About Us

Rochester, MN: Meet the "Best Small City in America"

Money Magazine said it best, "One thing to remember about Rochester is that it has the sophistication of a larger metro area, but not the congestion or the complications." Named "Best Small City" in America by the nationally recognized magazine, Rochester merges a cosmopolitan atmosphere with Midwestern hospitality giving convention attendees a most memorable experience.

About Rochester

Population
Rochester: 107,890
Olmsted County: 145,769

Time Zone
Minnesota is in the Central Standard Time (CST -6:00 GMT) zone and central daylight time.

Climate and Average Weather
Below is a list of average high and low temperatures throughout the year in Rochester.

January: 24/8
February: 28/13
March: 41/24
April: 57/36
May: 69/47
June: 78/57
July: 82/61
August: 79/59
September: 71/50
October: 58/39
November: 42/26
December: 27/12

City, County & State Laws

Alcohol Laws - The drinking age in Minnesota is 21 years of age. Supermarkets and grocery stores sell 3.2 beer. Bars stop serving alcohol at 2:00 a.m. Monday-Saturday, and at midnight on Sundays.

Taxes - In Minnesota you can enjoy no sales tax on clothing, groceries, or medicine. The current state sales tax on other items is 6.875%, in addition to a local sales tax of .5% and lodging tax of 4%.

Smoking - Minnesota's Clean Indoor Air Act with Freedom to Breathe Amendments and Olmsted County's Smoke-Free Workplace Ordinance protect employees and the general public from the hazards of secondhand smoke by eliminating smoking in public places, places of employment, public transportation, and at public meetings.

Read more at the Olmsted County Public Health Smoke-Free information page.