Rochester, NY

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Add Comparison

2021 Population

1.09M

1.55% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chuck Schumer

Democratic Party

US Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

40.4

0.248% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

12.8%

3.11% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$65,812

6.58% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$155,500

5.07% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

530,740

1.32% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Rochester, NY had a population of 1.09M people with a median age of 40.4 and a median household income of $65,812. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Rochester, NY grew from 1.07M to 1.09M, a 1.55% increase and its median household income grew from $61,747 to $65,812, a 6.58% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Rochester, NY are White (Non-Hispanic) (75.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (10.5%), White (Hispanic) (3.44%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.86%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.85%).

None of the households in Rochester, NY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.2% of the residents in Rochester, NY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Rochester, NY are University of Rochester (4,070 degrees awarded in 2021), Rochester Institute of Technology (4,000 degrees), and SUNY Brockport (2,365 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Rochester, NY was $155,500, and the homeownership rate was 67.2%.

Most people in Rochester, NY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Rochester, NY was 2 cars per household.

Rochester, NY borders Auburn, NY, Batavia, NY, Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY, Corning, NY, and Seneca Falls, NY.

About the photo: Downtown Rochester from the Broad Street Bridge, looking north.

Photo by Rich Engelbrecht

United States New York

Population & Diversity

Rochester, NY is home to a population of 1.09M people, from which 97.2% are citizens. As of 2021, 6.88% of Rochester, NY residents were born outside of the country (74.9k people).

In 2021, there were 7.21 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (823k people) in Rochester, NY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 114k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 37.4k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.2%

2021 Citizenship

97.2%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 97.2% of Rochester, NY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Rochester, NY was 97.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Rochester, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rochester, NY

White (Non-Hispanic)
823k ± 908
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
114k ± 1.33k
White (Hispanic)
37.4k ± 1.5k

7.79%

Hispanic Population

84.8k people

7.79% of the people in Rochester, NY are hispanic (84.8k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Rochester, NY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for New York.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
512,419 ± 17,349 people
China
414,157 ± 15,637 people
Jamaica
233,946 ± 11,806 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New York was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 512,419 New York residents, followed by China with 414,157 and Jamaica with 233,946.

Foreign-Born Population

6.88%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

74.9k people

6.82%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

73.1k people

As of 2021, 6.88% of Rochester, NY residents (74.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rochester, NY was 6.82%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Rochester, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
18,528 ± 886
Gulf War (2001-)
8,837 ± 795
Gulf War (1990s)
5,531 ± 539

Rochester, NY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.1 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Rochester, NY employs 531k people. The largest industries in Rochester, NY are Health Care & Social Assistance (88,280 people), Educational Services (73,531 people), and Manufacturing (62,674 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($80,226), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($66,253), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($66,067).

Males in New York have an average income that is 1.28 times higher than the average income of females, which is $70,847. The income inequality in New York (measured using the Gini index) is 0.493, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

531k

2021 Value

± 5,377

1.32%

1 Year growth

± 1.42%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Rochester, NY grew at a rate of 1.32%, from 524k employees to 531k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rochester, NY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (59,348 people), Management Occupations (58,645 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (49,896 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rochester, NY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New York (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

531k

2021 Value

± 5,377

1.32%

1 Year growth

± 1.42%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Rochester, NY grew at a rate of 1.32%, from 524k employees to 531k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rochester, NY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (88,280 people), Educational Services (73,531 people), and Manufacturing (62,674 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rochester, NY, though some of these residents may live in Rochester, NY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,041

Median earning men ± $774

$36,141

Median earning women ± $497

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($71,600), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($63,168), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,948).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($50,246), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,084), and Wholesale Trade ($43,431).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in New York. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New York.

View Full Dashboard

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

9,201
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
5,823
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
5,792
Manufacturing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$14.9M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$13.3M
Manufacturing
$5.57M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from New York to other states, or from other states to New York.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound New York product (by dollars) was Misc. mfg. prods. with $158B, followed by Mixed freight ($72.3B) and Electronics ($71.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound New York products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for New York.

$810B

2020 Value in New York

$1.62T

Projected 2050 Value in New York

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound New York trade was $810B. This is expected to increase 100% to $1.62T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound New York trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from New York to other states, or from other states to New York.

Most Common Trade Partners

New Jersey
$65.9B
Pennsylvania
$49.6B
California
$30.8B

In 2020, the top outbound New York domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Jersey with $65.9B, followed by Pennsylvania with $49.6B and California and $30.8B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that New York shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in New York went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 60.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (37.5%), followed by Other (0.813%).

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are the senators currently representing the state of New York. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

New York is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Rochester, NY. Showing the available data for New York.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (60.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (37.5%)
Republican Party
Other (0.813%)
Alliance, American Solidarity, Becoming One Nation, Constitution, Independent, Other, Party For Socialism And Liberation, Prohibition, and The Birthday Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in New York went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 60.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (37.5%), followed by Other (0.813%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in New York for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from New York

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Chuck Schumer

Senator from New York

Assumed office on January 3, 1999

Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator from New York

Assumed office on January 26, 2009
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Hillary Clinton, who had become Secretary of State.

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are the senators currently representing New York.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in New York over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from New York

New York is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for New York have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Rochester, NY awarded 19,240 degrees. The student population of Rochester, NY in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 31,114 male students and 36,151 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Rochester, NY are White (12,124 and 71.8%), followed by Black or African American (1,488 and 8.82%), Hispanic or Latino (1,207 and 7.15%), and Asian (959 and 5.68%).

The largest universities in Rochester, NY by number of degrees awarded are University of Rochester (4,070 and 21.2%), Rochester Institute of Technology (4,000 and 20.8%), and SUNY Brockport (2,365 and 12.3%).

The most popular majors in Rochester, NY are Registered Nursing (1,028 and 5.34%), General Business Administration & Management (897 and 4.66%), and Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (769 and 4%).

The median tuition costs in Rochester, NY are $35,352 for private four year colleges, and $7,070 and $16,980 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Rochester, NY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 65.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 18.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 67,265 (46.3% men and 53.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 67,265 students enrolled in Rochester, NY, 46.3% men and 53.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 41,206 records, of which 54.6% were women and 45.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
540 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
499 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
826 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Rochester, NY was General Biological Sciences with 540 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Rochester, NY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Rochester
4,070 degrees awarded
Rochester Institute of Technology
4,000 degrees awarded
SUNY Brockport
2,365 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Rochester with 4,070 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 8,013 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Rochester, NY, which is 0.714 times less than the 11,227 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 12,124 degrees mean that there were 8.15 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,488 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($35,352) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, less-than 2-year ($2,635) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, less-than 2-year ($2,500) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Measure

In 2021, 1.52% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.63% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (4.08M), Bachelors Degree (3.3M), and Some college (2.84M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Rochester, NY was $155,500 in 2021, which is 0.635 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $148,000 to $155,500, a 5.07% increase. The homeownership rate in Rochester, NY is 67.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Rochester, NY have an average commute time of 21.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rochester, NY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Rochester, NY is $65,812. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Rochester, NY was Nassau County, NY with a value of $126,576, followed by Suffolk County, NY and Putnam County, NY, with respective values of $111,660 and $111,617.

Housing

Property

$155,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$1,049

$299,266

Median Property Taxes

±$3,247

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Rochester, NY the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Rochester, NY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

67.2%

Homeownership

2021

61.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 67.2% of the housing units in Rochester, NY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Rochester, NY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Rochester, NY was Nassau County, NY with a value of $126,576, followed by Suffolk County, NY and Putnam County, NY, with respective values of $111,660 and $111,617.

The following map shows all of the counties in Rochester, NY colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$65,812

Median Household Income

± $682

445k

Number of Households

± 4,889

In 2021, the median household income of the 445k households in Rochester, NY grew to $65,812 from the previous year's value of $61,747.

The following chart displays the households in Rochester, NY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Rochester, NY is from New York.

0.493

2021 Wage GINI in New York

0.494

2020 Wage GINI in New York

In 2021, the income inequality in New York was 0.493 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.136% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New York was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New York in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New York across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (77.3%)
Worked At Home (8.92%)
Carpooled (7.87%)

In 2021, 77.3% of workers in Rochester, NY drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (8.92%) and those who carpooled to work (7.87%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rochester, NY have a shorter commute time (21.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.14% of the workforce in Rochester, NY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Rochester, NY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Rochester, NY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Rochester, NY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

12.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rochester, NY (134k out of 1.05M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rochester, NY is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

96.2% of the population of Rochester, NY has health coverage, with 49.8% on employee plans, 18.7% on Medicaid, 13.5% on Medicare, 13.4% on non-group plans, and 0.795% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in New York see 1180 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.17% decrease from the previous year (1194 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1192 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 308 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

1,180 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in New York

Primary care physicians in New York see an average of 1,180 patients per year. This represents a 1.17% decrease from the previous year (1,194 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in New York in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.5% under 18 years, 21.2% between 18 and 34 years, 38.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.78%

Uninsured

49.8%

Employer Coverage

18.7%

Medicaid

13.5%

Medicare

13.4%

Non-Group

0.795%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rochester, NY grew by 1.08% from 3.74% to 3.78%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Rochester, NY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.