The Town FilesRochester, New York
Town in Ulster County · population 7,272 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $354,300
- Household income
- $86,691
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 48.6
Rochester is a town of 7,272 people in Ulster County, New York. The median home is worth $354,300, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 77% of New York towns, better transit than 77% of New York towns, hipper than 76% 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 $354,300, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $86,691, which is more affordable than 23% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,290 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rochester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $354,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,290 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $86,691 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.1% | — |
Who lives in Rochester
| People | Rochester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.6 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.9% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 26.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 35.6 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Rochester
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 18.9°F. About 52.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 21, 1976 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 12, 1984.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Ulster County since 1996
Ulster County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Ulster County
Ulster County had 59,330 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,154 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Rochester itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Towns near Rochester
- Marbletown, NY6.9 mi · 5,658 people · home $466,400
- Ellenville, NY8.8 mi · 4,167 people · home $218,200
- Wawarsing, NY8.9 mi · 12,771 people · home $236,900
- Olive, NY9.3 mi · 4,226 people · home $375,100
- Gardiner, NY9.4 mi · 5,610 people · home $469,200
- New Paltz, NY9.9 mi · 14,407 people · home $464,400
- Rosendale, NY10.1 mi · 5,782 people · home $326,300
- New Paltz, NY10.8 mi · 7,324 people · home $414,500
Rochester questions
Is Rochester, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rochester scores better for retirees than 70% of New York towns and quieter than 66%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.6).
How much does a house cost in Rochester?
The median owner-occupied home in Rochester is valued at $354,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,691, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,290 a month.
What is the weather like in Rochester?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 18.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.6 inches of precipitation a year and 59.2 inches of snow.
Does Rochester get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 21, 1976. 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)