Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fremont, CA
VS
Rochester, NY
🏆 Fremont leads 17 of 23 categories
Fremont
California
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$169,023 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
228,795 ✓ Larger
Rochester
New York
6
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.
Fremont, CA
Pros
Households earn $124,867 more per year on average
66% less violent crime than Rochester
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.5 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 61.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (195.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 33°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,231,500
Higher rents — median is $2,824/mo
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Rochester
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Rochester, NY
Pros
Homes cost $1120k less ($111,400 vs $1,231,500)
Rent averages $1829/mo less ($995 vs $2,824)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Fremont
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fremont by $124,867/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 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fremont
Median Income
$124,867
$169,023 vs $44,156/yr
Fremont
Violent Crime
66% lower
195.7 vs 582.3 per 100k
Fremont
Unemployment
4.5 pp lower
4.0% vs 8.5% unemployment
Rochester
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 97.7 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Rochester
Median Home Value
$1120k less
$111,400 vs $1,231,500
Rochester
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 77.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fremont, CA | Rochester, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 97.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,231,500⚠ High | $111,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,824⚠ High | $995 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $169,023 ✓ Higher | $44,156 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 10.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 29.4% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 83.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fremont Unified | ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.1°F ✓ Warmer | 33.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 77.0°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.4" ✓ Drier | 35.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 102.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 228,795 ✓ Larger | 210,992 |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% ✓ Higher | 37.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 21.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fremont's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Rochester's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Rochester is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fremont leads 17 of 23 categories. Fremont wins 17 and Rochester wins 6. 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 Fremont to Rochester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,231,500 vs $111,400 median home), income ($169,023 vs $44,156), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fremont, CA and Rochester, NY are about 2,339 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.