Compare towns
Rochester vs Irondequoit vs Buffalo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Irondequoit has the most homeowners (78.8%).
Buffalo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Rochester | Irondequoit | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 208,772 |
50,657Lowest |
276,854Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% NY: +4.2% |
-1.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+6.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 15% below NY |
43.3±1.7Highest 9% above NY |
34.3±0.5 14% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±0.7 NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±1.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.3%±0.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 13.1%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.6%±1.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.2%±0.5 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
40.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
31.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.8%±0.6Highest NY: 7% |
3.8%±0.6Lowest NY: 7% |
8.5%±0.5 NY: 7% |
| Rochester and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,213±$2kLowest 45% below NY |
$79,162±$3kHighest 8% below NY |
$50,041±$2k 42% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$5kLowest 67% below NY |
$182,500±$3kHighest 57% below NY |
$164,200±$5k 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,081±$16 33% below NY |
$1,159±$42Highest 29% below NY |
$1,046±$18Lowest 35% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,152 52% below NY |
$5,774Highest 12% below NY |
$1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.3%±2.1 NY: 52.1% |
57.5%±8.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
52.3%±2.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Irondequoit and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27.8%Highest NY: 14% |
9.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
26% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
78.8%Highest NY: 54.3% |
43% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1955Highest 4 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 41% below NY |
20 min 40% below NY |
20 minHighest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.2 NY: 14.9% |
14.5%±1.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.3%±0.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Irondequoit and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #458 of 484 in NY | #127 of 484 in NY | #455 of 484 in NY |
| School district | EXPLORATION ELE CS - SCIENCE-TECHNOL · ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | EDISON CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL | — | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.