What BestPlaces Users Say about Rochester
Rochester, New York is a mid-sized city located in the western part of the state. It is known for its strong job market, affordable cost of living, and thriving arts and cultural scene. However, like any city, there are pros and cons to living there. In order to get a better understanding of what it's like to live in Rochester, I have summarized and included user reviews from BestPlaces.net, a popular website for city reviews and rankings. These reviews provide valuable insights from people who have actually lived in Rochester and can offer a firsthand account of what it's like to call this place home.
1) "Rochester is a great place to live if you're looking for a balance between city life and outdoor activities. The parks and trails are amazing and there's always something to do. The cost of living is also reasonable compared to other cities." - Sarah K.
2) "I've lived in Rochester my whole life and I can say that the winters can be brutal. But the summers make up for it with all the festivals, concerts, and outdoor events. Plus, the food scene here is diverse and delicious." - David T.
3) "The job market in Rochester is one of the best I've seen. There are opportunities in a variety of industries and the cost of living allows you to save and enjoy a good quality of life. However, the crime rate is a concern and I would advise being cautious, especially in certain neighborhoods." - Emily S.
4) "I moved to Rochester for college and ended up staying for work. It's been a great experience overall. There are plenty of things to do, the people are friendly, and the city is constantly evolving and improving. I highly recommend Rochester to anyone looking for a city with character and charm." - Mark R.
based on 79 ReviewsGet to know Rochester with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Rochester
Party in the Summer - 11/11/2009
Rochester may get cold and windy in the winter with a lot of snow. It may not see much of the sun much of the year. But once late spring/summer hits, man does the city know how to party. Starting in May and going through September there are constantly free and cheap events going on: Zoo Brew at the Seneca Park Zoo, East End Music Fest, Cornhill Arts Festival, Park Ave Fest, Monroe County Fair, Party in the Park, Jazz Festival, and a variety of other music, art, and town festivals throughout the summer. Kind of makes up for the yucky weather the rest of the
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Good Climate if you like variety! - 10/22/2009
Rochester has very good weather if you like varialbe weather! The summers are very warm, sometimes humid, and the winters can be VERY cold. The winters last too long sometimes. People often go on vacation because it gets so bad in the winter with tons of snow and frigid winds. But, on the other hand, you get all four seasons and usually a white Christmas. Spring and Fall are lovevly and makes the city beautiful, which makes the winter
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Excellent Quality of Life - 10/14/2009
Rochester NY has an Excellent Quality of Life, particularly in it's southeast suburbs & the southeast part of the city where you'll find outstanding cultural institutions: The Strong National Museum of Play is a Smithsonian affiliate & an outstanding childrens museum with ever-evolving exhibits that greatly appeal to all ages. It also contains The National Toy Hall of Fame. It's one of the most heavily endowed museums thanks to the native Rochesterian benefactress founder, Margaret Woodbury Strong & her family fortune.
Rochester has been endowed with many cultural gems bestowed by the fortunes of her wealthiest families: The Eastmans,Gleasons,Strasenburghs,Strongs,Wegmans,Wilmots,Wilsons,Woodburys,Glazers,Natapows,Sands & so many more -who founded Western Union,Eastman Kodak,Xerox,Bausch & Lomb-stillheadquartered here!, Gleasons Inc.,& countless more. Several millionaires & a few billionaires reside here,including one who owns England's most treasured Soccer team.
There
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Great place! - 4/7/2009
Rochester is a great place to settle down. There are plenty of natural resources and no threats of natural disasters. There are enough things to do. This isn't Toronto or NYC, but you can visit those cities quite easily. Rochester has a great infrastructure thanks to George Eastman. We have no rush hour, great classical music, and endless outdoor activities. Sure there can be negatives about anyplace, but Rochester is one of the best places I've lived. Some people think it's gloomy, but it's nothing like I experienced while living in Portland,
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Time to bounce!!! - 6/10/2008
I have lived in Rochester all my life and I have had enough. My husband and I both work full-time and own our home.
I am sick and tired of state mandates for increased welfare & government budgets carried on the backs of the property owner. Wake up NYS, the property owners are leaving!! Where will the $$ come from then, huh?? This place is a haven for welfare-cheats. What's wrong with able-bodied people working? What's wrong with living within your means? I don't mind people getting limited, temporary assistance but it's not a career-choice. The welfare check is not your money, you didn't earn it!! Help the ones who are at least working whether they are low income or not. No. 1 employer is U of R and No.2 is Wegmans and both pay low wages. Cost of living is high here.
This city has a lot of slum-lord rentals. You can re-hab or build new housing all you want but NO ONE who works wants to rent or buy a house in a scummy neighborhood. My street
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Big city amenities with a small town cost - 4/2/2008
Rochester is a hidden gem of a city. It takes a few years of living here for it to sink in. It doesn't have the best of anything. However, it has some of the very, very good of just about anything you might want, and the cost for housing is unbelievably low for a city its size. Unlike some other big cities, the costs of many things are lower, but also, it's possible to *drive anywhere in 20 minutes*. If you live in the city, most destinations are a 5- or 10-minute drive away. Incredible stuff. Yeah, incomes are below national average. But the reality is that it's a thriving job market if you're young and have skills. Unlike a lot of the rust belt, Rochester industry has held on - and it isn't really powered by steel mills so much as light, high-tech operations. It's worth
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A good area with a bad reputation... - 3/10/2008
I have read many of the reviews about the Rochester area and I have noticed an overwhelming misconception that the Rochester area has a bad economy. People who have lived here a long time gauge the entire region by what Kodak and Xerox are doing; Yes, Kodak and Xerox and B&L were mismanaged manufacturers that are in decline. Well, I hate to break it to everyone but lots of those kinds of companies are not doing well all over the country. But they don't represent all the jobs here. I moved here last year after being gone for several years from Jacksonville, Fl and I had no trouble finding a decent job. I make good money (more than I did in Florida where I couldn’t afford a home of my own) and find that the low cost of living makes my dollar stretch. The unemployment rate in the Rochester area as of Feb 2008 is 4.9%, the national average is 5% - how is that a terrible economy? If you are looking to move here, look at the facts about the economy first before people talk you out of it.
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You'll Be Pleasantly Surprised - 2/22/2008
First let me say this is coming from someone who's lived elsewhere. Including larger, more cosmopolitan cities (i.e. Miami). Rochester is great. One thing I've realized is that the natives dont seem to appreciate what they have. Generally the naysayers havent lived anywhere else or dont travel much. I'm not saying Roc is perfect, but the pros outweigh the cons by a mile. A little research backed up my feelings. the 2007 Places Rated Almanac had Roc in the top 10 places to live in the country. US News & World Report had 4 local high schools in the top 100 and 2 universities in the top 50. Thats pretty good for a medium size city. (the metro area has a little over 1 million people). There is plenty of things to do here, culturally rich, museums, theatre, live music, an amazing yearly jazz festival, ect. A number of great downtown restaurants and decent nightlife. A lot of parks, golf courses, and you're right on Lake Ontario and a short drive to the Finger Lakes.
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4 Seasons - 2/22/2008
The bad winter weather gets a little overblown. Its not THAT bad. Winter does drag on about a month too long, but the rest of the year is great. Jan and Feb can be a bit of a bummer, thats the best time to head south for a vacation. By mid to late March you start to see some signs of spring. Summers are fantastic, as is fall. For those who enjoy all 4 seasons, its a great place to live. As long as you can make it thru that last month or so of
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