Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fishers, IN
VS
Rochester, NY
🏆 Fishers leads 16 of 23 categories
Fishers
Indiana
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041
Rochester
New York
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7
Median Household Income
$44,156
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
210,992 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fishers, IN
Pros
Households earn $82,392 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Rochester
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.0 pts lower (2.5%)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,000
Higher rents — median is $1,478/mo
Rochester, NY
Pros
Homes cost $228k less ($111,400 vs $339,000)
Rent averages $483/mo less ($995 vs $1,478)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fishers by $82,392/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 2.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 97.7 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$82,392
$126,548 vs $44,156/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
87% lower
72.9 vs 582.3 per 100k
Fishers
Unemployment
6.0 pp lower
2.5% vs 8.5% unemployment
Rochester
Median Home Value
$228k less
$111,400 vs $339,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fishers, IN | Rochester, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 97.7 |
| Median Home Value | $339,000⚠ High | $111,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,478⚠ High | $995 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $126,548 ✓ Higher | $44,156 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% ✓ Lower | 8.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.8% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 24 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.5:1 | 10.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 29.4% |
| High School or Higher | 98.0% ✓ Higher | 83.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton Southeastern Schools | ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F ✓ Warmer | 33.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 35.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.7" ✓ Less | 102.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,041 | 210,992 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.1% ✓ Higher | 37.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 21.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 12.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fishers's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Rochester's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 16 of 23 categories. Fishers wins 16 and Rochester wins 7. 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 Fishers to Rochester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,000 vs $111,400 median home), income ($126,548 vs $44,156), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fishers, IN and Rochester, NY are about 485 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.