, at 2,301 ft according to the USGS: 1,277 ft above Rochester, 283 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 54 Independence 1,035 ft
  2. 55 Olathe 1,035 ft
  3. 56 Rochester 1,024 ft
  4. 57 South Fulton 1,016 ft
  5. 58 Temecula 1,011 ft

Each color band is 500 m (1,640 ft), the same colors as the map. See the full list

Nearest cities with a page

Tools for this place

Elevation profile Draw a route from Rochester and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Rochester with any other point on the map. Map of Olmsted County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Rochester and its clock changes. What county am I in? See which county, city and ZIP code you’re in, from your location. Blank map of Minnesota counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Rochester.

What is the elevation of Rochester?

Rochester is 1,024 feet (312 m) above sea level. That’s the ground height from the USGS 3DEP elevation model at the city’s reference point in the official gazetteer (GNIS). The city doesn’t have a single elevation: it rises and falls from one neighborhood to another.

What are the coordinates of Rochester?

Latitude 44.02163 and longitude -92.46990, in decimal degrees (44° 1′ 18″ N · 92° 28′ 12″ W). In UTM, zone 15: 542,485 E and 4,874,412 N, on NAD83.

How does Rochester rank among the highest US cities of its size?

It’s the 56th highest of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people. The highest is Lakewood (5,520 ft) and the lowest is Fort Lauderdale (3 ft).

What county is Rochester in?

Olmsted County, Minnesota.

Which is higher, Rochester or St. Paul?

Rochester. Rochester sits at 1,024 ft and St. Paul at 789 ft: a difference of 235 ft, 71 mi apart in a straight line.

How is elevation measured?

Elevation is the height above mean sea level. In the US the official reference is the NAVD88 vertical datum. Summits are surveyed on the ground, with leveling and precise GPS. The USGS 3DEP is an elevation model of the whole country, largely from 1-meter lidar: it gives the ground height at every point. That’s why it can differ by a few feet from the official figure of a sharp summit.

Sources

  • USGS 3DEP (EPQS service) The elevation: the ground height at the reference point. Public domain.
  • USGS GNIS (official gazetteer) The city’s reference point (“Populated Place”). Public domain.
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates Population, land area (2025 Gazetteer) and counties. Public domain.
  • TIGERweb (U.S. Census Bureau) Which county and city the point falls in. Public domain.
  • timezone-boundary-builder The point’s time zone (ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors).
  • Terrain Tiles, OpenStreetMap and OpenFreeMap The relief shading and the base map (ODbL).

Methodology and sources · Spotted a mistake? Let us know