# Rochester metropolitan area, Minnesota

The United States Census Bureau defines the Rochester, Minnesota Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as an area consisting of five counties in southeast Minnesota, anchored by the city of Rochester. As of 2018, the US Census Bureau estimates that the Rochester metropolitan statistical area has a population of 221,587. The Rochester–Austin combined statistical area has a population of 259,813 as of 2018.

## Counties

* Dodge
* Fillmore
* Mower
* Olmsted
* Wabasha

## Communities
### Cities

* Places with more than 100,000 inhabitants: Rochester.
* Places with 2,500 to 10,000 inhabitants: Byron, Chatfield, Dodge Center, Kasson, Lake City (partial), Pine Island (partial), Plainview, Stewartville, Wabasha.
* Places with 1,000 to 2,500 inhabitants: Blooming Prairie (partial), Eyota, Grand Meadow, Harmony, Hayfield, Mantorville, Oronoco, Preston, Rushford, Spring Valley.
* Places with less than 1,000 inhabitants: Bellechester (partial), Canton, Claremont, Dover, Elgin, Fountain, Hammond, Kellogg, Lanesboro, Mabel, Mazeppa, Millville, Minneiska (partial) Ostrander, Peterson, Racine, Rushford Village, West Concord, Whalan, Wykoff, Zumbro Falls.
* Unincorporated places: Douglas, Simpson, South Troy, Potsdam, Berne, Salem Corners, Chester, Pleasant Grove, Genoa, Post Town, Danesville

### Townships

* Townships with more than 2,500 inhabitants: Cascade, Marion, Plainview, Rochester.
* Townships with 1,000 to 2,500 inhabitants:Grand Meadow, Greenfield, Haverhill, High Forest, Kalmar, Mantorville, New Haven, Oronoco, Salem.
* Townships with 500 to 1,000 inhabitants: Canisteo, Concord, Elgin, Gillford, Mazeppa, Milton, Orion, Pleasant Grove, Rock Dell, Vernon, Viola, Wasioja, Zumbro.
* Townships with less than 500 inhabitants: Ashland, Chester, Claremont, Dover, Ellington, Elmira, Eyota, Glasgow, Hayfield, Highland, Hyde Park, Lake, Minneiska, Mount Pleasant, Oakwood, Pepin, Quincy, Racine, Ripley, Watopa, West Albany, Westfield.

## Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 163,618 people, 62,504 households, and 43,046 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 92.01% White, 2.09% African American, 0.25% Native American, 3.34% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.99% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.35% of the population.
The median income for a household in the MSA was $46,957, and the median income for a family was $55,450. Males had a median income of $35,815 versus $26,738 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $21,287.

## Transportation
### Highways
#### Interstate Highways

* Interstate 90

#### US Highways

* U.S. Highway 14
* U.S. Highway 52
* U.S. Highway 61
* U.S. Highway 63
* U.S. Highway 218 (briefly runs through Dodge County)

#### Minnesota State Highways

* Minnesota State Highway 16
* Minnesota State Highway 30
* Minnesota State Highway 42
* Minnesota State Highway 43
* Minnesota State Highway 44
* Minnesota State Highway 56
* Minnesota State Highway 57
* Minnesota State Highway 60
* Minnesota State Highway 74
* Minnesota State Highway 80
* Minnesota State Highway 139
* Minnesota State Highway 247
* Minnesota State Highway 250

### Public Airports
#### Commercial

* Rochester International Airport

#### General Aviation

* Dodge Center Airport
* Fillmore County Airport
* Rushford Municipal Airport

## Government and politics
### Federal Representation

All of the Rochester metropolitan area falls in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, represented by Republican Brad Finstad.

### State Senate Legislators

The following list shows the Rochester metropolitan area's representation in the Minnesota Senate:
| Name | District | First Elected | Party | County Represented within MSA |
| Steve Drazkowski | District 20 | 2022 | Republican | Goodhue, Wabasha, Olmsted |
| Gene Dornink | District 23 | 2020 | Republican | Mower |
| Carla Nelson | District 24 | 2010 | Republican | Dodge, Olmsted |
| Liz Boldon | District 25 | 2022 | DFL | Olmsted |
| Jeremy Miller | District 26 | 2010 | Republican | Fillmore, Mower |