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City

Rochester

#91 in Best Cities for Millennials in America
  • B-
    Overall Grade
  • City in New York
  • 271 reviews
B-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    C-
  2. Crime & Safety
    C-
  3. Housing
    C-
  4. Nightlife
    A
  5. Good for Families
    C+
  6. Diversity
    A+
  7. Jobs
    C
  8. Weather
    C-
  9. Cost of Living
    B-
  10. Health & Fitness
    B
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A
  12. Commute
    A
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About Rochester...
Population
210,291

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$77,800
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$779
National
$949
Area Feel
Urban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    64%
  • Own
    36%

Rochester Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Rochester Neighborhood Map

  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    C-
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      463
      283
    • Murder
      21
      6
    • Rape
      71
      41
    • Robbery
      320
      136
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      704
      500
    • Theft
      2,706
      2,043
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      317
      284
    Home Security Options for Rochester
    Learn More
    • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
    • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

    Residents

    Diversity
    A+
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Median Household Income
    $31,684
    National
    $55,322
    Children
    20%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      10%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      14%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      29%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      28%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      19%
      13%

    Jobs in Rochester

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    Rochester Reviews

    271 reviews
    All Categories
    Rochester has a diverse population, which brings about a diverse culture. There are hundreds of Asian, Asian fusion, Italian, Thai, Mexican, and BBQ restaurants. In addition, the nightlife is fantastic, with bowling, bars, lounges, bars with extensive game rooms, coffee shops, and music halls. Rochester also boasts a diverse living environment: the suburbs are only 10-15 minutes from downtown. Rochester offers 2 top engineering and science schools in the country, Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester, as well as one of the top music schools in the world, Eastman School of Music. It is a fantastic place to live and go to school!
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    As a young, single professional in Rochester, I find it to be a very "livable" city. Public transportation and commute times are great, the cost of living is very affordable (especially when it comes to housing), and the art, music, and festival scene is wonderful, particularly in the summertime when there are free events all over the city. There is a lot of growth happening in the city in terms of both upscale and affordable housing being built, as well as interesting restaurants and shops though I wish there were even more. The nightlife is good but can be limited. For jobs, many big companies like Kodak, Bausch and Lomb, and Xerox which once dominated the scene are closing up, so there has been a vacuum for jobs for some time. Most people work at Paychex or Strong Hospital, but there is huge promise in a new national hub for Photonics and Laser technology in the process of settling here. Overall, it is a great place to live!
    Rochester New York is a good sized city that allows you the convenience of having multiple stores and area attractions nearby to experience 'Big-City Life' without the amount of crime and squalor that normally goes along with it. Though Rochester has it's fair share of crime, I find it to be a nice change from living in the country (where I've spent most of my life) without having to move to a major city like Atlanta, or New York City.
    There's always something to do on the weekends, even when you don't have any money to spend. We have a variety of different festivals going on during nearly every weekend in the summer, and in the winter, we can enjoy the beautiful holiday lights and sounds. Rochester is a city, that can't be denied. But it is a city with a small town atmosphere!