Roof replacement cost in Rochester, MN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $6,650 – $13,200
- Per sq ft of roof
- $3.25 – $6.35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +7%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #63
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new roof in the Rochester area: $6,650 to $13,200 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 7% higher than the US figure. Roofers earn a median of $29.78 an hour in the Rochester area, 12% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Rochester, MN, standard level
$8,600 to $11,200
About $4.20 to $5.45 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 65% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,800 |
| Labor | $5,900 | $7,100 |
| Permits and fees | $200 | $350 |
| Total | $8,600 | $11,200 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Rochester, MN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,550 | $3,150 | $4,750 | 32% |
| Labor | $5,000 | $6,500 | $7,950 | 65% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $270 | $450 | 3% |
| Total | $6,650 | $9,900 | $13,200 | 100% |
Why Rochester prices look the way they do
Labor is 65% of the midpoint bill here, against 61% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is roofers (85%), construction laborers (15%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Rochester the blended ratio comes out at 1.14.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Rochester is at 95.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,300 nationally becomes $3,150 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 90.8: $90 to $450.
The best months for roof in Rochester
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Rochester Intl Ap (10 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Rochester are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March, November and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Rochester gets about 35 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 53 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 3.5 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 5 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | 7 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 27 | 11 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 40 | 23 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Apr | 55 | 35 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 68 | 47 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 58 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 61 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 58 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 50 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 38 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 42 | 26 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 14 | 1.3 | Cold |
Specs and site conditions that change a Rochester bid
Tear-off and layers
Removing a second layer or rotted decking adds cost, and the contractor can only see decking damage after tear-off.
Tear-off
Removing the old roof is $1-$5 per sq ft depending on the material and number of layers (HomeGuide). Check that your quote includes it.
Permit
Roof replacement permits run $100-$500 depending on the location.
Who does the work: Rochester trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Rochester the blend is 1.14.
Roofers (47-2181), 85% of the weighting: a median of $29.78 an hour, 12% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $22.82 and $41.27 an hour. About 90 work in the metro. That is 7.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $28.55 an hour, which is 26% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.36 and $43.11 an hour. BLS counts 990 of them working in the area, 80.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $2,100 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,250. That is a swing of roughly 12.8% to 21.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Rochester has 122,980 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 176th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $22.82 | $29.78 | $41.27 | $26.65 | 1.12 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $22.36 | $28.55 | $43.11 | $22.66 | 1.26 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
How Rochester compares
Same job, same size (2,000 sq ft of roof), priced for the nearest metros. Minneapolis is the priciest of the group at $11,400. Dubuque is the cheapest at $8,500.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MNthis page | $6,650 – $13,200 | $9,900 | |
| La Crosse, WI65 miles | $6,400 – $12,800 | $9,650 | −3% |
| Eau Claire, WI85 miles | $5,900 – $12,000 | $8,900 | −10% |
| Minneapolis, MN90 miles | $7,700 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +15% |
| Waterloo, IA100 miles | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,500 | −14% |
| Dubuque, IA125 miles | $5,550 – $11,400 | $8,500 | −14% |
| Minnesota (statewide) | $7,600 – $14,900 | $11,200 | +13% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | −6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Rochester ranks #63 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Rochester is 12% below the Minnesota figure.
Elsewhere in Minnesota
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | 1,951,650 jobs | $7,700 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +15% |
| Duluth, MN | 124,710 jobs | $7,400 – $14,400 | $10,900 | +10% |
| St. Cloud, MN | 103,920 jobs | $7,750 – $15,000 | $11,400 | +15% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Rochester against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo, TX | 123,930 jobs | $5,250 – $10,900 | $8,100 | −18% |
| Midland, TX | 122,180 jobs | $5,250 – $11,000 | $8,100 | −18% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $6,600 – $13,100 | $9,850 | −1% |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | 122,020 jobs | $6,900 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +5% |
What nearby projects cost in Rochester
Jobs that often go together with roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Rochester wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, metal roof comes out highest (+6%) and attic insulation lowest (+2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $11,200 – $34,100 | +6% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,350 | +4% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,750 – $26,200 | +4% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,050 – $4,050 | +2% |
Rochester: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Rochester. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small (1,200 sq ft of roof) to very large (3,600 sq ft of roof).
Basic
$6,650 to $9,250
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$8,600 to $11,200
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$10,600 to $13,200
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $4,000 – $5,650 | $5,250 – $6,850 | $6,450 – $8,100 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $6,650 – $9,250 | $8,600 – $11,200 | $10,600 – $13,200 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $9,250 – $12,900 | $12,000 – $15,600 | $14,700 – $18,300 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $11,900 – $16,500 | $15,300 – $19,900 | $18,800 – $23,400 |
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Roof replacement in Rochester: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Rochester?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $6,650 to $13,200 in the Rochester area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,600 to $11,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of roof and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of roof for roof in Rochester?
About $3.25 to $6.35 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $90 to $450 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in Rochester or La Crosse?
La Crosse is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $9,650, which is 3% less than Rochester ($9,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Rochester?
About 65% at the midpoint, or $6,500 out of $9,900. Materials are 32% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in Rochester?
$9,250 to $18,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in Rochester?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $90 to $450 for fees in the Rochester area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Rochester expensive for roof compared with the rest of Minnesota?
Rochester is 12% below the Minnesota statewide estimate ($11,200 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in Minnesota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Rochester?
The BLS median is $29.78 an hour in the Rochester area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.82 to $41.27.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Rochester?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $6,650 to $9,250 and premium work $10,600 to $13,200. Basic means: 3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof. Premium means: heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs.
+When is the best time to replace a roof in Rochester?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Roof replacement near Rochester
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Roof Replacement Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = HomeGuide's asphalt shingle price of $80-$250 per roofing square (100 sq ft), i.e. $0.80-$2.50 per sq ft. The rest of the installed price covers roofer labor ($1.50-$3.00/sq ft), tear-off, disposal, underlayment and contractor overhead.