Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Rochester, NY
🏆 Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Rochester
New York
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$44,156
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
210,992
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $93,231 more per year on average
56% less violent crime than Rochester
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.7 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 33°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Rochester
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Rochester, NY
Pros
Homes cost $722k less ($111,400 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1232/mo less ($995 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 90°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $93,231/yr
Violent crime (582.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3289.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.5% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$93,231
$137,387 vs $44,156/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
56% lower
254.4 vs 582.3 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
5.7 pp lower
2.8% vs 8.5% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
7.1°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 82.5°F
Rochester
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 97.7 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Rochester
Median Home Value
$722k less
$111,400 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Rochester, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 97.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $111,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $995 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $44,156 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 8.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 | 10.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 29.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 83.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 33.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 35.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 102.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 210,992 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% ✓ Higher | 37.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 21.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 12.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Rochester's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Rochester is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 15 and Rochester wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Rochester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $111,400 median home), income ($137,387 vs $44,156), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Rochester, NY are about 298 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.