Rochester /ˈrɑːtʃɛstər/ is a census-designated place in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1852, and the 2010 census recorded its population at 2,388. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.3 square miles, all of it land. Rochester Schools had 2095 students registered in 2011.