How long is the commute from Rochester, WA?

Name: Commute and cars in Rochester, WA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Workers who live in Rochester, WA take an average of 32.0 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

70.3% of workers drive alone to work.

0.0% take public transportation.

0.7% of workers walk to work.

7.4% work from home.

1.9% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 32.0 minutes (±3.6)
Public transportation: 0.0%
Work from home: 7.4%
Households without a car: 1.9%

How people in Rochester get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	Rochester	Thurston County	Washington	United States
Drove alone	70.3% (±10.1 points)	66.9%	63.4%	68.8%
Carpooled	13.1% (±8.4 points)	7.5%	8.5%	8.5%
Public transportation	0.0% (±1.6 points)	1.0%	3.4%	3.2%
Walked	0.7% (±1.1 points)	2.3%	3.0%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	8.6% (±8.7 points)	1.8%	1.9%	2.0%
Worked from home	7.4% (±3.7 points)	20.5%	19.8%	15.1%

In Rochester, the average commute is higher than in Thurston County (25.8 minutes).

It is also higher than in Washington (26.6 minutes).

It is higher than the national figure (26.4 minutes).

In Rochester, the share commuting by public transportation is not measurably different from Thurston County (1.0%).

It is also lower than in Washington (3.4%).

It is lower than the national figure (3.2%).

In Thurston County, Rochester ranks 6 of 11 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 115 of 470.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Cars per household in Rochester

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	Rochester	Thurston County	Washington	United States
No vehicle	1.9% (±1.9 points)	4.7%	7.1%	8.4%
1 vehicle	15.4% (±5.7 points)	29.6%	30.5%	33.1%
2 vehicles	23.0% (±7.5 points)	37.3%	36.3%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	59.6% (±8.7 points)	28.3%	26.1%	21.9%

In Rochester, the share of households without a vehicle is lower than in Thurston County (4.7%).

It is also lower than in Washington (7.1%).

It is lower than the national figure (8.4%).

Working from home and internet access in Rochester

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Rochester	Thurston County	Washington	United States
Workers working from home	7.4% (±3.7 points)	20.5% (±1.0 points)	19.8% (±0.2 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	100.0% (±2.0 points)	97.4% (±0.4 points)	97.1% (±0.1 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	98.0% (±2.1 points)	94.5% (±0.6 points)	93.6% (±0.1 points)	91.0%

In Rochester, the share of households with a broadband subscription is higher than in Thurston County (94.5%).

It is also higher than in Washington (93.6%).

It is higher than the national figure (91.0%).

Average commute in places near Rochester

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Rochester
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
Rochester	—	32.0 minutes (±3.6)	—
Grand Mound	2.9 mi	27.2 minutes (±4.8)	Not measurably different
Fords Prairie	5.7 mi	18.8 minutes (±5.1)	Lower
Centralia	8.1 mi	25.6 minutes (±2.9)	Lower
Oakville	8.1 mi	28.8 minutes (±4.1)	Not measurably different
Bucoda	9.4 mi	33.9 minutes (±8.4)	Not measurably different
Tenino	9.9 mi	33.3 minutes (±3.0)	Not measurably different
Chehalis	12 mi	22.8 minutes (±2.7)	Lower
Tumwater	14 mi	21.3 minutes (±1.6)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Fords Prairie, WA (18.8 minutes), Centralia, WA (25.6 minutes), Chehalis, WA (22.8 minutes).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Average commute across Thurston County, place by place

Rank	Place	Average commute
1	Rainier	37.9 minutes (±5.9)
2	North Yelm	35.1 minutes (±10.0)
3	Bucoda	33.9 minutes (±8.4)
4	Yelm	33.8 minutes (±3.1)
5	Tenino	33.3 minutes (±3.0)
6	Rochester	32.0 minutes (±3.6)
7	Tanglewilde	28.3 minutes (±5.7)
8	Grand Mound	27.2 minutes (±4.8)
9	Lacey	25.4 minutes (±1.2)
10	Tumwater	21.3 minutes (±1.6)
11	Olympia	20.0 minutes (±1.2)

Rochester is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Rochester

How long is the average commute in Rochester?

Workers who live in Rochester, WA take an average of 32.0 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in Rochester without a car?

1.9% of households in Rochester have no vehicle, and 0.0% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in Rochester?

7.4% (±3.7 points) of workers who live in Rochester worked from home, and 98.0% of households have a broadband subscription.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Rochester CDP, Washington (place:59110, in state:53).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP03_0018E, DP03_0018M, DP03_0025E, DP03_0025M, DP03_0019PE, DP03_0019PM, DP03_0020PE, DP03_0020PM, DP03_0021PE, DP03_0021PM, DP03_0022PE, DP03_0022PM, DP03_0023PE, DP03_0023PM, DP03_0024PE, DP03_0024PM, DP04_0058PE, DP04_0058PM, DP04_0059PE, DP04_0059PM, DP04_0060PE, DP04_0060PM, DP04_0061PE, DP04_0061PM, DP02_0153PE, DP02_0153PM, DP02_0154PE, DP02_0154PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.