Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Rochester

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Rochester
New York›Ulster County
CompareFollow

RochesterUlster County, NY

6 bordering townsMap →
Lake Mohonk Mountain House Complex · Photo: Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo of Rochester

Rochester, NY · Lake Mohonk Mountain House Complex · Photo: Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population
7,463
2025 Census estimate · +2.6% since 2020
Median home value
$354K
Census ACS
Household income
$87K
median
Median age
48.6
years
Jobs based here
1,536
A commuter town
TownGrade
C
#576 of 745 in NY

Is Rochester a good place to live?

Rochester grades C overall, 576th of 745 graded towns in New York, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It has 83 miles of trail and 31% conserved land. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $354K for a typical one and 4.1 times the Kingston metro’s $86K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 97% of U.S. towns, with 31 places on the National Register. 31% of the land in Rochester is conserved, where New York’s towns sit at 5.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Its National Register listings include Lake Mohonk Mountain House Complex and Middaugh-Stone House and Dutch Barn. Only 110 of New York’s 1,187 towns score higher on civic life.

StrongestA+HistoryACivic lifeAOutdoorsWeakestC−Cost of living

What makes Rochester stand out

Where Rochester beats most towns.

Lake Mohonk Mountain House Complex
HistoryA+
Settled in 1672
A history going back 354 years.

Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents

Rochester5.6
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical NY town4.2
Civic lifeA
35% more nonprofits per person
than the typical New York town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Conserved land & trails
OutdoorsA
31.4% conserved land
Biggest place to walk: Minnewaska State Park Preserve, 37.5 mi of trail.
Lake Mohonk Mountain House Complex
Lake Mohonk Mountain House Complex · National Register of Historic Places
Rochester’s story

354 years in pictures

Lake Mohonk Mountain House Complex is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1672, comes before those of 96% of the New York towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 2,063 in 1820, a low of 2,051 in 1930, 7,272 in 2020. The archive holds 22 old photos and papers going back to 1795 and 3 maps from 1901 on.

31 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • 1672Rochester is settled
Explore the history →

How Rochester grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Rochester is from typical.

How grading works

Cost of livingC−Open →HealthEllenville Regional Hospital 7.9 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →Jobs & incomeC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.1 of 20; 2.2% of households have no car; 6.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAOpen →HistoryA+Open →Civic life5.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 48.6–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

United States Military Academy and 39 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Rochester. Close and well known come first.

All 78 attractions →
Big draw33 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy17 mi National Historic SiteHome of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site102K visitors a year17 mi National Historic SiteVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site295K visitors a year6 mi Park & preserveMinnewaska State Park Preserve33 mi Stadium & arenaMichie Stadium18 mi MuseumFranklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

United States Military Academy: USMA Public Affairs Office, Public domain · Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site: Crunch, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site: Daderot, Public domain · Michie Stadium: John Pellino, Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Rochester: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Rochester, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerCentral Hudson Gas & Elec27.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWillbe MHPNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Rochester’s trash rules yet
SchoolsRondout Valley Central School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereUlster County Board of ElectionsUlster County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes12446, 12404, 12440, 1245812446 50% · 12404 41% · 12440 7% · 12458 1%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Rochester.

Rochester is a second-home town, keeps more of its land conserved than most of New York and has an unusually large share working from home.

OutdoorsA

Nearly a third of Rochester is conserved land

Its 17,927 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 97% of New York towns.

83 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves. Sundown Wild Forest, at 8,298 acres with 12.4 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Rochester’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile, against 0.4 in New York’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns.

#144for trails in NY
31.4%
conserved · 17,927 of 57,081 acres
83 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Minnewaska State Park Preserve37.5 mi6,405
2. Sundown Wild Forest12.4 mi8,298
3. Mohonk Preserve11.4 mi1,137
Full pageRochester’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map83 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk37.5 miles of trail · Minnewaska State Park PreserveConserved land31.4% conserved · 17,927 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Rochester?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsC

Rochester’s schools rank behind 68% of New York districts

Its public schools are run by the Rondout Valley Central School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Rondout Valley High School, with 547 students.

32%of NY districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Rondout Valley Intermediate SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–6Grades 4–6358C−
Rondout Valley High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12Grades 9–12547A−
Full pageRochester’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsRONDOUT VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTVs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 5 graded neighborsEvery school4 schools · Rondout Valley High SchoolQuestions“Are Rochester’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+

Most of Rochester’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them

26.3% of workers work from home, against 14.9% across New York.

Most working residents leave Rochester for work: only 15% work in town. The average trip to work in Rochester is 36 minutes. Jobs based in Rochester grew to 1,536 in 2023, 149 more than in 2013.

15%work in town
RochesterNew York townsU.S. towns
Work from home26%12%11%
Average trip to work36 minutes25 minutes25 minutes
Working residents who work in town15%10%8%
Median household income$87,000$82,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In Rochester15%
New York11%
Kingston8%
Wawarsing5%
Marbletown5%
19 mi
median commute distance
1,536
jobs based in Rochester
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 57% of U.S. towns
Full pageRochester’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here1,536 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work15% work in RochesterCommute times36 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 19 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HealthB+

Rochester is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns

Rochester beats the New York average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 30% of Rochester adults feel lonely.

74%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
RochesterNew York townsU.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)30%32%33%
Depression (CDC PLACES)20%21%23%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)16%17%16%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)37%34%35%
32 measures vs. New York
6 better22 too close to call4 worse
What stands outRochesterNY
Fewer adults facing food insecurity12.6%17.2%
Fewer uninsured adults6.2%7.9%
More adults who have had cancer9.4%7.7%
Ellenville Regional Hospital
7.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
56th
percentile among NY towns
Full pageRochester’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby7.9 miles to an ER · Ellenville Regional HospitalHow adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional supportEvery CDC estimateBetter than NY on 6 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Who lives here

More middle-aged adults than New York overall

15.1% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, against 3.5% statewide, which helps explain the older median age.

Adults 35 to 64 are 48% of residents (39% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (23% statewide). 45% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Rochester. Rochester has grown 2.6% since 2020, to 7,463 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.

48.6median age · NY 39.8
RochesterNew York townsU.S. towns
Median age48.6 years42.9 years40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+45%32%29%
Under 1817%20%22%
RochesterNew YorkUnited States

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma8%
High school25%
Some college13%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate19%

Women and men · all residents

54% women, 46% men

About 87 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.4 points). Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Rochester
RochesterNYU.S.
Under 109.1%11%11.6%
10 to 177.7%9.5%10.3%
18 to 249%8.9%9.1%
25 to 347.9%14.2%13.7%
35 to 4411.8%13%13.2%
45 to 5415.6%12.2%12.2%
55 to 6420.3%13.3%12.7%
65 to 7410.7%10.3%10.2%
75 and older7.9%7.6%7%
No diploma7.9%12%10.4%
High school24.8%24.3%26%
Some college12.8%14.6%19.1%
Associate’s9.7%8.8%8.8%
Bachelor’s26.4%22.4%21.6%
Graduate18.5%17.9%14.1%
Full pageRochester by the numbersOpen the page
Ages48.6 median age · 19% are 65 or olderSchooling45% have a four-year degreeHomes83% own their home · HomeownersIncome$87K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Climate

Rochester has snowy winters and pleasant summers

Rochester has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 17° and about 59 inches of snow falls in a winter.

59″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter20–37°
Spring36–59°
Summer59–82°
Fall42–62°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageRochester’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 84°, January lows 17°Rain & snow59″ of snow a winter · 49 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−

Moderate risk in Rochester, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 34 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Rochester.

43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
43Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
34
paid flood claims since 1978
9
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageRochester’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claims34 paid flood claims · Since 1978Past disasters9 federal disasters · Paid out in RochesterGet ready3.6 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Rochester

18pages on Rochester
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 68% of NY districts · 4 schoolsHealthB+Better than NY on 6 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−Work & commuteC+$87K median household income · 1,536 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsA83 mi of trails · 31% conserved landPlacesAttractions78 nearby · Minnewaska State Park Preserve 6 miLibraryAStone Ridge Public LibraryCollegesUlster County Community College is 7.8 mi away
The story
HistoryA+Settled 1672 · 31 on the National RegisterTown Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 324 residentsClimate84° summer highs · 59″ of snow
Day to day
News19 recent stories about RochesterWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

3 within 15 miles of the center of Rochester

Ulster County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Stone Ridge7.8 mi$6,666 in-state tuitionState University of New York at New PaltzUniversity or college · Public · New Paltz10.9 mi$8,572 in-state tuitionYeshiva of OceanUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Greenfield Park13.1 mi$9,000 tuition

About 4 of every 100 Rochester residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

85% of working residents leave Rochester for work

Where Rochester’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

11% → New York New York 11% 8% → Kingston Kingston 8% 5% → Wawarsing Wawarsing 5% 5% → Marbletown Marbletown 5% 5% → New Paltz New Paltz 5% 4% → Ulster Ulster 4% Rochester · 15% stay
1,536jobs based in Rochester
15%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Landmarks

31 places in Rochester on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →
Lake Mohonk Mountain House ComplexNational Historic Landmark
Barley, Zachariah, Stone House
DuPuy, Ephriam, Stone House
Hornbeck Stone House

About Rochester

Town in New York, United States

Rochester is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 7,305 at the 2022 census. It is an interior town located near the center of Ulster County. The northwestern part of the town is in the Catskill Park. U.S. Route 209 passes across the town.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established
1672
Area
89 sq mi
Elevation
535 ft

Rochester’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Rochester.

Explore the map →
GardinerMarbletownWawarsingOliveDenningNew PaltzGardinerMarbletownWawarsingOliveDenningNew PaltzRochester
Gardiner
SE
Visit
Marbletown
NE · 5% of Rochester workers commute here
Visit
Wawarsing
SW · 5% of Rochester workers commute here
Visit
Olive
N
Visit
Denning
NW
Visit
New Paltz
E · 5% of Rochester workers commute here
Visit
How the neighbors grade
TownNY rankOverallCostSafetySchoolsHealth
Rochester#576CC−—CB+
Gardiner#490C+D—B+B−
Marbletown#512CC−—CA−
Wawarsing#711DC—DB−
Olive#475C+C−—BA−
Denning——————
New Paltz#218B+DA−B+A−

Rochester, Gardiner, Marbletown, Wawarsing and Olive report no FBI crime data of their own. Denning isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Rochester with a neighbor →

Questions about Rochester

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Rochester, NY a good place to live?

Rochester grades C overall, better than 27% of U.S. towns and #576 of 745 in New York. It grades B+ for health and C for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.

Is Rochester, NY expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.