Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★3.9 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Rochester, NY
Explore Rochester and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match6.5 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Rochester at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population208,772
Median Household Income$47,213
Median Home Value$139,600
Median Gross Rent$1,081
Median Age33.7
Average Household Size2.1
Unemployment7.9%
Work From Home12.5%
Homeownership38.1%
Housing Vacancy10.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Rochester is large enough to contain meaningfully different residential, commercial and employment areas rather than functioning as one uniform market. Home values are relatively modest compared with local household income, giving the area a comparatively favorable ownership-affordability signal. Unemployment is elevated enough that job location and industry-specific opportunities deserve closer review.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Rochester Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Rochester →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Rochester and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Rochester
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$139,600
Median Gross Rent$1,081
Homeownership38.1%
Housing Vacancy10.7%
Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Rochester, NY
Median Household Income$47,213
Unemployment7.9%
Work From Home12.5%
The reported unemployment rate is elevated enough to warrant a closer look at current local employment conditions. A meaningful share of employed residents work from home.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Rochester and how households are structured
Population208,772
Median Age33.7
Average Household Size2.1
Rochester is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Rochester
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Rochester point to warm summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and substantial annual snowfall.
Average Summer High82.5°F
Average Winter Low19.0°F
Annual Rainfall35.1 in.
Annual Snowfall102.0 in.
Seasonal Life in Rochester
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.
Summer
Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.
Fall
Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.
Winter
Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
Rochester is located in Monroe County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Monroe County. Current county foreclosure activity is classified as medium, adding another housing-market signal for buyers comparing conventional and distressed-property opportunities.
County Intelligence
Rochester & Monroe County
Medium
Foreclosure Activity
Rochester is located in Monroe County, New York.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Rochester.
Current NarrowTheList data for Rochester shows a population of about 208,772. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Medium. Current signal uses NarrowTheList foreclosure-opportunity data until direct county delinquency and foreclosure datasets are connected.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Monroe County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Rochester.
For someone considering a move to Rochester, the available data currently points to comparatively attainable ownership costs relative to local income and employment conditions that make job-specific research important. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.