Rochester, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rochester, Washington
|
|
|---|---|
Rochester Community Center
|
|
Location of Rochester, Washington
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Thurston |
| Founded | 1852 |
| Platted | 1890 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.3 sq mi (6.0 km2) |
| • Land | 2.3 sq mi (6.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 144 ft (44 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 6,064 |
| • Density | 790.2/sq mi (305.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98579
|
| Area code | 360 |
| FIPS code | 53-59110 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1512611 |
Rochester is a small community located in Thurston County, Washington, in the United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's a special area defined by the census bureau. Rochester was founded a long time ago, in 1852.
In 2020, about 6,064 people lived in Rochester. The community covers an area of about 2.3 square miles (6.0 square kilometers). Rochester also has its own schools, with 2,105 students enrolled in the 2021-2022 school year.
Contents
History
Rochester was officially planned out, or platted, in 1890. It was named after Rochester, Indiana. This was the hometown of one of the first people to settle here. For a short time, it was also called "Key."
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1990 | 1,250 | — | |
| 2000 | 1,829 | 46.3% | |
| 2010 | 2,388 | 30.6% | |
| 2020 | 6,064 | 153.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
|||
In 2000, there were 1,829 people living in Rochester. These people lived in 647 households, and 505 of these were families. The population grew quite a bit by 2020, reaching 6,064 people.
Many households in Rochester had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.83 people. The average family had about 3.14 people.
The median age of people in Rochester in 2000 was 32 years old. About 30.1% of the population was under 18. About 8.1% of the population was 65 years or older.
Arts and Culture
Festivals and Events
Rochester hosts a special event every year called the Swede Day festival. It usually takes place in June. This festival celebrates the Swedish heritage of the town's early settlers.
The festival includes a parade and a traditional maypole dance. You can also enjoy delicious Swedish cuisine. The Swede Day festival started in 1978. It replaced an older event called the Strawberry Festival.
Historic Buildings and Sites
One important building in Rochester is Swede Hall. It was built in 1939. This hall replaced an even older one from 1911. Swede Hall looks like traditional Swedish buildings.
In 2019, the building received about $200,000 from the state of Washington. This money helped make important improvements to the 80-year-old hall.
Parks and Recreation
Rochester is surrounded by several natural areas. These include the Black River Habitat Management Area and the Glacial Heritage Preserve. The Scatter Creek Unit is also nearby.
North of town, you can find the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. This area has unique natural mounds.
For sports fans, the South Sound Speedway is located just east of downtown. It's a racetrack known for Figure 8 racing.
Education
Rochester has several schools for students of different ages:
- Grand Mound Elementary School [1]
- H.E.A.R.T [2]
- Rochester Co-op Preschool [3]
- Rochester High School [4]
- Rochester Primary School [5]
- Rochester Middle School
The Rochester Primary School was built in 1936. As of 2023, this building serves as the main office for the entire school district.
