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About Rochester

Rochester is the northwest gateway to New York’s famous Finger Lakes and is part of a region ranked by Money Magazine as one of the 10 "best places to vacation." The Finger Lakes region gets its name from 11 thin, parallel lakes which span the center of the region like a giant handprint. The area is known for spectacular views of rolling hills and mountains, lush valleys and amazing waterfalls, glacier-cut gorges, and miles upon miles of vineyards and farmlands. USA Today called the region a "serendipitous and surprising getaway."

Among the 100 largest metropolitan regions in the country, Greater Rochester has earned a reputation as one of the most livable communities in the nation. Located on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, Rochester offers its 1.1 million residents the amenities of a metropolitan area with a quality of life not available in many urban areas. Rochester was ranked 7th among the "10 best places to raise a family" by Child Magazine, 7th for recreational amenities by Places Rated Almanac, and the #1 minor league sports town in the nation by Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal.

The original home of Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb, Greater Rochester is steeped in the entrepreneurial spirit. In 2003, an economic consultant designated the community as one of the "top knowledge-based economic regions in the world," ranking fourth out of 125. The region has one of the nation’s highest patent-per capita ratios and is third in the nation in donation dollars per resident.

Thanks in large part to the University Medical Center and Strong Health, a network of hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers, Rochester residents have access to top quality clinical facilities. Culturally, Rochester is home to the nationally acclaimed Garth Fagan Dance Company, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Geva Theatre, the George Eastman House/International Museum of Photography and Film (the world’s premier museum of photography), the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and the Strong National Museum of Play (one of the nation’s leading museums for children and families), as well as many smaller organizations in music and theater.

Recognized as a region that values history as much as innovation, Rochester claims more sites on the National Register of Historic Places than any other city of its size. A pivotal community in both the suffragist and early civil rights movements, that history is honored as the site for the Susan B. Anthony House and as the gravesite of Frederick Douglass. A region known for its quality of life, Rochester is recognized as one of the top 10 most affordable housing markets in the country. In 2006, Newsweek included four Monroe County schools on the list of top 100 high schools in the country. Rochester boasts 20,000 acres of parkland and offers year-round recreational opportunities for those who like to be outdoors in all seasons. With 50 well-appointed golf courses, Rochester is a regular stop on the annual LPGA tour; Oak Hill Country Club – the "home" course of the university’s golf team – hosted the national PGA Championship in 2003. And the city is home to top level minor league baseball, hockey, and soccer teams.

"The Rochester area has a diverse population which includes African Americans (38 percent of the city and 14 percent of Monroe County) and Latin Americans (13 percent of the city and 5 percent of the county). In addition, more than 7 percent of the population is foreign born. Rochester is ranked 8th among 200 metro areas in childcare for "Best Cities for Women" by Ladies Home Journal." In 2007 Rochester’s ranked the 6th "Best Places to Live in America" by Places Rated Almanac out of 379 metropolitan areas. Expansion Management Magazine ranked Rochester as number one among metropolitan areas having the best Quality of Life in the Nation."

More information on the area can be obtained from the following websites: