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Rochester, WA

Census-designated place in Thurston County, Washington. ZIP codes: 98579.

Population

5,834

Land area

8.5sq mi

People per sq mi

689

ZIP codes

1

Rochester and its ZIP codes

Full map

Rochester at a glance

  • Rochester is about 5.9 times as dense as Washington as a whole.
  • The median household income is $99,286, close to the Washington median.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $445,300 (21% below Washington) and median rent is $1,161 a month.

Local data for Rochester, WA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Rochester, WA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$99,286

Poverty rate

16.3%

Median home value

$445,300

Median rent

$1,161/mo

Homeownership

86.4%

Bachelor's or higher

17.5%

Median age

42.7

Average commute

32.0 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Mexican Americans (1,037), German Americans (831), Irish Americans (681).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Thurston County. PPP loans are for Rochester.

Details

Unemployment rate

3.4%

Sep 2026, -0.5 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$76,235

129,835 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$69,277

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$3.4B

FY 2026, $11,389 per person

PPP loans

$7.6M

177 loans, 1,057 jobs reported

Thurston County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Rochester, WA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone70.3%
  • Carpooled13.1%
  • Public transit0.0%
  • Walked0.7%
  • Bicycle0.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other8.6%
  • Worked from home7.4%

Average one-way commute: 32.0 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Rochester, WA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively High

Top: landslide

Storm events since 1996

25

Countywide, mostly heavy rain

Flood insurance policies

703

0.9% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

78° / 34°F

41.6 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone1 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Rochester, WA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

35.0%

U.S. 33.3% +1.7 pts

Diabetes

11.9%

U.S. 12.1% about the same

Smoking

14.3%

U.S. 12.8% +1.5 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

8.8%

U.S. 11.1% -2.3 pts

ZIP codes in Rochester

1 in or overlapping Rochester. Population shown

·

Cities near Rochester

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
Grand MoundCensus-designated place3 mi4.1
Fords PrairieCensus-designated place5.7 mi3.7
OakvilleCity8.2 mi0.6
CentraliaCity8.3 mi7.8
BucodaTown9.4 mi0.6
TeninoCity9.8 mi1.5
ChehalisCity12 mi5.8
PorterCensus-designated place13 mi8.9
TumwaterCity13 mi17.7
MaloneCensus-designated place16 mi9
OlympiaCity17 mi18.2
NapavineCity18 mi2.9
RainierCity18 mi1.7
McClearyCity19 mi2
LaceyCity20 mi18.6
ElmaCity20 mi2.8

Frequently asked questions

What county is Rochester, WA in?
Rochester is in Thurston County, Washington.
What ZIP codes are in Rochester, WA?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Rochester include 98579.
What is the population of Rochester, WA?
About 5,834 people live in Rochester, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Rochester?
Nearby places include Grand Mound (3 mi), Fords Prairie (5.7 mi), Oakville (8.2 mi), Centralia (8.3 mi), Bucoda (9.4 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023