State
County
Land Area
35.8 sq mi
Density
5,733.8/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
-0.15%
Growth Since 2010
-2.61%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
1,065,690
Rochester is a city located in New York. With a 2020 population of 205,077, it is the 3rd largest city in New York (after New York City and Buffalo) and the 115th largest city in the United States. Rochester is currently declining at a rate of -0.15% annually and its population has decreased by -2.61% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 210,565 in 2010. Rochester reached it's highest population of 332,488 in 1950. Spanning over 37 miles, Rochester has a population density of 5,734 people per square mile.
The average household income in Rochester is $52,116 with a poverty rate of 31.31%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $848 per month, and the median house value is $83,100. The median age in Rochester is 32 years, 31 years for males, and 32.9 years for females. For every 100 females there are 94.2 males.
Rochester, NY is located in Monroe County, south of Lake Ontario. Rochester has the second-largest economy in New York following the NYC metro area.
Rochester is a popular destination for immigrants, particularly those from Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, the Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The city has the highest percentage of Puerto Ricans of all major U.S. cities and one of the largest Turkish American populations. It also has one of the largest communities of Jamaican Americans with a sizable Polish American population.
Rochester is home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf with the highest per capita deaf population in the country.
Rochester has a high violent crime rate that is nearly quadruple the national average as well as a personal and property crime rate that exceeds the U.S. average.
According to a recent study, 16% of Rochester's population is now living in extreme poverty, which places the city first among mid-sized U.S. cities in terms of extreme poverty. Someone is considered to be living in extreme poverty at half the federal poverty income threshold. For a family of four, this means an income of less than $11,925 per year. In 2015, the average cost for a two-bedroom home in the city was $931, or $11,172 a year. 23% of Rochester's white population lives in poverty versus the 10% national average, while 40% of the black population lives in poverty versus the 27% average. 44% of Rochester's Hispanic population is now in poverty versus just 23% nationally.
Rochester was one of the first boomtowns in the United States and gained population quickly for the many flour mills on the Genesee River. Its reputation as a flour manufacturing center earned it the nickname "the Flour City," although it's now more commonly known as "the Flower City" for the annual Lilac Festival.
Rochester is now an international hub of technological and medical developments as well as higher education. The city has several renowned universities, including the Rochester Institute of Technology, and it's the birthplace of Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, and Kodak.
Rochester has been named as America's most livable city, and it's earned high ratings for families and quality of life. It also boasts the most affordable real estate prices of any New York City.
Susan B. Anthony, the famous leader of the Women's Suffrage Movement, was from Rochester, NY. Her work lead to the right for women to vote.
The city of Rochester has been slowly losing people for the last few years at a rate of about 1% per year. The most recent census found that Rochester lost 4.2% of its population. Current estimates show another drop of 1.3% as well. Only time will tell if this city will begin to recover previous population levels.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Rochester was:
2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.
Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 1,065,690 | -1,980 | -0.19% |
2020 | 1,067,670 | -1,970 | -0.18% |
2019 | 1,069,640 | -1,980 | -0.19% |
2018 | 1,071,620 | -340 | -0.03% |
2017 | 1,071,960 | -2,100 | -0.20% |
2016 | 1,074,060 | -3,030 | -0.28% |
2015 | 1,077,090 | -3,000 | -0.28% |
2014 | 1,080,090 | -1,650 | -0.15% |
2013 | 1,081,740 | 230 | 0.02% |
2012 | 1,081,510 | -50 | -0.00% |
2011 | 1,081,560 | 1,590 | 0.15% |
2010 | 1,079,970 | 0.00% |
Race | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 99,038 | 47.88% |
Black or African American | 82,384 | 39.83% |
Two or More Races | 9,083 | 4.39% |
Some Other Race | 7,789 | 3.77% |
Asian | 6,405 | 3.10% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 1,982 | 0.96% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 167 | 0.08% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
---|---|---|---|
All | 86,307 | 2.29 | 36.4 |
Non Family | 44,714 | 1.31 | 29.9 |
Female | 20,156 | 3.48 | 25.1 |
Married | 17,031 | 3.21 | 67.7 |
Male | 4,406 | 3.17 | 32.8 |
3.2
Average Family Size
2.29
Average Household Size
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 8,491 | 6.40% |
9th to 12th Grade | 17,530 | 13.20% |
High School Graduate | 34,906 | 26.29% |
Some College | 24,863 | 18.73% |
Associates Degree | 13,612 | 10.25% |
Bachelors Degree | 19,151 | 14.43% |
Graduate Degree | 14,200 | 10.70% |
Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 58,291 | 52,607 | 24,628 |
Black | 48,814 | 36,744 | 4,796 |
Hispanic | 21,066 | 13,912 | 1,979 |
Other Race | 4,810 | 3,276 | 522 |
Multiple Races | 3,605 | 3,024 | 671 |
Asian | 3,499 | 2,243 | 1,431 |
Native American | 1,038 | 723 | 69 |
Islander | 52 | 44 | 8 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 90.25%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 42.25%.
$31,633
Average Earnings
$34,215
Average Male
$30,109
Average Female
78.71% of Rochester residents speak only English, while 21.29% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 14.47% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 80,611 | 30,054 | 37.28% |
Hispanic | 38,815 | 15,594 | 40.18% |
White | 71,121 | 13,959 | 19.63% |
Multiple | 8,908 | 3,757 | 42.18% |
Other | 7,694 | 2,740 | 35.61% |
Asian | 5,388 | 1,398 | 25.95% |
Native | 1,966 | 768 | 39.06% |
Islander | 136 | 15 | 11.03% |
31.31%
Overall Poverty Rate
29.63%
Male Poverty Rate
32.89%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Rochester is Multiple, with 42.18% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Rochester is Islander, with 11.03% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.51%. Among those working part-time, it was 32.59%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 45.73%.
23.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
24.8%
Male Marriage Rate
22.4%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 4,084 | 4.82% |
Black | 2,288 | 3.97% |
Hispanic | 490 | 1.89% |
2 or More | 209 | 4.27% |
Other | 146 | 2.53% |
Asian | 90 | 1.68% |
Indian | 75 | 5.42% |
13.78%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.26%
Veteran Disability Rate
62.3%
Labor Force Participation
55.9%
Employment Rate
10.2%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
90.88%
Native Born
9.12%
Foreign Born
4.90%
Non Citizen
4.22%
Naturalized
90.88% of Rochester residents were born in the United States, with 66.27% having been born in New York. 4.90% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 205,077 | -309 | -0.15% |
2020 | 205,386 | -309 | -0.15% |
2019 | 205,695 | -309 | -0.15% |
2018 | 206,004 | -406 | -0.20% |
2017 | 206,410 | -1,249 | -0.60% |
2016 | 207,659 | -902 | -0.43% |
2015 | 208,561 | -768 | -0.37% |
2014 | 209,329 | -850 | -0.40% |
2013 | 210,179 | -150 | -0.07% |
2012 | 210,329 | -162 | -0.08% |
2011 | 210,491 | 274 | 0.13% |
2010 | 210,217 | -9,556 | -0.44% |
2000 | 219,773 | -11,863 | -0.52% |
1990 | 231,636 | -10,105 | -0.43% |
1980 | 241,741 | -53,270 | -1.97% |
1970 | 295,011 | -23,600 | -0.77% |
1960 | 318,611 | -13,877 | -0.43% |
1950 | 332,488 | 7,513 | 0.23% |
1940 | 324,975 | -3,157 | -0.10% |
1930 | 328,132 | 32,382 | 1.04% |
1920 | 295,750 | 77,601 | 3.09% |
1910 | 218,149 | 55,541 | 2.98% |
1900 | 162,608 | 28,712 | 1.96% |
1890 | 133,896 | 44,530 | 4.13% |
1880 | 89,366 | 26,980 | 3.66% |
1870 | 62,386 | 14,182 | 2.61% |
1860 | 48,204 | 11,801 | 2.85% |
1850 | 36,403 | 16,212 | 6.07% |
1840 | 20,191 | 10,984 | 8.17% |
1830 | 9,207 | 0.00% |