Editing Rochester, Washington

{{Short description|Place in Washington State}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Rochester, Washington
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place|CDP]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
<!-- Images --------------->
|image_skyline            = Rochester_communitycenter.jpg
|imagesize                = 350px
|image_caption            = Rochester Community Center
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps ----------------->
|image_map                = Thurston_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Rochester_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Rochester, Washington
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
<!-- Location ------------->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Thurston County, Washington|Thurston]]
<!-- Government ----------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = {{start date and age|1852}}
|established_title2       = Platted
|established_date2        = {{start date and age|1890}}
<!-- Area ----------------->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 6.0
|area_land_km2            = 6.0
|area_water_km2           = 0.0
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.3
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.3
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.0
<!-- Population ----------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
|population_total         = 6064
|population_density_km2   = 305.1
|population_density_sq_mi = 790.2
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|timezone_DST             = PDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 44
|elevation_ft             = 144
|coordinates              = {{coord|46|49|25|N|123|5|0|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 98579
|area_code                = [[Area code 360|360]] 
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 53-59110<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1512611<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  =
|footnotes                =
}}

'''Rochester''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ɒ|tʃ|ɛ|s|t|ər}}) is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Thurston County, Washington]], United States. It was founded in 1852, and the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] recorded its population at 6,064.<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US5359110 |work=American FactFinder |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 15, 2022}}</ref>  According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 square kilometers), all of it land. Rochester Schools had 2,105 students registered in the 2021-22 School Year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rochester School District |url=https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/100223 |publisher=Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction |access-date=May 15, 2022}}</ref>

==History==
Rochester was [[plat]]ted in 1890, and named after [[Rochester, Indiana]], the native home of a first settler.<ref name="Names">{{cite web | url=http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/historic/docs/Place-Names.pdf | title=Thurston County Place Names: A Heritage Guide | publisher=Thurston County Historical Commission | date=1992 | accessdate=March 28, 2018 | pages=70}}</ref> An early variant name was "Key".<ref name="Names" />

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1990= 1250
|2000= 1829
|2010= 2388
|2020= 6064
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 25, 2013}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,829 people, 647 households, and 505 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 790.2 people per square mile (305.7/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 677 housing units at an average density of 292.5/sq mi (113.2/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.41% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.16% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.69% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.93% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.11% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 5.52% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.17% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 10.39% of the population. 12.8% were of German, 11.5% Irish, 7.8% American, 7.5% Norwegian, 5.6% English and 5.4% Scottish ancestry.

There were 647 households, out of which 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 30.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $43,090, and the median income for a family was $44,777. Males had a median income of $40,676 versus $26,518 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $14,912. About 6.2% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Arts and culture==

===Festivals and events===
Rochester hosts an annual Swede Day festival, usually in June. It began as an honor to recognize the [[Culture of Sweden|Swedish]] culture and heritage of the town's early beginnings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  A parade, a [[midsommarafton|maypole]] dance, and traditional [[Swedish cuisine]] highlight the event.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vander Stoep |first1=Isabel |title=Time-Honored Rochester Festival 'Swede Day' Returns |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/time-honored-rochester-festival-swede-day-returns,267518 |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Spur |first1=Kyle |title=Rochester's Swede Day Celebrates 35 Years Saturday |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/rochesters-swede-day-celebrates-35-years-saturday,83079? |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=July 19, 2014}}</ref>  The celebration first began in 1978, replacing an annual Strawberry Festival held in the town.<ref name="SHC"/>

===Historic Buildings and sites===
Swede Hall, built in 1939, replaced an original hall built in 1911 at nearby Independence Valley.<ref name="SHC">{{cite news |last1=Spur |first1=Kyle |title=Swedish Heritage Celebrated in Rochester |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/swedish-heritage-celebrated-in-rochester,83010? |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 22, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Swede Hall |url=https://rochestercitizensgroupswedehall.net/ |website=rochestercitizensgroupswedehall.net |access-date=June 28, 2021}}</ref>  Constructed in a style similar to traditional Swedish halls, the building received approximately $200,000 during the Washington state budget in 2019 to make necessary improvements to the 80 year-old hall's infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Will |title=40th Annual Swede Day to Celebrate Past While Looking to Future |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/40th-annual-swede-day-to-celebrate-past-while-looking-to-future,9041? |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 7, 2019}}</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
The Black River Habitat Management Area, the Glacial Heritage Preserve, and the [[Scatter Creek Unit]] surround the community. [[Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve]] is north of the town.

The [[South Sound Speedway]], a [[Figure 8 racing|Figure 8]] racetrack, is directly east of the downtown area.

==Education==
* Grand Mound Elementary School [http://www.rochester.wednet.edu/GMES/Default.HTM]
* H.E.A.R.T [http://www.rochester.wednet.edu/HEART/DEFAULT.HTM]
* Rochester Co-op Preschool [http://sites.google.com/site/rochestercooppreschoolfamily/]
* Rochester High School [http://www.rochester.wednet.edu/RHS/default.HTM]
* Rochester Primary School [http://www.rochester.wednet.edu/RPS/default.HTM]
* Rochester Middle School

The Rochester Primary School was built in 1936 and, as of 2023, is the headquarters for the school district.<ref>{{cite news |author1=The Chronicle staff |title=Now safe from asbestos, Rochester School District accepting proposals for use of primary school gym |url=https://chronline.com/stories/now-safe-from-asbestos-rochester-school-district-accepting-proposals-for-use-of-primary-school-gym,330164 |access-date=December 11, 2023 |work=The Chronicle |date=December 1, 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Scatter Creek Unit]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.rochester-wa.com/ Rochester, Washington Community Bulletin Board]

{{Thurston County, Washington}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Thurston County, Washington]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:1852 establishments in Oregon Territory]]