Rochester, MN
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LiveUpdated Jun 8
Gas prices near 55901
Rochester, MN · MN average $4.11/gal
Finding cheap gas in Rochester (55901)
Downtown Rochester lives and breathes Mayo Clinic, and 55901 wraps the central core where the hospital campus, hotels, and the daily tide of patients and medical staff concentrate. That captive, around-the-clock demand is the defining feature of fueling here: the closer you are to the Mayo buildings, the less reason a station has to discount.
US-52 runs north-south along the western flank of this area and is the fastest way to reach higher-volume stations away from the medical district, while the older commercial streets near downtown carry pumps that price for convenience more than competition.
Rochester draws visitors from all over the country who do not know the local stations, which props up prices in the tourist and hospital zones. The simple fix is to drift a little off the core toward the US-52 corridor, where turnover is higher and the numbers tend to soften.
Nearby ZIP codes in Rochester, MN
How to save more on gas in Rochester
1. Use warehouse clubs
Costco and Sam’s Club typically price 15-25 cents per gallon below nearby stations. Membership pays for itself within a few fill-ups.
2. Fill up early in the week
Stations often raise prices Thursday for weekend demand. Fill up Monday through Wednesday to avoid the lift.
3. Keep tires properly inflated
Properly inflated tires improve fuel economy by up to 3 percent at current prices. Check pressure once a month.
4. Check back tomorrow
Prices can shift 10-20 cents overnight during volatile markets. A quick check before you leave home avoids paying yesterday’s spike.
5. Pay cash at split-pricing stations
Stations with cash and credit split pricing typically save an average of 10 cents per gallon when you pay cash.
Related guides
Deep-dives on US gas-price topics relevant to this area.
Brand
Sam's Club gas prices
Member-only fuel pricing at Sam's Club warehouse-club locations.
Research
Why gas prices vary by station
The microeconomics of why same-brand stations across the street price 30 cents apart.
Research
Why gas prices rise faster than they fall
Asymmetric pass-through in US retail gasoline (rockets and feathers).
Directory
US gas station brands directory
Reference for 39 major US gas station chains.
About gas prices in Minnesota
Minnesota refines roughly half its consumed gasoline locally at the Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery (a 370,000 barrel-per-day facility near Rosemount) and the Marathon St. Paul Park refinery. The state gas tax is around 29 cents per gallon. Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Duluth, and Rochester all see competitive pricing, with Costco, Sam's Club, Holiday Stationstores (a Minnesota chain owned by Couche-Tard), and Kwik Trip competing on value across these metros. Duluth and Rochester run slightly higher than the Twin Cities due to longer trucking distances. The state requires E10 ethanol blends year-round, and the Twin Cities also require summer reformulated gasoline that adds production cost from June through September.