Rochester property tax: where it goes

A Rochester house pays 1.683% of its taxable value in property tax. For a house at $310,500 of market value with the homestead exemption, that's about $4,130 a year.

Tax is levied on for a residential homestead: estimated market value, less the homestead market value exclusion, times the class rate (1.00% on the first $500,000, 1.25% above) gives tax capacity, which is taxed at the local tax capacity rate; referendum levies are a separate rate on market value.

Olmsted County's published tax rate listings stop at taxes payable 2025 (the county page links 2023, 2024 and 2025 rates only), so this uses the pay-2025 district rates (no pay-2026 rate listing is posted there, so 2026 bills will differ); the county's own 2026 levy rose 6.80% over 2025.

Who taxes this house

Taxing agency	Rate	On $310,500
Olmsted County	0.4263%	$1,244
City of Rochester	0.5123%	$1,495
Rochester School District 535, on tax capacity (schools)	0.1824%	$532
Olmsted County HRA	0.0172%	$50
School District 535 referendum levy, on market value (schools)	0.2491%	$774
City of Rochester referendum levy, on market value	0.0108%	$34
Higher 1.25% class rate on value above $500,000 (all tax-capacity levies)	0.2846%	$0
Total	1.683%	$4,130

Taxes payable 2025, Olmsted County (tax district 2303, Rochester City / School District 535). Exemptions applied: Homestead market value exclusion ($18,605); For class 1a residential homestead property, the 1.25% class rate applies only to market value above $500,000 ($500,000).

Ways to pay less

Moved in this year? Apply for homestead by Dec. 31. Homestead lowers the taxable value of a home you own and live in. The homestead market value exclusion is 40% of value for homesteads valued at $95,000 or less (a maximum of $38,000), is reduced as values rise, and phases out at $517,200 or more. How: Apply online or at Olmsted County Property Records & Licensing (151 4th Street SE); you must own and occupy the home as your main residence no later than December 31.
Claim the Minnesota property tax refund. Minnesota homeowners may get a Property Tax Refund based on their income and property taxes. How: File with the Minnesota Department of Revenue by August 15 (you may file up to one year late).
Seniors 65+: defer part of your property tax. With the Senior Citizens Property Tax Deferral, the tax you pay is 3% of household income and the state pays the rest as a loan, repaid with interest when you sell or cancel. How: You must be 65 or older (if married, the other spouse at least 62) with household income of $96,000 or less; apply by November 1.
Blind or permanently disabled owners: lower class rate. Olmsted County's special homestead classification (class 1b) gives a reduced class rate on the homestead of a person who is blind or permanently and totally disabled. How: Apply to Olmsted County Property Records & Licensing by October 1.

Dates

When	What
Nov 1 (in 10 days)	Seniors: last day to file for the property tax deferral for next year's tax
Dec 31	Last day to move into your home and file a homestead application with the assessor; also the last day for disabled veterans to apply for the value exclusion
May 15	First half of real property taxes due
Aug 15	Minnesota property tax refund due; you may still file up to one year late
Oct 15	Last day to pay the second half of real estate taxes; agricultural taxes are due later (Nov 16 in 2026)

Pay or manage it

Pay Olmsted County property taxes ↗

Sources

Checked October 22, 2026. Every number here comes from the public sources listed, matched by our checker.

Rates change every year; this page shows when it was last checked. Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.