Is Rochester, NY a Good Place to Live?
Rochester is a mid-sized city of 210,992 in New York, with a median household income of $44,156 and a 8.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Rochester stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Rochester is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rochester city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 97.7Rochester's overall cost of living index is 97.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rochester costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Rochester, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $111,400 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 37.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $44,156 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageRochester's violent crime rate is 582.3 per 100,000 residents — 53% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Rochester is served primarily by ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Rochester, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 24 | — |
| Middle Schools | 6 | — |
| High Schools | 9 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 83.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Rochester sees average highs of 33.4°F in January and 82.5°F in July, with 35.1 inches of annual precipitation and 102.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Rochester, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 33.4°F |
| Average High — July | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 102.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Rochester, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 210,992 | — |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 19.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 43.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 37.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Rochester
Rochester, NY is covered by 18 ZIP codes: