There are many who love living in Rochester–the “locals” or “lifers,” and the intentional or circumstantial transplants, many of whom are pleasantly surprised at the quality of life here in the city.
Rochester boasts many, many qualities and assets, but much of what Rochester has to offer elicits a “Who Knew?” response from visitors, newcomers, and even those who have lived in the region for years!
This page is the place to learn about some of the Rochester qualities, offerings, superlatives, history etc. that you deserve to know about. Read on, and check back often!
- The Rochester region has the highest IDQ — Intellectual Density Quotient — in the country! What exactly is the IDQ? Greater Rochester Enterprise explains.
- Business Week: Rochester is the third most affordable home ownership market in the U.S.
Indeed, we have great quality, culture, and community without paying out your nose (or with your arm or leg) for it. Click here to read more. - The Brookings Institution has ranked Rochester as one of the top 20 strongest metro regions in the U.S.!
- Rochester is among the top 25 most walkable cities in America (#17), says Prevention Magazine.
- Rochester voted 6th most livable city in 2007 according to Rand McNally Places Rated Almanac.
- The Rochester region’s median house sale price is 48% lower than the national average; 78% of our region’s houses are affordable to median income earners. (National Association of Realtors, 2007)
- Money Magazine rated Rochester and the Finger Lakes as one of the top 10 places to vacation in 2002.
- Rochester is the 11th least stressful city according to Sperling’s Best Places 2004 Edition.
- Rochester is the best minor leagues sports town in America according to Street & Smith’s 2005 Sports Business Journal.
- 55% of all U.S. optics degrees are earned in Rochester.
- Rochester’s existing industries, technologies, and know-how give it the greatest readiness of any U.S. region for building wind energy turbines.
- Rochester ranked fourth in International Knowledge Competitiveness Index. The results of this 2003 survey done by Britain’s Huggins Associates concluded that Rochester was fourth best in the world in a community’s ability to transform innovative ideas and products into real economic value. Rochester just missed the bronze in this competition, finishing fourth behind San Francisco, Austin, and Boston. Not bad!
- The Museum of Kids Art — right here in Rochester’s Beechwood neighborhood! Cool, huh?
- Rochester twice voted “Most Helpful City.” In 1990 and also fifty years prior, researchers set out to learn what city’s citizens would most readily help strangers in need of assistance. Rochester was the best in the country in this metric in 1990 and 1940! Thanks to Bill Fugate’s Rochester web site for this tidbit!
- Rochester’s number of community music groups far exceed those of communities twice its size. Rochester’s 10 community orchestras and 20 community choral groups exceed Columbus, Ohio’s 6/6, and Oklahoma City’s 1/2. Thanks to Bill Fugate’s Rochester web site for these fascinating facts!