The Town FilesRochester, New York
City in Monroe County · population 211,328 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $139,600
- Household income
- $47,213
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 102 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 33.7
Rochester is a city of 211,328 people in Monroe County, New York. The median home is worth $139,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more walkable than 98% of New York towns, hipper than 96% of New York towns, more vibrant than 93% of New York towns.
How Rochester ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rochester is worth $139,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $47,213, which is more affordable than 45% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,081 a month. 38.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rochester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,081 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $47,213 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 38.1% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Rochester
| People | Rochester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.7 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Rochester
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 19.0°F. About 35.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 102.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F0, struck on April 6, 1979 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 6, 1979.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 10, 1985.
Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996
Monroe County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| November 14, 2017 | Flood | DR-4348: Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 30, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3262: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Monroe County
Monroe County had 382,138 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,838 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Rochester itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.
Public schools in Rochester
111 public schools with 55,808 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRUE NORTH ROCHESTER PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | K-12 | 1,313 | 20.2 |
| BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,182 | 12.2 |
| IRONDEQUOIT HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,177 | 11.9 |
| EDISON CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,161 | 8.0 |
| GATES CHILI HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,127 | 11.0 |
| OLYMPIA HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 1,087 | 9.9 |
| SCHOOL OF THE ARTS | 7-12 | 1,058 | 11.1 |
| ATHENA HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,057 | 11.1 |
| EUGENIO MARIA DE HOSTOS CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | K-12 | 1,035 | 16.2 |
| ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,023 | 10.9 |
| FRANKLIN UPPER SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,006 | 10.3 |
| SCHOOL 58-WORLD OF INQUIRY SCHOOL | PK-12 | 928 | 12.1 |
Towns near Rochester
- Irondequoit, NY3.6 mi · 51,043 people · home $182,500
- Gates, NY3.9 mi · 4,956 people · home $168,600
- Brighton, NY4.0 mi · 37,137 people · home $282,100
- North Gates, NY4.5 mi · 9,458 people · home $163,400
- Gates, NY5.0 mi · 29,167 people · home $170,500
- Greece, NY5.1 mi · 14,429 people · home $169,300
- Rochester Institute of Technology, NY6.5 mi · 7,322 people · home —
- Greece, NY7.0 mi · 96,926 people · home $190,300
Rochester questions
Is Rochester, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rochester scores better for retirees than 1% of New York towns and quieter than 2%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.7).
How much does a house cost in Rochester?
The median owner-occupied home in Rochester is valued at $139,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,213, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,081 a month.
What is the weather like in Rochester?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 19.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.1 inches of precipitation a year and 102.0 inches of snow.
Does Rochester get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on April 6, 1979. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)