Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Rochester, NY
🏆 Orange leads 14 of 22 categories
Orange
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $65,179 more per year on average
61% less violent crime than Rochester
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.8 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 33°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Rochester
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Rochester, NY
Pros
Homes cost $737k less ($111,400 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1153/mo less ($995 vs $2,148)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $65,179/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 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$65,179
$109,335 vs $44,156/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
61% lower
226.1 vs 582.3 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
3.8 pp lower
4.7% vs 8.5% unemployment
Rochester
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 97.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Rochester
Median Home Value
$737k less
$111,400 vs $848,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Rochester, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 97.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $111,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $995 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $44,156 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B (100) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 10.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 29.4% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 83.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 33.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 35.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 102.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 210,992 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 37.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 21.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Rochester's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Rochester is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Orange leads 14 of 22 categories. Orange wins 14 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 Orange to Rochester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $111,400 median home), income ($109,335 vs $44,156), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Rochester, NY are about 2,247 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.