Minneapolis, MN vs Rochester, MN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Minneapolis, MN spends 59% more per resident than Rochester, MN: $21,910 against $13,796. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Rochester, MN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 86/100 (grade A) against 65/100 (grade B) for Minneapolis, MN — a 21-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Rochester, MN carries the lighter load at $573 per resident versus $644 for Minneapolis, MN. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Minneapolis, MN at $3,486 per resident and in Rochester, MN at $1,257.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 17% of total revenue in Minneapolis, MN and 21% in Rochester, MN.
Summary
Minneapolis spends 58.8% more per capita than Rochester ($8,114/person difference). Rochester, MN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 86/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $1,144 |
| Sales Tax | $1,989 | $1,029 |
| Income Tax | $994 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,929 | $120 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,040 | $1,283 |
| Other | $3,254 | $6,193 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $683 | $445 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,500 | $1,563 |
| Health | $0 | $673 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,486 | $1,257 |
| Housing | $4,133 | $3,160 |
| Sewerage | $570 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,398 | $957 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $971 |
| Other | $8,919 | $4,771 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.