Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Rochester, NY

    Is Rochester a good place to live?

    Watch Rochester

    Rochester ranks #49 of 66 New York cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (41/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.6% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $120,600
    +8.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,039
    per month
    Household income
    $46,628
    median
    Unemployment
    7.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Rochester

    The median home value in Rochester is $120,600 and median rent is $1,039 a month, against a median household income of $46,628. Homes cost about 2.6× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Rochester crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across New York the 2025 rate was 368 violent and 1,567 property crimes per 100,000 people — #18 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Rochester, NY

    Rochester has about 209,720 residents, 7.9% unemployment and 17% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Rochester with

    Rochester vs New YorkRochester vs BuffaloRochester vs YonkersRochester vs SyracuseRochester vs AlbanyRochester vs New RochelleRochester vs CheektowagaRochester vs Mount Vernon

    More: Where to move in New York · Best counties in New York

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report