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CITY

Rochester

New York · 206,108 residents (2025 est.) · 35.8 sq mi
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Part of the Rochester metro area
The short version

Rochester is a city of 208,772 people in New York. 38% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 27.8%, above the 12.5% national rate. That trails the New York median by roughly 45%. This skews young, with a median age of 33.7. The typical home is worth $139,600, having more than doubled since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 33.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
208,772
−5%since 2000
from 219,773 in 2000
206,108 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
5,838 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 5,816 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
33.7
+9%since 2000
from 30.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
35.8 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
204K212K219K227K234K19902000201020202024Rochester
2024209K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.9%(12,320)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(10,575)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146%(12,550)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.2%(15,091)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.6%(17,908)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3419.3%(40,360)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.8%(26,675)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.4%(21,619)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.6%(24,281)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.1%(16,922)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.8%(7,930)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.2%(2,541)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$47,213
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,123 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,314
+101%since 2000
from $15,588 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
31.2%
+16.4 ptssince 2009
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
27.8%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 25.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.499
+4%since 2010
from 0.479 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade8.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance5.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade3.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration2.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$139,600
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $62,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,081
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $553 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
38.1%
−2.1 ptssince 2000
from 40.2% in 2000
61.9% rent
Vacancy rate
10.7%
−6.6 ptssince 2009
from 17.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.14 people
−9%since 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
24.7%
−6.5 ptssince 2009
from 31.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
50.9%
−7.7 ptssince 2009
from 58.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+26%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
61
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic44.3%(97,395)
Black37.4%(82,267)
Hispanic / Latino12.8%(28,032)
Asian2.2%(4,867)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic36.4%(75,975)
Black34.7%(72,342)
Hispanic / Latino19.6%(40,997)
Asian3.2%(6,675)
Other6.1%(12,783)
Diversity Score
88
+8%since 2009
from 81 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican14.7%(30,736)
Dominican1.4%(3,007)
Mexican0.9%(1,861)
Cuban0.8%(1,617)
South American0.6%(1,178)
Spaniard0.2%(491)
Colombian0.2%(407)
Honduran0.2%(349)
Peruvian0.1%(274)
Ecuadorian0.1%(202)
Panamanian0.1%(164)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Salvadoran0.1%(139)
Guatemalan0.1%(135)
Venezuelan0.1%(133)
Chilean0.1%(109)
Bolivian0%(32)
Asian origin
Chinese0.7%(1,488)
Asian Indian0.5%(1,023)
Nepalese0.5%(951)
Vietnamese0.2%(495)
Thai0.2%(466)
Burmese0.2%(465)
Korean0.2%(385)
Laotian0.2%(376)
Filipino0.1%(200)
Pakistani0.1%(154)
Japanese0.1%(127)
Kazakh0.1%(127)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(112)
Chamorro0%(11)
Ancestry
Irish8.5%(17,749)
German8.2%(17,178)
Italian7.8%(16,271)
English5.8%(12,061)
American3.6%(7,597)
West Indian2.3%(4,751)
Polish2.2%(4,606)
Jamaican1.3%(2,711)
French1.1%(2,290)
Scottish1.1%(2,231)
Dutch1%(2,005)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.6%(1,258)
Ukrainian0.5%(1,070)
Somali0.5%(1,065)
Arab0.4%(747)
Haitian0.3%(676)
Swedish0.3%(668)
Hungarian0.3%(564)
Welsh0.3%(526)
Ethiopian0.2%(519)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(476)
Norwegian0.2%(474)
Portuguese0.2%(466)
Greek0.2%(410)
Nigerian0.2%(367)
Lithuanian0.2%(357)
British0.2%(323)
Canadian0.2%(317)
Romanian0.1%(299)
Israeli0.1%(270)
Austrian0.1%(269)
Turkish0.1%(231)
Czech0.1%(229)
Croatian0.1%(219)
Latvian0.1%(206)
Lebanese0.1%(205)
Swiss0.1%(167)
Danish0.1%(162)
Serbian0.1%(148)
Finnish0.1%(130)
Iranian0.1%(117)
Slovene0.1%(117)
Barbadian0.1%(113)
Brazilian0%(102)
Belgian0%(98)
Egyptian0%(85)
Ghanaian0%(79)
Kenyan0%(78)
Guyanese0%(73)
Slovak0%(67)
Syrian0%(58)
Moroccan0%(49)
Iraqi0%(28)
Armenian0%(20)
Bulgarian0%(13)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.0%
+9.9 ptssince 2000
from 20.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
84.7%
+11.7 ptssince 2000
from 73.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
12.7%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.3 min
+61%since 2000
from 12.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
63.4%
−7.9 ptssince 2009
from 71.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
5.6%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.5%
+9.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.3%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
23.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.9%
−4.3 ptssince 2011
from 12.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2011
from 60.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.3%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 71.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
17.5%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
41.1%
+7.5 ptssince 2009
from 33.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
Female
52.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.8% in 2009
Foreign born
8.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.7%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.1%
+2.3 ptssince 2012
from 16.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.9%
−7.1 ptssince 2013
from 12.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.4%
+17.8 ptssince 2017
from 68.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.1%
+5.4 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
82.3%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 79.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
80.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2016
from 80.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
13.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 13.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married58.3%(47,399)
Married28.4%(23,057)
Widowed2.4%(1,965)
Divorced10.9%(8,837)
Women 15+
Never married55.8%(51,405)
Married25.7%(23,666)
Widowed6.4%(5,855)
Divorced12.1%(11,143)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.9%
−7.1 ptssince 2013
from 12.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
39.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 40.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.9%
−2.1 ptssince 2020
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.5%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 15.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
44.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 44.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
49.7%
−2.7 ptssince 2020
from 52.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
54.4%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 53.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.9%(1,538)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.5%(1,205)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.2%(1,741)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.6%(162)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.2%(72)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 6,184 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Rochester, New York?

Rochester, New York has about 208,772 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Rochester, New York?

The typical household in Rochester, New York earns about $47,213 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rochester, New York expensive?

In Rochester, New York, the median home is worth about $139,600, and the typical rent is about $1,081 a month.

How educated are people in Rochester, New York?

About 30.0% of adults age 25 and over in Rochester, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rochester, New York?

About 27.8% of people in Rochester, New York live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rochester, New York grown since 1990?

Yes, Rochester, New York has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 22,864 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →