Rochester will compete against three other Michigan communities for the state's top municipal honor after the Michigan Municipal League named it a finalist for the 2026 Community Excellence Award.

The city joins Sterling Heights, Buchanan and the Village of Berrien Springs in the final four, the League announced July 22. Representatives from each community will present their projects on the main stage at the MML Annual Convention, scheduled for Oct. 7-9 at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City, where convention attendees will vote to pick the winner.

The award is the League's highest honor, recognizing what MML describes as innovative placemaking projects that help communities thrive. Communities across the state submit projects each year, and only a small number of semifinalists advance before four finalists are chosen.

The winning community receives the CEA Cup along with statewide recognition through MML publications and the League's online idea bank of standout municipal projects.

MML Board President Joshua Atwood said the finalists reflect local governments working to engage residents and improve quality of life. "They prove what is possible when local leaders work together to make things better," Atwood said in C&G Newspapers' Aug. 21 coverage of the finalists.

The city's announcement, posted Aug. 26, credited city staff, elected officials and community members for shaping the projects and initiatives behind the nomination. The announcement did not identify which specific project Rochester submitted for consideration.

Rochester, a 3.8-square-mile city of 13,035 residents as of the 2020 census, holds an AAA bond rating from Standard & Poor's and has previously earned a "Great American Main Street" designation from the National Main Street Center for its downtown, according to the city's 2025 annual financial report.

The winner will be announced at the convention Oct. 7-9 in Traverse City.