Rochester, NY Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Rochester, NY Summary

Cost of living in Rochester research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Rochester is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New York, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Rochester is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Rochester is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Rochester ranks as the #44 cheapest in New York out of 340.

  • Rochester ranks as the #1,804 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Rochester is $93,100.

  • The median income in Rochester is $40,083.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Rochester's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Rochester, NY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rochester has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Rochester has a cost of living index that's 0.7x lower than New York's index of 126.

The standard of living in Rochester ranks as #44 most affordable out of the 340 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Rochester ranks as the #296 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Rochester, check out:

44 out of 340
In New York
1,804 out of 6,412
In America

Rochester Cost Of Living Vs. New York

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Rochester. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Rochester is 105.

  • The Groceries index in Rochester is 102.

  • The Health index in Rochester is 98.

  • The Housing index in Rochester is 56.

  • The Transportation index in Rochester is 108.

  • The Utilities index in Rochester is 96.

Living Expense Rochester New York National Average
Overall 91 126 100
Services 105 110 100
Groceries 102 104 100
Health 98 105 100
Housing 56 175 100
Transportation 108 107 100
Utilities 96 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:
Rochester Cost of Living Vs. NY

Rochester, NY Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Rochester is $93,100.

  • The Median Rent in Rochester is $915.

  • The Median Income in Rochester is $40,083.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rochester is 2.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rochester is 0.27x.

Statistic Rochester New York United States
Median Home Value $93,100 $340,600 $244,900
Median Rent $915 $1,390 $1,163
Median Income $40,083 $75,157 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.3x 4.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.22x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Rochester, NY
$93,100
Median Home Value
$915
Median Rent
$40,083
Median Income

Rochester, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Rochester Services Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
Shampoo $0.98 $1.06
Movie $11.45 $10.68
Bowling $15.61 $14.67
Haircut $22.29 $18.62
Beauty Salon $39.01 $39.05

Detailed Rochester Groceries Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
Ground Beef $4.43 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.2 $1.39
Milk $2.2 $2.05
Potatoes $3.06 $3.29
Pizza $12.09 $10.62
Beer $9.26 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.83 $2.34

Detailed Rochester Health Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
Optometrist $130.8 $108.57
Doctor $97.83 $116.17
Dentist $102.85 $99.13

Detailed Rochester Transportation Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
Gasoline $2.33 $2.22
Tire Balancing $55.25 $50.07

Detailed Rochester Utilities Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
All Electricity $148.23 $167.67
Phone $188.16 $175.64

Rochester SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
10
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
6
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rochester

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Rochester. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Irondequoit, NY has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Rochester.

  • Brighton, NY has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Rochester.

  • Greece, NY has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Rochester.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rochester
Irondequoit, NY 51,054 96 1.1x
Brighton, NY 36,986 101 1.1x
Greece, NY 14,628 95 1.0x
North Gates, NY 9,494 94 1.0x
East Rochester, NY 6,348 93 1.0x
Hilton, NY 6,015 95 1.0x
Webster, NY 5,717 96 1.1x
Fairport, NY 5,452 100 1.1x
Hamlin, NY 5,299 93 1.0x

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