VarroExplore other towns

Rochester, NY

Gananda is part of the Rochester area. This page covers the whole metro.

What kind of place it is

Big-city feel, Outdoorsy

Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Rochester scores 70 or higher out of 100.

Big-city feel
86 / 100
Big-city feel: 1.1 million people in the metro, 4 buildings 20+ stories, 1,130 bus and train stops
Outdoorsy
76 / 100
Outdoorsy: more trails, campgrounds and paddling spots than most

Less so: cozy, growing.

Want to know how Rochester fits you? The 3-minute quiz checks it against what you want.
Take the quiz
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Rochester

Rochester Museum of play, external view
Rochester Museum of play, external view · Photo: Misc, CC BY-SA 4.0
This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of...
This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of... · Photo: Leslie L. Gregg, CC BY-SA 4.0
The en:Little Theatre (Rochester, New York) in downtown en:Rochester, New York
The en:Little Theatre (Rochester, New York) in downtown en:Rochester, New York · Photo: DanielPenfield, CC BY-SA 4.0
Front view of the former en:Federal Building (Rochester, New York) that now serves as...
Front view of the former en:Federal Building (Rochester, New York) that now serves as... · Photo: DanielPenfield, CC BY-SA 3.0
The en:Genesee River near the en:University of Rochester 's interfaith chapel
The en:Genesee River near the en:University of Rochester 's interfaith chapel · Photo: Ryan Hyde from Ann Arbor, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
Rows of houses on oxford street in Rochester, NY
Rows of houses on oxford street in Rochester, NY · Photo: EastOfWest, CC BY-SA 3.0
The intersection of Park avenue and Oxford Street in Rochester, NY
The intersection of Park avenue and Oxford Street in Rochester, NY · Photo: EastOfWest, CC BY-SA 3.0
A beautiful night in July 2011 made this shot happen - that, and some HDR work
A beautiful night in July 2011 made this shot happen - that, and some HDR work · Photo: Patrick Ashley, CC BY 2.0
Front facade of James Monroe High School - Rochester, NY
Front facade of James Monroe High School - Rochester, NY · Photo: Joe Harmon, CC BY-SA 3.0
Main entrance of the Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY
Main entrance of the Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY · Photo: DanielPenfield, CC BY-SA 3.0
More towns near Rochester
Ranks the towns around it by your budget and what you love doing.
Rochester hasn't been added yet

Sign in (free) to add it. It takes about a minute, and then anyone can read it.

Where it is
Rochester
Rochester in New York
New York in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Rochester area.

26
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
52
coffee shops
121
parks
188
playgrounds
23
libraries
5
movie theaters
20
live theaters
10
museums
34
bookstores
16
gyms
76
bars
16
pharmacies
7
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Rochester area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
105 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
156 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 140,782 rented homes in the Rochester area, 93% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 40%
$1,000 to $1,499: 39%
$1,500 to $1,999: 14%
$2,000 to $2,499: 5%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Rochester area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $2,000 to $2,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $3,000 to $4,497 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,000 to $1,499, that's a yearly income of about $36,000 to $53,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to New York: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the New York DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: New York voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

Front facade of James Monroe High School - Rochester, NY
Front facade of James Monroe High School - Rochester, NY · Photo: Joe Harmon, CC BY-SA 3.0

18 public school districts in this county, with about 94,631 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Rochester City School District · Rochester
22,820 students · 10.4 students per teacher · 46 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Greece Central School District · Rochester
10,242 students · 11.6 students per teacher · 17 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Penfield Central School District · Rochester
4,679 students · 12.1 students per teacher · 6 schools · grades K to 12
Gates Chili Central School District · Rochester
3,730 students · 12 students per teacher · 6 schools · grades K to 12
West Irondequoit Central School District · Rochester
3,641 students · 12.3 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

New York keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$289/week
about $15,000 a year
$200/week
about $10,400 a year
Toddler (2)$275/week
about $14,300 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$255/week
about $13,300 a year
$198/week
about $10,300 a year
School-age$215/week
about $11,200 a year

For an infant at a center: $289/week here, $296 across NY, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 16% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in New York →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

13 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Rochester. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Rochester Institute of Technology · Rochester
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 16,863 students · $56,664 a year
University of Rochester · Rochester
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 12,160 students · $64,348 a year
Monroe Community College · Rochester
Public, 2-year (community college) · 8,530 students · $5,856 in-state, $10,756 out-of-state
SUNY Brockport · Brockport
Public, 4-year · 6,931 students · $8,678 in-state, $15,748 out-of-state
St. John Fisher University · Rochester
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 3,674 students · $39,666 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$281,279
What a typical home sells for across the Rochester area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Cost of living
About 3% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $97 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 97 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Average commute
21 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $1,683 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in NY. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
7 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
28.7 per 100,000 people a year
216 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. NY average: 8.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 15.9 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 1,194 people without housing in the Rochester, Irondequoit, Greece/Monroe County area: 1,121 in shelters and 73 outside, up from 1,056 in 2024. NY: 73.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$74,409
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
2.79% of home value a year
About $2,790 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 10.90%
NY's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

More towns in New York →

Did this page help you decide whether to visit Rochester, NY or cross it off?