The Rochester metro is home to 1,058,875 people (down 1.5% over five years), with a median household income of $74,438. Typical rent of $1,532/month works out to 24.7% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Rochester's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 30.9% |
| Professional & management | 12.1% |
| Manufacturing | 11.4% |
| Retail trade | 10.8% |
| Arts, food & hospitality | 7.4% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 24.7% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Rochester market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,532/month suggests a household income around $61,000/year. The metro's median household income is $74,438.
By workforce share: Education & health care (30.9%), Professional & management (12.1%), Manufacturing (11.4%) (Census ACS 5-year).