Rochester is a great place to have a home. If you are looking to buy a home or apartment, Rochester has several qualities that are important for a living situation. The city is in Olmsted County, Minnesota and has an estimated population of 97,191, making it Minnesota's third-largest city. It is best known as the home of the Mayo Clinic. It is good to know different things about the city you are interested in buying apartments for. One of the great things about this city is that Rochester was founded by George Head in 1854. Originally from Rochester, New York, Head had settled in Waukesha, Wisconsin before moving west to Minnesota. He named his new settlement after his New York hometown. In 1857 Rochester was named the Olmsted County seat. Rochester was a stagecoach stop for travelers who journeyed between Saint Paul, Minnesota, and Dubuque, Iowa. When the railroad came to town in the 1860s, it brought new residents and business opportunities.



Although the weather is generally good, there have been natural disasters in the past. On August 21, 1883, a tornado demolished much of Rochester, leaving thirty-seven dead and several thousand wounded. There was no medical facility at the time, so Dr. William W. Mayo and his two sons worked together to care for the wounded. During that time, several donations were collected and the sisters of St. Francis, assisted by Dr. Mayo, opened a new facility named St. Mary's Hospital in 1889. The Mayo practice grew immensely and today is one of the largest and most well respected medical facilities in the world. This is another good reason to have a residence in the area.

Another asset to the city is that Rochester has all different forms of transportation, thus making it a great place for friends and family to get around. Rochester offers a skyway system, subterranean walkways, bus, taxi, car rental, and airport shuttles. In addition, Rochester has climate controlled skyway and underground walkways known as subways. Downtown businesses, hotels, shops and dining are all accessible without having to step outdoors in the winter. A variety of shops and businesses are also located along the underground subways and skyways, which add to its convenience.

Another good way to get around the city is by cab. There are two taxi companies in Rochester: Yellow Cab and RTS Airport Express Rochester. Rochester International Airport is located eight miles south of downtown Rochester and is accessible via Highway 63 or Interstate 90. Taxis and airport shuttles provide service between the airport and the city's business centers. The airport features two runways and service terminals operated by American Airlines and Northwest Airlines. There is also a large FedEx terminal, small DHL station and general aviation terminal are also on-site. The airport services flights from all over the world connected through American Eagle and Northwest Airlines. The Rochester Airport Company operates the airport, and is currently under an operating agreement with the City of Rochester. While RAC is a private company, the Mayo Clinic of Rochester oversees it, and has heavy influence at the airport. As in most American cities, the primary mode of transportation in Rochester and the surrounding area is the automobile. The city is served by three U.S. highways, and the southern edge of Rochester is skirted by Interstate 90 and Minnesota State Highway 30. Either way you decide to get around the city, there are several attractions and ways of reaching them, thus making Rochester a wonderful place to go.