Uprootmap
Waterloo vs Rochester
Waterloo and Rochester
Photo: Wikideas1 / Wikimedia, CC0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Rochester are under the US rate in this release, 2.2 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Waterloo to Rochester
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Waterloo to Rochester above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $788 in Waterloo and $1,330 in Rochester. Waterloo has a state tax on wages. Rochester has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Rochester is 106% of the national level for the same work, against 88% in Waterloo.
Rochester averages 195 sunny days, with July highs around 80°F and January nights around 15°F. Waterloo is 204 sunny days, 82°F in July, 17°F in January. Commutes average 21 minutes in Rochester and 17 in Waterloo.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Waterloo → Rochester pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Waterloo and Rochester changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 117 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,650–$3,100
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,100
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Rochester
Questions
Is Rochester cheaper than Waterloo after tax and rent?
No. Rochester leaves about $644 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $788 in Waterloo and $1,330 in Rochester.
Does Rochester have state income tax?
Rochester is in Minnesota, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Waterloo to Rochester?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.