Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. It is the third-most populous city in Minnesota, with a population of 121,395 at the 2020 census. The Rochester metropolitan area has an estimated 230,000 residents. The city is the home and birthplace of Mayo Clinic.
Rochester first developed as a stagecoach stop between Dubuque, Iowa, and Saint Paul, Minnesota. With the creation of the Mayo Clinic in 1864, Rochester became a national center for healthcare, as well as a hub for regional agriculture. For higher education needs the University of Minnesota Rochester, Rochester Community and Technical College, and Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine are located in the city.