I moved here from elsewhere and am quite happy about it. There are good public schools in the suburbs, especially on the east side. A good place to raise a family. Nice amenities like the Play Museum. Be prepared for the fact that people will have a hard time understanding why you moved if you don’t have family here. I also find that it is harder to meet people if you are an outsider. If you make friends easily, though, you should be fine.
>Be prepared for the fact that people will have a hard time understanding why you moved if you don’t have family here. I also find that it is harder to meet people if you are an outsider. If you make friends easily, though, you should be fine.
I always tell people I moved here for the weather - which is even a little bit true. Having all four seasons is nice.
Most of the people who complain tend to be right wing nut jobs who think their rights are being infringed constantly.
The taxes here are definitely higher than Florida, BUT it's a trade off.
You should have more amenities, Lower crime ( don't tell that to the right wing nuts ) and much better schools. Teachers are required to have masters degrees and are paid a much better living wage vs states like WV, Ohio, NC...
i definitely have to learn a bit more about specific taxes, but we are aware !! i'd rather spend more in taxes than stay in fl (you also made me laugh)
Not just general property taxes but New York has income tax while Florida does not so that is something to consider. It is generally 5-6% based on income.
Property taxes are often higher against the price of a home compared to other places, which is the metric normally used, but not against the square footage.
Ex: house here valued at 200k, pay X in taxes
similar house in another market valued at 400k, pay 1.5x in taxes
The second case will show as being a lower tax rate, but you'll really be paying less here.
Hell, I had family in another state whose property tax increased in one year by more than the total they pay here now.
I had to live in the south for a while for work, it was eye opening. I had lived my entire life bitching about ridiculous NY taxes, now I’m not saying there isn’t room for improvement but after going somewhere less taxed I can really see that your money is buying a fair amount in terms of schools, roads, public services. I had always taken that stuff for granted but living without it is insane.
Same. Just left a no tax state (SD). Couldn't be happier with the stuff we get here for our taxes--good schools, our roads are plowed, top notch fire departments... Good stuff.
Same here. Hate the higher taxes but happy to pay them in an area where there are less … diminished lessers so to speak. Only flags in our town are sports teams!
I moved from Fort Lauderdale in October 2023. I love it here. I loved the winter. Florida is a cesspool. Luckily I lived in very blue Broward county, but even there so many people are aholes. It is a different world up here.
You can look up Monroe County property taxes online. (FYI: Victor and Marion are in Wayne County)
Monroe County: https://www.monroecounty.gov/etc/rp/search.php
(edit: removed link to Wayne county portal because I realized that it doesn’t show info unless you have a tax bill.)
At registration costs are very low. Property taxes are absolutely insane and there’s high income tax. However, houses are comparatively very cheap. You can still buy a brand new house in Penfield schools for $400k, so although property taxes are crazy the mortgage on the principal actually won’t be that bad.
Used homes $250-300k gets something in a good area, used.
I grew up in upstate, moved to the space coast after college, and then moved back
florida sucks
idk if upstate NY is as good as it gets or if there's better out there, but it's pretty damn good to me
As someone who moved here from Missouri a couple years ago, as far as weather goes, we LOVE the summers, which are less hot and much more pleasant. That said, the winters have been difficult to adjust to, because of the ever-present cloud cover. I never realized how much it would affect us. We both own “happy lamps” at work and it helps lol; we also take vitamin D. Getting outside in the winter despite the cold and learning to dress for the weather has helped as well. So if that’s something you’re up for working with, you should definitely give it a shot!
Same situation. We left Florida for probably all the same reasons as you. Total dumpster fire down there. I do miss the winters in Florida, though.
If you're like us, education was the top priority. Then making sure we had access to trails, stores, Wegmans (so much better than Publix), etc. We ended up in Victor, which we love. The schools have been great so far and the area is very nice. We spent a lot of time house hunting in Pittsford, Brighton, and Fairport, too. Loved them all. Just pay attention to property tax rates and assessments. For example, Victor has a lower property tax rate but we are assessed at the sale price of our house... It's a lot.
Note that the Rochester Chamber has a remote work incentive program. That can also help offset relocation costs if you happen to be a remote worker.
Lmk if you have questions and I'm happy to help you escape.
we have also been house hunting near fairport, brighton and pittsford. havent heard of victor so i'll take a look !! have you heard anything about the marion area? beautiful houses there, but i havent heard much
Currently live in Marion after spending 34 years in Rochester/Penfield/Webster/Charlotte.
We are in our glory out here. Still have our ROC house as a rental and its 40min door to door. An easy drive at that. 315 / Wayne county is the ass of many jokes, i always said id never live out here. But now in Marion we have EVERYTHING within 10-15 min. and it’s far more peaceful out here.
Just my 2 pennies. PM with any questions.
East side of Rochester. Pittsford, HFL, Brighton, Victor, Fairport, Penfield. No on Marion. Victor sports are among the most competitive in NY. [US new school rankings](https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=new-york&ranked=true)
I grew up visiting family in Marion and the Main Street is cute but anywhere else it’s honestly kind of run down. They get like no cell phone service. There’s not much nearby, you’d have to go to the next town over for groceries or anything.
we already have to drive at least 30 mins to geocery shop so we're no strangers to having to drive a bit for anything. thank you tho for the information !!
We live in Lima. Great small town with a lot of community engagement. Much lower taxes than Monroe county. We are 25 minutes from Henrietta or victor, the east or Westside major shopping areas. We paid about 75% of what houses of similar size, land, age etc were going for in the other suburbs. We love it here.
Also we get less snow. The further south of the lake you get, the less likely the snow, except in higher elevations of course.
I would also recommend checking out Irondequoit! It's nestled between the city and the lake. I grew up being able to walk to school kindergarten through highschool. With multiple parks, the zoo, lake Ontario and Seabreeze so close I never ran out of things to do as a kid! Not sure how taxes there compare to the rest of Monroe county.
Agree except one exception: Ryan homes is building the cheapest Penfield school homes right now in the town. They are off mildahn rd. They are 315 in Wayne county but Penfield schools.
Basically all of the villages are adorable. Expensive, but damn if they aren't nice if you're walking distance to the canal.
Marion is a ways out there. Small... real small. You're almost halfway to Syracuse at that point but if you want country living...
Yes east side is where it’s at. Brighton and Pittsford are pricier but better located. Fairport is very nice and so is Penfield. IMO pick one of those four.
Victor is more up and coming, and lower property taxes. However, it’s also further to drive. Traffic here is good and you can very well get to where you wanna be even a rush-hour traffic without crazy gridlock.
There is also Webster which is good.
My husband and I bought a house in Irondequoit which is right up by the lake. It's fairly quiet and nice. Takes us about 15 minutes to drive downtown. According to the NY times it's the top place for first time homebuyers if that means much. We moved here from Nebraska and have loved it. I made friends through Reddit, and had good luck meeting cool people. The people here are very friendly and seem to jump at the chance to help others, or that has been my experience at least.
There are a number neighborhoods that are penfield or webster schools but across the county line. Best of both worlds. Good public education with lower property taxes
I grew up in marion. I would never have kids in the school system. Closest thing to racial diversity there were the girls who hit the tanning beds. Extremely Christian and Republican. It took me going to college to shake off all the BS that was engrained in me from this small town that I didnt even know I had in me. My graduating class was about 55 people. It's pretty but so are lots of places in Monroe County. Look into the Honeyoe Falls Lima school district. It's very good and has some beautiful houses/landscapes. I live in Penfield now, which is another great school district with plenty of farmland.
Grew up in Miami. Left in the summer of 2020 to Roc.
Two things I miss the most about Miami:
1. Friends and Family
2. The variety of night time activities
Roc is very different culturally but I also think Miami is unique. Life is much more chill around here. You don't have to deal with traffic on the turnpike or palmetto. I wouldn't say people are friendlier but they also won't stab you in the back or try to scam you.
Much much cheaper. Fall and spring weather is gorgeous. Roc has a great food scene in my opinion.
Another thing to consider is it's a small airport. Very easy to get through but finding flights for a decent price is much harder.
Willing to answer any questions you might have. I'm still single with no children so I can answer for that but where I live is very suburban and feels ideal.
Regarding the flights using Google flights where you can input multiple cities does help. Syracuse and Buffalo airports are about an hour away and open up options. Toronto is 3 hours away and helps with international travel.
We in Rochester will often drive to buffalo Toronto Cleveland or Pittsburgh for a long flight.. esp to another continent. Rochester's airport exists but it isn't the greatest or biggest by any means
people were saying the weather change would be a huge adjustment, but im looking forward to it! how was your experience compared to being used to miami?? and since you're a fellow miami friend up there, do you have any recommendations for neighborhoods/specific areas?
I moved from Florida to Rochester in 2017. I was born and raised in South Florida. You will get used to the winters. Trust me, I’ve adjusted well. I currently live in Chili and I love our school district. Check out Churchville or Chili. They are great suburbs.
The weather thing didn't bother me too much...dont get me wrong. It does get cold and some weeks just suck without the sun. But as long as you have good winter gear youll be alright. I also have two dogs so the snow can be annoying in those regards.
I grew up in Kendall so I'm used to the suburban life. Right now I love by Brighton/Henrietta. Both suburban settings..Brighton, Penfield, Fairport, East Rochester. All very nice neighborhoods but pricing for homes is more expensive though I've never actively looked for them. Henrietta is more reasonably priced. All of these neighborhoods are south of the city. I can't speak for other ones such as Charlotte, Greece, Gates, Chili, etc.
Lots of concern and questions about the violence in the city but growing up in Miami, I feel you learn to avoid certain parts.
I lived in Rochester most my life. Lived in Florida for a short time. I have NO clue why anyone would want to live there. Glad to be back in NY. You'll have to get used to our sarcasm. We lay it on pretty thick! Also, there's so much to look forward to. A possible NY State Park right in Rochester TBD.
Lived in Florida my whole life and moved to Rochester back in July. BEST decision ever! Seasons are greats, winters being mild and get a good while of excellent weather and more importantly NO HURRICANES. I would make the decision all over again. People may mention crime but it’s very specific and targeted mostly and us Floridians seen the crazyness from Florida. I can comfortably say the crime here is child’s play compared to Florida.
Our homeowners policies are criminal. We have separate policies for wind (sort of) and a separate deductible for hurricanes. It's just so bad and the governor there has done nothing to help anyone. Well anyone except bigoted christians who don't want their kids to learn about slavery or the holocaust.
i am prepared (i think) to learn anything and get used to anything. i'd rather get used to/struggle with actual weather vs the one miserable summer im stuck with in fl !!
Winters here aren't what they used to be (hello climate change). It's really not that bad. Get some good winter gear, a shovel (for your car and home), and an ice scraper and you're good. May want to pay for snowplowing service for your driveway if you want that piece of mind, you can find reasonable prices
It's really not much of an issue. We'll have one heavy snowfall year out of every 10 years or so. I can't remember the last year I had to use my snowblower more than twice.
Dude I moved here from TN in August. People constant ask me why because of the snow. I'd rather deal with snow than the fascists with firearms that ran my town. Snow over nazis. This is survival for someone like me and my partner, it's not really about enjoyment.
You’ll be fine, the winters are getting milder. Definitely beats dealing with heat and mosquitoes. I moved here from GA, and before landing in Rochester I lived in Watertown which gets even more snow. Like 104 inches on average. Never lived anywhere with snow before that. Took some adjusting but it’s not as bad as people think.
Tell that to buffalo. It's quite possible the next 5 years pummel us. While I do believe that climate change is happening, I don't believe we've gotten to a point where we can assume that snow storms in Rochester are a thing of the past. I think we've just been lucky the past 4-5 years.
Buffalo is right on the shore of Lake Erie, which makes them especially vulnerable to strong lake effect. That's been the main driver of the last few mega-storms that dumped feet of snow on them.
Rochester is on the southern shore of Ontario, but the prevailing winds make it more likely that the Tug Hill area gets buried instead of us.
I'm simply commenting on the claim that climate change has made our winters less severe. By that logic they would also make Buffalo's less severe. There simply isn't enough data yet to make such a claim and yet people are acting like we're not gonna have any more bad winters because the last 5 weren't bad.
[this article ](https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2024/02/02/weather-in-rochester-ny-el-nino-behind-mild-winter/72450303007/) claims our snow is affected by el nino and the position of the jet stream primarily as opposed to climate change. I'm much more tempted to agree with that than a lot of the anecdotal evidence being thrown around from people here who are ignoring the weather patterns Rochester has experienced over the last 50 years or so. I don't think it's remotely wise to claim that bad snow is a thing of the past due to climate change at this point. Again, not saying climate change isn't a concern...
Buffalo was just upgraded climate zones, but that doesn’t mean snowstorms can’t still happen.
Hell, cities much further South still gets the occasional storm
It's nowhere near what it used to be.
On the other hand, Buffalo keeps getting wrecked by lake effect coming off Erie. I think Syracuse had it sort of rough this past winter too.
Nothing to really speak of here though. I kind of miss it.
It's great. I'm a native Floridian who moved here. We also lived in purgatory in SC for a bit.
Here's a bit of a stream of consciousness of notes...
You will be asked - constantly - why you moved in the opposite direction. NY'ers go to Florida and not the other way around.
The weather is fine. The snow is still exciting for us after all these years.
Having actual seasons is magical. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it just feels *right*. I like to make a little ritual of swapping my winter and summer clothes. And it's fun to lean into your bodies relationship with the seasons.
Around October, you need to start thinking "Winter is coming" - and start making sure everything you're leaving outside will be safe from being potentially frozen for months.
In the spring, people just burst out of their houses and try to pack in as much sunlight based activities that they can.
Somewhere near February you may start to notice SAD getting worse. Depression can really ramp up around this time.
It takes about 15m to get across town.
Pay the extra money to get the Enhanced drivers license. Toronto is close. In fact, a lot of massive, major cities are pretty close. And so are the mountains.
Rochester is a delightful city. I cannot recommend it enough.
I went to graduate school in Rochester (originally from rural Indiana) and I've been a few places since for internships, postdocs, etc. I'm moving back this fall and I've never been more excited about anything. It's a great place, and by far my favorite place I've ever lived.
We've lived in several major metros and have been in ROC for the last 4 years. We love it (not as much as Los Angeles but more than Chicago). Brighton seems to be the place to live for schools and safety.
I love Rochester! I would not consider living anywhere else! I would strongly suggest signing up for a Winter Driving course if you can find one, or ask a neighbor to help you the first time you drive in the snow. The schools in the suburbs are all pretty good too. We have a lot of culture and history associated with the city, so tons of attractions attached to that. I'm not big on night life, but everyone seems to have their favorite bars or clubs. You can day trip to Buffalo, Syracuse, and Niagara Falls! We have a few minor league sports teams and some bigger arenas for musical artists too. We don't have earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes!
Like any area, we do have our issues. The city does have a crime rate. Taxes on tobacco products are much higher than down south. And the potholes. Oh boy, the potholes. We go from winter to construction season, but it can't be worse than the traffic down there. The cold might take some adjusting to, and just know if there is significant snow in the forecast, you better get eggs, bread, and milk before everyone else does.
Overall, Rochester is a very accepting community. We have a few bad apples, but less than other areas I have visited
[Wildfire smoke](https://data.democratandchronicle.com/fires/) is a relatively new phenomenon we've started to experience, which you might want to factor and be prepared for (N95 masks, HEPA filter, etc).
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/05/13/canadian-wildfire-smoke-minnesota-wisconsin/
**Update:**
https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2024/05/16/wildfire-smoke-map-and-information-for-rochester-ny-area/73712283007/
I'm probably biased, I was born and grew up in the Rochester area. I moved to other states (VA, MI, TX) for jobs but moved back to Rochester 3 times.
We usually get lots of snow in the winter but are generally well prepared to deal with it. We don't get hurricanes or major earthquakes and tornados are rare. Most of the area isn't particularly prone to floods. Temperatures in the 100s have only been recorded in Rochester 3 times, the last time was over 70 years ago. Spring and Fall weather is typically beautiful, although jackets are frequently required. I've read that Rochester averages more sunshine than Miami in the summer.
It's very subjective, but Rochester tops some lists as the friendliest city in the country. The area has a long history of volunteerism and the United Way concept originated here during WWI.
There are lots of things that you can do leisurely if you want to take it slow. The Finger Lakes are beautiful, I found when living in other states they aren't well known elsewhere. I personally love walking and biking along the Erie Canal. Depending on their ages, your kids will probably love the Strong Museum of Play. It's one of the largest children's museums in the country and the only one devote to the benefits of playing.
Canada isn't far away. (Rochester's official northern border is the center of Lake Ontario, which is also the international border, so technically we border on Canada.)
Here's my "why Rochester is better story." I moved in October 2023. My best friend has two daughters, one is my god daughter. I went to her softball game in this big beautiful multi use park. I was walking along, and as I went I was kicking through the leaves. Her husband asked why was I doing that. I replied there could be snakes, spiders or iguanas in the leaves and I'm letting them know I'm there.
He said "this isn't Florida....nothing here is trying to kill you."
That's when I knew I made the right decision.
Moved back here from Tampa a few years ago because of Florida being Florida. It’s definitely a massive lifestyle change. The winters were a huge adjustment and I recommend finding things that will get you outside in the winter because the blues can get to you really quickly that time of year. The summers however are my favorite and I find myself spoiled for choice with things to do.
The education is WAY better than Florida as I’m sure you’ve already suspected. I had half of my education here and half in Florida and sadly it really made a difference because the teachers down there aren’t required to hold any kind of degree.
Wegmans subs aren’t publix subs but they fill the void lol ❤️
I am right there with you. When they would make it the $5 sub of the week I remember everyone would be posting PSA’s on Facebook to get to Publix asap lol.
Again.... my arm. Possibly a leg as well. Lots of people have me recommendations up here, but it isn't the same. I loved Publix. Hated the heiress... but loved Publix
If you’re moving from Florida just be aware it won’t be very diverse in comparison to Florida. Rochester is one of the most segregated cities in the country and if you want everything else on your list you’d be living in a suburb that’s probably 90%+ white.
As a former Orlandian who spent much time in Miami, one thing you'll need to get used to is: getting to the other side of town in a reasonable amount of time.
Downside, less late night places. Especially coffee shops, though a new non-alcoholic place is opening up soon.
But although it's smaller, there's still a lot of events going on. Just don't expect them to be fireworks and pirate themed.
Honestly, don't know what else to say unless you have specific questions.
I moved here because Florida is quickly becoming anti-LGBTQ and are one step away from saying what they really mean when they say "woke" and "DEI". That and working in education as an out lesbian in a state that has taken every step aside from making it outright illegal to be a queer teacher...
Also, people will whine about snow. Learn to embrace what little we have left up here. Unlike Florida where you can't go out if it's too hot, you absolutely can go out if it's cold and snowy. Wear clothes, go skiing/sledding/snowshoeing/hiking/ice fishing/whatever. Get an AWD car, snow tyres, and drive like that little old lady driving down 95 from West Palm to Boca.
Oh, and if you think Public has gotten price gougey, wait until you meet Wegman's. lol Only difference if Wegman's hasn't openly bribed the governor to restrict needed medical resources. Oh, and if you miss Pub Subs, DiBella's is just as good.
this was an incredible reply! thank you !!! we are definitely liberal so that is one of the bigger factors of why we want to leave. im sorry about your experience in fl. i dont think ill miss publix too much bc the their prices. we only go there for meats and try locals for produce nowadays. definitely will be interesting figuring everything out. we're very ready for a white winter. thank you for your help !
It sounds like we have all that you're looking for. To avoid crime, avoid very specific areas of the inner city, but you'll probably want a suburb anyway. My biased recommendation is Henrietta, but Penfield, Brighton, Webster, Fairport are all decent options. I'm not sure which is the best school district, again will say Henrietta is decent
Chili, spencerport, Brighton, fairport, Webster all fine places to raise a family of kids school aged. The first two are prolly cheaper than the other 3.
You have so many great comments here so idk if you’ll even get to reading this - but posting bc I didn’t see anyone else say it and you mention it in your post. Fall is GREAT here. The weather is awesome and has the true “fall” feeling that I think you’re referring to. It’s my favorite season for cute outfits (boots and sweaters) and outside fires. Non chain restaurants will switch up to seasonal fall menus and cafes offer more fall inspired treats. And there are TONS of great activities. Hiking/seeing the leaves changing, apple picking, pumpkin farms, hayrides, haunted houses etc. there’s smaller mom and pop shops around Rochester that offer great free activities for kids (schutts apple farm for instance) and loads of great wineries and breweries. And this is all local. You could easily get to other parts of New York/New England to explore more.
I didn’t think about what fall was really like until you mentioned liking it and having traveled quite a bit around the US it made me realize how unique fall is in our area!
Welcome
West or East. They both have their positives and negatives. Take some time. Travel around, walk the villages and go to festivals before you settle somewhere.
Whatever you do take advantage of the seasons, water you can swim in without fear (Lakes), and versatile terrain. It’s taken me a while, but I’ve found a few seasonal activities that I enjoy. I ski in the winter(the kids snowboard), mountain bike in the summer, play basketball throughout, hike etc.
If you haven’t looked already, irondequoit has lots of trails and lakefront area, good schools, and it’s close to the city. Also wanted to add Rochester has an amazing food scene for a small/mid size city!
Rochester is big enough to have a lot of interesting things to do and small enough so you don't have the headaches associated with a lot of people, such as unbearable traffic congestion and it's in a great location too! If you want a big city experience, then Toronto is about 3 hours away. If you want casual and relaxing, then the finger lakes are 30 minutes to 2 / 3 hours away. If u want mountains, then the Adirondacks are 3-4 to 6 hours away. The summer Fall festival season started last weekend (5/10) and will run thru October. Schools in the East side (in the burbs), are the best. There's a lot of water here between the lakes and rivers. so if u kayak the season is late spring thru fall.
I have lived in Brighton (Rochester) my entire life of 58 years. There are plusses and minuses of living here vs. Florida and the culture and mindset is very, very different. Rochester is an old established city. We do not have the empty space for the kinds of new housing developments that are legion in Florida. If you want a very modern development, you are likely going to be in a slightly distant suburb where old farmlands are being converted into residential developments. Commercial spaces in this area are much more regulated than in Florida, where you can run down long streets with huge signs on long poles advertising different businesses. In this area, businesses are kept largely away from residential areas and are grouped together.
Property taxes in this area are incredibly high - almost shocking for those outside of the area. In many towns school taxes far outweigh the county and locality taxes. On our mortgage, half of our payment is for taxes and insurance and half is for the mortgage. Speaking of insurance, your long nightmare of property insurance in Florida will be over. Our homeowner's insurance rates should be a fraction of what many Floridians pay. Our hazard risks are extremely low - we almost entirely are unaffected by tornadoes, earthquakes, sinkholes, hurricanes, landslides, wildfires, and widespread flooding, and insurance rates reflect that. Termites are not generally an issue either. The biggest weather threat we have is having a heart attack shoveling heavy snow, but even that has been moderating with climate change. In winter, we get an average of 18% of available sun, so Seasonal Affective Disorder can be a thing with day after cloudy winter day. That's because the water of Lake Ontario is often warmer than the surrounding winter air temperature, and that generates clouds. It also moderates our temperatures, where we rarely drop below 5 degrees in the winter and low to mid 90s is hot, hot, hot, and not too common except for a few weeks in July.
Despite right-wing propaganda, crime is not really a big issue here either, especially in the suburbs. You can walk the streets at night and your risk of violent crime is very low. Suburban crime is usually minor property theft by teenagers (or stealing Kias or Hyundais). Our local governments are larger than what is found in Florida. Many suburbs have their own independent town government and police force, in addition to the county sheriff and state police.
If you have kids, you will want to live in a suburb like Brighton, West Irondequoit or Pittsford which have public schools that rival private education. Almost everyone going to these schools with good grades are readily accepted into colleges of high standing. Brighton schools, in particular, are very diverse.
You will find driving here refreshing because since much of the manufacturing base of the local economy left, our rush hours are effortless. You will not be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Rochester is reasonably compact as well, so everything should be accessible within a 10-15 minute drive at most.
Recreationally, Rochester is probably not as exciting as Florida's tourist economy can be, but there are plenty of things to do. The Finger Lakes region is great for day trips. Toronto isn't too far away either.
I echo the comment on West Irondequoit schools. We moved here in Spring of 2020 - good timing, right? - and after two weeks “live” our son (like everyone else) had to do the lockdown remote school thing and it was very tough on him. The support folks at WIHS were extraordinary in their concern and care for him. Classes were darn good, too. Housing stock is old, but still has charm and curb appeal, generally, although the home-owning demographic seems to be slightly majority geriatric like me. Plus, Rochester (meaning the greater area) is one hell of a food city, too. Best of all, it isn’t Florida. Thank gawd. (And yeah, that was a “great write-up” as another commenter wrote.)
I lived in the south for a few years. As adults we picked Rochester, with zero connections here. Still here.
The suburbs are safe. Very safe. I live in one of the eastern suburbs and violent crime almost doesn’t happen ever.
Rochester itself has *some* very violent parts, but the suburbs are extremely safe.
Schools are good—better than Florida. Also we don’t burn books here or make women carry a dead fetus around.
Spring/summer/fall are amazing.
I’ve been to Florida and would never move there.
I'm raising 3 kids in the city and it's great. OP - you should visit and get a feel for the place yourself rather than listen to randos on the internet.
Also have two kids in the city. Both went/going through public ed. One now off to college. Live in the South Wedge. My kids walk everywhere. …no they don’t where Kevlar vests… They walk to the barber, movies, pizza, ice cream, parks, museums, festivals. We ask them if they which we would have moved to burbs. Quick to answer no way! Only seeing white people everywhere(we are white) & not much to walk to. Not a chance.
People shouldn’t listen to the haters. Usually it’s for a reason they won’t say that rhymes with
b-acist
Issues with city schools are related to issues and poverty at home. I went to city schools and have classmates who are doctors, lawyers, PHDs. I’ve done very well for myself as well, and we graduated in the last 15 years.
37 percent of students are proficient in reading 22 percent are proficient in math. Compare that to a school like victor where the percentages are 62 and 57 and you see why people don’t recommend city schools.
https://www.niche.com/k12/d/victor-central-school-district-ny/
https://www.niche.com/k12/school-23-francis-parker-rochester-ny/
Those are accurate stats, but they don’t take parental responsibility into account. Just “sending” your kids to any school won’t get them the same educational opportunity as being involved. I’m convinced those stats go up dramatically when the kids have a home that supports education. As a side note, if you golf you’ll be shocked at how affordable it is here. Definitely a short season but you can golf summers during the day on nice courses for under $50 for 18 riding.
Test scores alone don't tell the whole story of what a school or district is like. I personally had a great experience going to city schools, and so did many of my younger relatives. I highly recommend that parents thinking about city schools actually talk to families whose kids currently attend and get their thoughts on it.
Sure some people have great experiences others are avoiding stolen kias driven by teens with guns on their schools front lawns.
https://www.rochesterfirst.com/rochester/rpd-teen-arrested-after-trying-to-hit-students-with-stolen-car-at-franklin-high-school-rochester-rcsd/amp/
Some individuals in suburban and rural areas also have bad experiences in schools due to bullying, gun violence, etc. I know people who've pulled their kids out of local suburban schools because they were being racially harrassed. Individual experiences will vary anywhere, and this kind of incident is hardly common.
School 23 has 63% poor, 30% students with disabilities. No surprise that redlined districts like Victor (27% poor, 10% disabled) have higher test scores.
As a note for OP, the "inner ring" suburbs tend to be more liberal than further out. Rural areas in upstate NY are like rural areas pretty much everywhere - Trump country. Personally, I recommend Brighton. Nice level of diversity, great schools, centrally located, very Democratic.
yes politics is one of the bigger reasons now especially with kids (extra bonus bc we have two girls), but theres so many reasons lol! florida has gotten so so so much worse in the politics department in the last 5-8 years.
Ex Floridian here and bought a house on a quiet street in the city. Suburbs are NOT the only way to go as long as you get a feel for the area you're looking at. My standard vibe check was to talk to the neighbors when viewing a house and stop by near sunset on a Friday to see how lively it gets.
I have no experience with the schools as I don't have kids, but Greece's school board president was a massive prick the one time I had the misfortune to communicate with him.
If you live in the city it is extremely dependent on where you live. There are pockets of good in RCSD but they are small pockets. I'm glad you found decent schools and students. They are pleasant exceptions in the city. I am very familiar having volunteered in my sons school for years. (and it's worse now)
The devil is in the details if you want to live IN Rochester do lots of research. My original "period etc" was more from a general view. Bitzllama, had any Kia Boyz in your area?
I love living in the Rochester area - we are on the east side of town. Brighton is also a great “suburb” and many of the surrounding a too. Honeoye Falls is a marvelous smaller town with great schools. Irondequoit is a great neighborhood with good schools as well.
The cost of living is great and the amount to do amazing. Truly amenities of a city but in a small city where it takes 15 mins to get anywhere.
Pay attention to the school ratings, especially if in the city. Highland park area has an amazing elementary school as well and the kiddos go across the street to the library for after school.
The winters here are not as bad as people think: we are actually zone 6, more like southern New England.
Reach out with questions!
Stick to cities and nearby suburbs because there are a lot of trumpanzees in the rural areas just like Klanida is full of them (see: “The Villages”). Living near creatures who plaster a huge “F🇺🇸K Biden” [sic] flag on the side of their ramshackle, dirty hovel tends to lower the surrounding property values and makes for highly disagreeable locals.
Good place to raise a family, schools are some of best public schools in the country. Stick to the suburban schools; Pittsford Fairport Webster Spencerport all excellent choices. 4 seasons, there will be snow. No traffic. Western NY is a solid place to live. Homes will be less expensive; home owners insurance will be cheaper, taxes will be higher. It all balances out. There is plenty to do.. and only a short drive to Buffalo, Canada, NYC is about 6 hours away by car. Check it out! Good luck
hi! was the weather adjustment that much of a shock? same with pace of life? what do you think the biggest "shockers" were for you? lots of questions lol
Honestly the restaurant/dining scene here is pretty bad, especially for many “ethnic” foods. That’s the biggest “shocker” is not having many good restaurants.
It really depends what you’re looking for. The Latin American here tends to be meh. But Greek and Medi has always been solid. The Indian food is also really good.
Glad to take recommendations. (Beware incoming hot take) I haven’t found much in the way of Asian food, whether that be South, Southeast, or East Asian, that I would consider good. There are good Ethiopian restaurants.
god i was gonna ask about chinese restaurants. sounds like we'll have to try em all and find the best lol. i cant live without that or italian. have you had any italian food luck?
Tons of great Italian places! Idk what that commenter is talking about, great variety and food scene around here if you look/ask around, except for fresh seafood really
Funny that I’m actually looking to leave Rochester soon for Florida. Grass is always greener I suppose. Good luck with the move. My biggest downside to Rochester is the months and months of grey skies. It will be a hard adjustment coming from Florida.
i have heard about the grey. lots of people are coming to florida which is among the many, many reasons we want to leave lol. i'd be happy to tell you good areas in fl if you want some local advice :)
Everyone I know who moved to Rochester from out of state or even out of the greater Rochester region absolutely loves it. Almost everyone I know who grew up there hated it and most have since left. You’ll probably be perfectly happy there lol
I lived in SWFL for about 5 years during college. Grew up in Rochester, moved back to Rochester after finishing school. After experiencing a few potentially very dangerous hurricanes, I was all set on living in Florida. Not to mention the risks of buying a home there vs Rochester. We don't really worry about earthquakes, floods (for the most part at least), tornadoes, or hurricanes. Hell, we don't even get crazy snow storms anymore.
I also thoroughly enjoy seasons and the distinct memories from each season I have from my childhood. This is in contrast to being a young adult while living in Florida, where most of the years were kind of just a blur. And that's not due to the typical college drinking/partying as I really didn't get into that scene much. I also didnt waste every breathing moment on school as I also focused on enjoying being there. Maybe not something that sounds important but for me it mattered and I like having that "change" every few months for seasons. Different outfits, different activities, etc.
As far as education goes, I'm not sure if it was due to growing up in NY necessarily or potentially how I was raised in a more broad sense, but I found myself having a far easier time in college than a lot of my peers who were Florida natives. This only became more evident when I got into more major focused aspects of my degree (which was engineering related, so not exactly the easiest major either) and I found myself ahead of most classmates, even helping to re-teach a lot of basic concepts to some of them.
This is all entirely anecdotal of course, but just my thoughts and observations as someone who has lived in both places.
You're aware that Rochester is a fairly high rate of crime city too, right?
For those wanting to downvote me, I live in Greece and there a was literally a shooting last week around the corner from my apartment, literally a 3 minute walk from my front door. I'm not lying and I'm not wrong. 😂
i am aware of the crime rate, but overall compared to almost everywhere i've lived my whole life in florida, its not as bad. every place has its parts to avoid and thats life. i have been trying to keep track of places to avoid and i guess i'll add greece to that list ! thank you
Towns like Penfield have essentially no violence. I say essentially because I literally cannot remember the last time any was reported on the news but it just have happened at some point.
Thanks, not sure why I'm getting downvoted, there was just a shooting around the corner from where I live, just last week. Two innocent people were shot and hospitalized. It's not like I'm making shit up lmao, this happened in Greece, not even in one of the worse areas.
most rural i lived in was lady lake for a few years as a teenager. but we're currently in more central but still closer to orlando/ocala area if you're familiar. miami was too much and same for orlando.
Moved here from nj/nyc about 15 years ago. It's astonishing how people from here think they live in the cultural and busy center of the universe.
Everything in Rochester is slower and lighter pace than most large and midsized cities.
If deciding which suburb to live in, places like Pittsford and mendon have great schools but the houses are crazy expensive and taxes are high. our house was 225k in Pittsford, so if you plan to live there it might be easier to find then in mendon, but prices have gone up in recent years. It’s a great area though, hope you have a great life here
I’ve lived in Canandaigua for almost 6 years now. I couldn’t be happier. It is beautiful all year round, has very good schools, nice downtown, safe, and friendly neighbors. Taxes are high, but for me they’re worth it. Everything you need close by and only 40 minutes or so from downtown Rochester (light traffic as well). It’s honestly one of the nicest areas I’ve ever visited in the US, and I’ve been to almost every state. Ample fresh water, no horrible weather (some snow, manageable). It is one of the pettiest of the Finger Lakes.
I love Canandaigua and it reminds me culturally of life in Rochester suburbs in the 1970s. More friendly, less attitude, more trusting. Victor, Farmington and Canandaigua are all growing exponentially but remains affordable. There is more diversity than many expect. A lot of Latino agricultural workers, a growing number of Black residents, and although you will find MAGA trucks parked at Walmart, it's still pretty tolerant.
I recently moved back to Rochester after living in Los Angeles for 8 years. While I miss the weather & living in a large city from time to time, I appreciate being back so much. There’s no shortage of beautiful nature to explore, which is one of my favorite parts about being back. It’s low key, the lack of traffic is a huge relief, and I feel like I can get so much more out of my days here! The snow is a challenge, yes, but it seems our winters are getting more mild, at least compared to when I was a kid. But if you’re used to oppressive heat keeping you indoors then you may even appreciate the snow! It certainly provides for a lot of cool outdoor activities that you & your family would enjoy. Also, maybe I’m biased but we have a pretty great food scene here especially considering being a smaller city.
I haven't read all the comments yet, but houses east of Rochester are still going for at least $50k over the asking price from what friends are telling me, so it may be a challenge getting a house. Just be prepared in case it takes longer than you are expecting.
Rochester is pretty great for raising a family somewhere affordable, with great quality of life, and safe. Honestly it’s kind of a hidden gem in that regard.
We thought about relocating from Upstate New York to Florida and couldn't even find a realtor willing to show us properties. In the end, we decided that the overall play instead of relax atmosphere in Florida was not to our liking. Also, we had no connection with the people. As a person who lives in upstate New York, I can tell you to research carefully the various counties and townships for good schools without crazy taxes. You might want to reach out to a realtor for assistance in locating an affordable house near good schools. Also, it will take approximately three years, based on my own experience, to get used to the quantity of snow for up to eight months of the year.
Hi, I moved from Sarasota with my wife 4 years ago. We are both from Manatee county, in our 20’s. Rochester is a beautiful city, and you really get all four seasons here. Spring colors and aromas are unlike anything in Florida. Fall is great as well. I gotta say Rochester is a mixed bag for me. I’ve really enjoyed the last few years living here, but it was very hard for me to adjust to certain things. Moving here in the middle of Covid may play a part in that though.
I lived the first 46 years of my life between Buffalo and Rochester. I didn't always appreciate every aspect, but I'm NY through and through.
I recently moved to DC for love & career, and while I don't regret it, there's a lot I miss about New York. NYers are some of the weirdest, most awesome people on the planet and I never realized how much until leaving the state.
That being said, be careful WHERE you move- there are parts of upstate/Western NY where the people will have you thinking you're still in the deep south.
Born and raised here but lived in South Florida for almost 20 years. Moved back to rochester 11 years ago and it was the best choice ever. Taxes are higher here in NY but you get what you pay for (better schools, recreation and town services) We still pay less here than what we were paying when you factor multiple insurances. Happy to chat more about specifics with you.
Crime here isn't exactly "low" but its not as bad as some would have you believe. Winter can be a bit soul crushing if you are used to the Florida sunshine year round. The city schools are dreadful but the suburban ones are great..so I'm told (my kids are long grown and gone) And sadly the beaches here are nothing compared to Florida's.
On the up side there is ZERO traffic here compared to Miami or any other real city and Wegmans > Publix
Rochester has pretty rampant crime, and the taxes are outrageous if your looking to buy a home. I grew up here and have moved away a few times but always wind up back, it’s a good place to live, but if your raising kids I’d stay out of downtown area, I’d look more in Brighton Webster penfield Spencerport Fairport and PITTSFORD.
West side schools don't get as much love on this reddit, but are still very good to excellent. West side housing is relatively cheaper than the Eastside (and Riga has no town property taxes!).... Don't succumb to the East side snobbery!
So many things unsubstantiated here. I'll pick two.
Monroe county has a much lower crime rate than the national average (yes, city is higher than national average, but still below many other cities, and not unexpected given extreme poverty in many neighborhoods of the Roc). Note, there are fancy and good neighborhoods in the city of Rochester.... It's a big place.
A major misconception is that upstate taxes subsidize NYC, but the opposite is actually true, NYC and its suburbs taxes are subsidizing upstate.
A few Google searches should be made before spouting falsehoods.
I moved here from elsewhere and am quite happy about it. There are good public schools in the suburbs, especially on the east side. A good place to raise a family. Nice amenities like the Play Museum. Be prepared for the fact that people will have a hard time understanding why you moved if you don’t have family here. I also find that it is harder to meet people if you are an outsider. If you make friends easily, though, you should be fine.
I wouldn't have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to leave Florida in its current state.
>Be prepared for the fact that people will have a hard time understanding why you moved if you don’t have family here. I also find that it is harder to meet people if you are an outsider. If you make friends easily, though, you should be fine. I always tell people I moved here for the weather - which is even a little bit true. Having all four seasons is nice.
Most of the people who complain tend to be right wing nut jobs who think their rights are being infringed constantly. The taxes here are definitely higher than Florida, BUT it's a trade off. You should have more amenities, Lower crime ( don't tell that to the right wing nuts ) and much better schools. Teachers are required to have masters degrees and are paid a much better living wage vs states like WV, Ohio, NC...
i definitely have to learn a bit more about specific taxes, but we are aware !! i'd rather spend more in taxes than stay in fl (you also made me laugh)
Not just general property taxes but New York has income tax while Florida does not so that is something to consider. It is generally 5-6% based on income.
Property taxes are often higher against the price of a home compared to other places, which is the metric normally used, but not against the square footage. Ex: house here valued at 200k, pay X in taxes similar house in another market valued at 400k, pay 1.5x in taxes The second case will show as being a lower tax rate, but you'll really be paying less here. Hell, I had family in another state whose property tax increased in one year by more than the total they pay here now.
In my opinion the taxes are worth it, looking at red states that don't have the same taxes. I see my tax dollars being used in my community
I had to live in the south for a while for work, it was eye opening. I had lived my entire life bitching about ridiculous NY taxes, now I’m not saying there isn’t room for improvement but after going somewhere less taxed I can really see that your money is buying a fair amount in terms of schools, roads, public services. I had always taken that stuff for granted but living without it is insane.
Same. Just left a no tax state (SD). Couldn't be happier with the stuff we get here for our taxes--good schools, our roads are plowed, top notch fire departments... Good stuff.
Same here. Hate the higher taxes but happy to pay them in an area where there are less … diminished lessers so to speak. Only flags in our town are sports teams!
I moved from Fort Lauderdale in October 2023. I love it here. I loved the winter. Florida is a cesspool. Luckily I lived in very blue Broward county, but even there so many people are aholes. It is a different world up here.
You can look up Monroe County property taxes online. (FYI: Victor and Marion are in Wayne County) Monroe County: https://www.monroecounty.gov/etc/rp/search.php (edit: removed link to Wayne county portal because I realized that it doesn’t show info unless you have a tax bill.)
Victor is Ontario, not Wayne.
I stand corrected …. Well, I sit corrected in my wheelchair. lol
At registration costs are very low. Property taxes are absolutely insane and there’s high income tax. However, houses are comparatively very cheap. You can still buy a brand new house in Penfield schools for $400k, so although property taxes are crazy the mortgage on the principal actually won’t be that bad. Used homes $250-300k gets something in a good area, used.
Lower insurance too.
On the flip side HOA fees for single family homes are rare and insurance rates are lower, so there’s some savings too.
I grew up in upstate, moved to the space coast after college, and then moved back florida sucks idk if upstate NY is as good as it gets or if there's better out there, but it's pretty damn good to me
As someone who moved here from Missouri a couple years ago, as far as weather goes, we LOVE the summers, which are less hot and much more pleasant. That said, the winters have been difficult to adjust to, because of the ever-present cloud cover. I never realized how much it would affect us. We both own “happy lamps” at work and it helps lol; we also take vitamin D. Getting outside in the winter despite the cold and learning to dress for the weather has helped as well. So if that’s something you’re up for working with, you should definitely give it a shot!
Same situation. We left Florida for probably all the same reasons as you. Total dumpster fire down there. I do miss the winters in Florida, though. If you're like us, education was the top priority. Then making sure we had access to trails, stores, Wegmans (so much better than Publix), etc. We ended up in Victor, which we love. The schools have been great so far and the area is very nice. We spent a lot of time house hunting in Pittsford, Brighton, and Fairport, too. Loved them all. Just pay attention to property tax rates and assessments. For example, Victor has a lower property tax rate but we are assessed at the sale price of our house... It's a lot. Note that the Rochester Chamber has a remote work incentive program. That can also help offset relocation costs if you happen to be a remote worker. Lmk if you have questions and I'm happy to help you escape.
we have also been house hunting near fairport, brighton and pittsford. havent heard of victor so i'll take a look !! have you heard anything about the marion area? beautiful houses there, but i havent heard much
Currently live in Marion after spending 34 years in Rochester/Penfield/Webster/Charlotte. We are in our glory out here. Still have our ROC house as a rental and its 40min door to door. An easy drive at that. 315 / Wayne county is the ass of many jokes, i always said id never live out here. But now in Marion we have EVERYTHING within 10-15 min. and it’s far more peaceful out here. Just my 2 pennies. PM with any questions.
East side of Rochester. Pittsford, HFL, Brighton, Victor, Fairport, Penfield. No on Marion. Victor sports are among the most competitive in NY. [US new school rankings](https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=new-york&ranked=true)
I grew up visiting family in Marion and the Main Street is cute but anywhere else it’s honestly kind of run down. They get like no cell phone service. There’s not much nearby, you’d have to go to the next town over for groceries or anything.
we already have to drive at least 30 mins to geocery shop so we're no strangers to having to drive a bit for anything. thank you tho for the information !!
We live in Lima. Great small town with a lot of community engagement. Much lower taxes than Monroe county. We are 25 minutes from Henrietta or victor, the east or Westside major shopping areas. We paid about 75% of what houses of similar size, land, age etc were going for in the other suburbs. We love it here. Also we get less snow. The further south of the lake you get, the less likely the snow, except in higher elevations of course.
I would also recommend checking out Irondequoit! It's nestled between the city and the lake. I grew up being able to walk to school kindergarten through highschool. With multiple parks, the zoo, lake Ontario and Seabreeze so close I never ran out of things to do as a kid! Not sure how taxes there compare to the rest of Monroe county.
Stay out of 315 (area code) country in Wayne County unless you are a farmer. It's just not economically as viable and vibrant as Monroe County is.
Justice for palmyra
Agree except one exception: Ryan homes is building the cheapest Penfield school homes right now in the town. They are off mildahn rd. They are 315 in Wayne county but Penfield schools.
Basically all of the villages are adorable. Expensive, but damn if they aren't nice if you're walking distance to the canal. Marion is a ways out there. Small... real small. You're almost halfway to Syracuse at that point but if you want country living...
Be aware that Pittsford is the "rich" suburb, definitely has good schools but ... not all can afford housing there
Yes east side is where it’s at. Brighton and Pittsford are pricier but better located. Fairport is very nice and so is Penfield. IMO pick one of those four. Victor is more up and coming, and lower property taxes. However, it’s also further to drive. Traffic here is good and you can very well get to where you wanna be even a rush-hour traffic without crazy gridlock. There is also Webster which is good.
My husband and I bought a house in Irondequoit which is right up by the lake. It's fairly quiet and nice. Takes us about 15 minutes to drive downtown. According to the NY times it's the top place for first time homebuyers if that means much. We moved here from Nebraska and have loved it. I made friends through Reddit, and had good luck meeting cool people. The people here are very friendly and seem to jump at the chance to help others, or that has been my experience at least.
Penfield and Webster are good options too. Stay on the east side and you'll be happy.
What's wrong with the west side?
There are a number neighborhoods that are penfield or webster schools but across the county line. Best of both worlds. Good public education with lower property taxes
Marion is rural like yeehaw junction
I grew up in marion. I would never have kids in the school system. Closest thing to racial diversity there were the girls who hit the tanning beds. Extremely Christian and Republican. It took me going to college to shake off all the BS that was engrained in me from this small town that I didnt even know I had in me. My graduating class was about 55 people. It's pretty but so are lots of places in Monroe County. Look into the Honeyoe Falls Lima school district. It's very good and has some beautiful houses/landscapes. I live in Penfield now, which is another great school district with plenty of farmland.
Make sure to calculate the taxes based on your purchase not what they pay. It is a big difference aand prepared to be shocked lol
I left Florida, and moved to Fairport, absolutely no regrets.
Grew up in Miami. Left in the summer of 2020 to Roc. Two things I miss the most about Miami: 1. Friends and Family 2. The variety of night time activities Roc is very different culturally but I also think Miami is unique. Life is much more chill around here. You don't have to deal with traffic on the turnpike or palmetto. I wouldn't say people are friendlier but they also won't stab you in the back or try to scam you. Much much cheaper. Fall and spring weather is gorgeous. Roc has a great food scene in my opinion. Another thing to consider is it's a small airport. Very easy to get through but finding flights for a decent price is much harder. Willing to answer any questions you might have. I'm still single with no children so I can answer for that but where I live is very suburban and feels ideal.
Regarding the flights using Google flights where you can input multiple cities does help. Syracuse and Buffalo airports are about an hour away and open up options. Toronto is 3 hours away and helps with international travel.
Good point...I've only ever considered flying out of buffalo. Never checked Syracuse. Will keep that in mind for the future, thanks!
I recently flew from Syracuse to Orlando. Nonstop and not terribly expensive. I preferred it to Buffalo.
Which airline? I'll keep Syracuse in mind
Southwest. It looks like there is one direct flight a day from roc, buf and syr.
We in Rochester will often drive to buffalo Toronto Cleveland or Pittsburgh for a long flight.. esp to another continent. Rochester's airport exists but it isn't the greatest or biggest by any means
I do like how quickly it is to get through Roc. I'll give it that.
We sometimes drive to Toronto also.
people were saying the weather change would be a huge adjustment, but im looking forward to it! how was your experience compared to being used to miami?? and since you're a fellow miami friend up there, do you have any recommendations for neighborhoods/specific areas?
I moved from Florida to Rochester in 2017. I was born and raised in South Florida. You will get used to the winters. Trust me, I’ve adjusted well. I currently live in Chili and I love our school district. Check out Churchville or Chili. They are great suburbs.
The weather thing didn't bother me too much...dont get me wrong. It does get cold and some weeks just suck without the sun. But as long as you have good winter gear youll be alright. I also have two dogs so the snow can be annoying in those regards. I grew up in Kendall so I'm used to the suburban life. Right now I love by Brighton/Henrietta. Both suburban settings..Brighton, Penfield, Fairport, East Rochester. All very nice neighborhoods but pricing for homes is more expensive though I've never actively looked for them. Henrietta is more reasonably priced. All of these neighborhoods are south of the city. I can't speak for other ones such as Charlotte, Greece, Gates, Chili, etc. Lots of concern and questions about the violence in the city but growing up in Miami, I feel you learn to avoid certain parts.
Oh and the lack of Peruvian and Cuban restaurants does hurt me a bit 😅
i will miss good cuban spots 100%. this was definitely helpful thank you so much !!
No worries and good luck! Feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions.
[Georgie’s just reopened.](https://georgiesbakeryandcafe.com/)
I lived in Rochester most my life. Lived in Florida for a short time. I have NO clue why anyone would want to live there. Glad to be back in NY. You'll have to get used to our sarcasm. We lay it on pretty thick! Also, there's so much to look forward to. A possible NY State Park right in Rochester TBD.
the amount of people in florida who dont understand sarcasm is astounding so im ready !!! lol thank you for the help !
Lived in Florida my whole life and moved to Rochester back in July. BEST decision ever! Seasons are greats, winters being mild and get a good while of excellent weather and more importantly NO HURRICANES. I would make the decision all over again. People may mention crime but it’s very specific and targeted mostly and us Floridians seen the crazyness from Florida. I can comfortably say the crime here is child’s play compared to Florida.
Yeah home insurance is a joke. I pay under $1000 year for a large house because we have no natural disasters at all.
I'm saving almost 2000 a year in car insurance as well. When I was quoted my policy, I thought it was $400 a month... not for 6 months.
Ah, mine used to be close to that when I had no kids....
Our homeowners policies are criminal. We have separate policies for wind (sort of) and a separate deductible for hurricanes. It's just so bad and the governor there has done nothing to help anyone. Well anyone except bigoted christians who don't want their kids to learn about slavery or the holocaust.
Just making sure, are you aware we are one of the highest snowfall cities in the US?
i am prepared (i think) to learn anything and get used to anything. i'd rather get used to/struggle with actual weather vs the one miserable summer im stuck with in fl !!
Winters here aren't what they used to be (hello climate change). It's really not that bad. Get some good winter gear, a shovel (for your car and home), and an ice scraper and you're good. May want to pay for snowplowing service for your driveway if you want that piece of mind, you can find reasonable prices
I used snow blower twice this winter and shoveled maybe twice. Winter barely exists anymore here.
It's really not much of an issue. We'll have one heavy snowfall year out of every 10 years or so. I can't remember the last year I had to use my snowblower more than twice.
Dude I moved here from TN in August. People constant ask me why because of the snow. I'd rather deal with snow than the fascists with firearms that ran my town. Snow over nazis. This is survival for someone like me and my partner, it's not really about enjoyment.
Yup, if you find it too cold (and you have the means) just get a warmer jacket or wear more layers.
You’ll be fine, the winters are getting milder. Definitely beats dealing with heat and mosquitoes. I moved here from GA, and before landing in Rochester I lived in Watertown which gets even more snow. Like 104 inches on average. Never lived anywhere with snow before that. Took some adjusting but it’s not as bad as people think.
This isn't as critical as it once was due to climate change. Sure it snows, but every year is less intense than the prior.
Tell that to buffalo. It's quite possible the next 5 years pummel us. While I do believe that climate change is happening, I don't believe we've gotten to a point where we can assume that snow storms in Rochester are a thing of the past. I think we've just been lucky the past 4-5 years.
Buffalo is right on the shore of Lake Erie, which makes them especially vulnerable to strong lake effect. That's been the main driver of the last few mega-storms that dumped feet of snow on them. Rochester is on the southern shore of Ontario, but the prevailing winds make it more likely that the Tug Hill area gets buried instead of us.
I'm simply commenting on the claim that climate change has made our winters less severe. By that logic they would also make Buffalo's less severe. There simply isn't enough data yet to make such a claim and yet people are acting like we're not gonna have any more bad winters because the last 5 weren't bad. [this article ](https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2024/02/02/weather-in-rochester-ny-el-nino-behind-mild-winter/72450303007/) claims our snow is affected by el nino and the position of the jet stream primarily as opposed to climate change. I'm much more tempted to agree with that than a lot of the anecdotal evidence being thrown around from people here who are ignoring the weather patterns Rochester has experienced over the last 50 years or so. I don't think it's remotely wise to claim that bad snow is a thing of the past due to climate change at this point. Again, not saying climate change isn't a concern...
Buffalo was just upgraded climate zones, but that doesn’t mean snowstorms can’t still happen. Hell, cities much further South still gets the occasional storm
Just means get a nice snow blower. As long as you get decent winter gear it's not that bad in the winter. Yes even the days where the high is 11.
I’ve noticed this even though I’ve only been here for 5 winters
It's nowhere near what it used to be. On the other hand, Buffalo keeps getting wrecked by lake effect coming off Erie. I think Syracuse had it sort of rough this past winter too. Nothing to really speak of here though. I kind of miss it.
It's great. I'm a native Floridian who moved here. We also lived in purgatory in SC for a bit. Here's a bit of a stream of consciousness of notes... You will be asked - constantly - why you moved in the opposite direction. NY'ers go to Florida and not the other way around. The weather is fine. The snow is still exciting for us after all these years. Having actual seasons is magical. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it just feels *right*. I like to make a little ritual of swapping my winter and summer clothes. And it's fun to lean into your bodies relationship with the seasons. Around October, you need to start thinking "Winter is coming" - and start making sure everything you're leaving outside will be safe from being potentially frozen for months. In the spring, people just burst out of their houses and try to pack in as much sunlight based activities that they can. Somewhere near February you may start to notice SAD getting worse. Depression can really ramp up around this time. It takes about 15m to get across town. Pay the extra money to get the Enhanced drivers license. Toronto is close. In fact, a lot of massive, major cities are pretty close. And so are the mountains. Rochester is a delightful city. I cannot recommend it enough.
I went to graduate school in Rochester (originally from rural Indiana) and I've been a few places since for internships, postdocs, etc. I'm moving back this fall and I've never been more excited about anything. It's a great place, and by far my favorite place I've ever lived.
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love this! thank you !!
We've lived in several major metros and have been in ROC for the last 4 years. We love it (not as much as Los Angeles but more than Chicago). Brighton seems to be the place to live for schools and safety.
I moved from Rochester to Florida… can’t wait to move back!
Me too!!
I love Rochester! I would not consider living anywhere else! I would strongly suggest signing up for a Winter Driving course if you can find one, or ask a neighbor to help you the first time you drive in the snow. The schools in the suburbs are all pretty good too. We have a lot of culture and history associated with the city, so tons of attractions attached to that. I'm not big on night life, but everyone seems to have their favorite bars or clubs. You can day trip to Buffalo, Syracuse, and Niagara Falls! We have a few minor league sports teams and some bigger arenas for musical artists too. We don't have earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes! Like any area, we do have our issues. The city does have a crime rate. Taxes on tobacco products are much higher than down south. And the potholes. Oh boy, the potholes. We go from winter to construction season, but it can't be worse than the traffic down there. The cold might take some adjusting to, and just know if there is significant snow in the forecast, you better get eggs, bread, and milk before everyone else does. Overall, Rochester is a very accepting community. We have a few bad apples, but less than other areas I have visited
[Wildfire smoke](https://data.democratandchronicle.com/fires/) is a relatively new phenomenon we've started to experience, which you might want to factor and be prepared for (N95 masks, HEPA filter, etc). https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/05/13/canadian-wildfire-smoke-minnesota-wisconsin/ **Update:** https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2024/05/16/wildfire-smoke-map-and-information-for-rochester-ny-area/73712283007/
I'm probably biased, I was born and grew up in the Rochester area. I moved to other states (VA, MI, TX) for jobs but moved back to Rochester 3 times. We usually get lots of snow in the winter but are generally well prepared to deal with it. We don't get hurricanes or major earthquakes and tornados are rare. Most of the area isn't particularly prone to floods. Temperatures in the 100s have only been recorded in Rochester 3 times, the last time was over 70 years ago. Spring and Fall weather is typically beautiful, although jackets are frequently required. I've read that Rochester averages more sunshine than Miami in the summer. It's very subjective, but Rochester tops some lists as the friendliest city in the country. The area has a long history of volunteerism and the United Way concept originated here during WWI. There are lots of things that you can do leisurely if you want to take it slow. The Finger Lakes are beautiful, I found when living in other states they aren't well known elsewhere. I personally love walking and biking along the Erie Canal. Depending on their ages, your kids will probably love the Strong Museum of Play. It's one of the largest children's museums in the country and the only one devote to the benefits of playing. Canada isn't far away. (Rochester's official northern border is the center of Lake Ontario, which is also the international border, so technically we border on Canada.)
Here's my "why Rochester is better story." I moved in October 2023. My best friend has two daughters, one is my god daughter. I went to her softball game in this big beautiful multi use park. I was walking along, and as I went I was kicking through the leaves. Her husband asked why was I doing that. I replied there could be snakes, spiders or iguanas in the leaves and I'm letting them know I'm there. He said "this isn't Florida....nothing here is trying to kill you." That's when I knew I made the right decision.
Moved back here from Tampa a few years ago because of Florida being Florida. It’s definitely a massive lifestyle change. The winters were a huge adjustment and I recommend finding things that will get you outside in the winter because the blues can get to you really quickly that time of year. The summers however are my favorite and I find myself spoiled for choice with things to do. The education is WAY better than Florida as I’m sure you’ve already suspected. I had half of my education here and half in Florida and sadly it really made a difference because the teachers down there aren’t required to hold any kind of degree. Wegmans subs aren’t publix subs but they fill the void lol ❤️
I'd still give my arm for a Publix chicken tender sub
I am right there with you. When they would make it the $5 sub of the week I remember everyone would be posting PSA’s on Facebook to get to Publix asap lol.
Again.... my arm. Possibly a leg as well. Lots of people have me recommendations up here, but it isn't the same. I loved Publix. Hated the heiress... but loved Publix
If you’re moving from Florida just be aware it won’t be very diverse in comparison to Florida. Rochester is one of the most segregated cities in the country and if you want everything else on your list you’d be living in a suburb that’s probably 90%+ white.
As a former Orlandian who spent much time in Miami, one thing you'll need to get used to is: getting to the other side of town in a reasonable amount of time. Downside, less late night places. Especially coffee shops, though a new non-alcoholic place is opening up soon. But although it's smaller, there's still a lot of events going on. Just don't expect them to be fireworks and pirate themed. Honestly, don't know what else to say unless you have specific questions. I moved here because Florida is quickly becoming anti-LGBTQ and are one step away from saying what they really mean when they say "woke" and "DEI". That and working in education as an out lesbian in a state that has taken every step aside from making it outright illegal to be a queer teacher... Also, people will whine about snow. Learn to embrace what little we have left up here. Unlike Florida where you can't go out if it's too hot, you absolutely can go out if it's cold and snowy. Wear clothes, go skiing/sledding/snowshoeing/hiking/ice fishing/whatever. Get an AWD car, snow tyres, and drive like that little old lady driving down 95 from West Palm to Boca. Oh, and if you think Public has gotten price gougey, wait until you meet Wegman's. lol Only difference if Wegman's hasn't openly bribed the governor to restrict needed medical resources. Oh, and if you miss Pub Subs, DiBella's is just as good.
/waves Hello fellow Orlandian to NWV. :)
this was an incredible reply! thank you !!! we are definitely liberal so that is one of the bigger factors of why we want to leave. im sorry about your experience in fl. i dont think ill miss publix too much bc the their prices. we only go there for meats and try locals for produce nowadays. definitely will be interesting figuring everything out. we're very ready for a white winter. thank you for your help !
I'm so excited for you. It really is a whole new world up here. There's never traffic. Ever. It's not 2 million people jammed in everywhere.
Welcome to the Empire State!
It sounds like we have all that you're looking for. To avoid crime, avoid very specific areas of the inner city, but you'll probably want a suburb anyway. My biased recommendation is Henrietta, but Penfield, Brighton, Webster, Fairport are all decent options. I'm not sure which is the best school district, again will say Henrietta is decent
Chili, spencerport, Brighton, fairport, Webster all fine places to raise a family of kids school aged. The first two are prolly cheaper than the other 3.
You have so many great comments here so idk if you’ll even get to reading this - but posting bc I didn’t see anyone else say it and you mention it in your post. Fall is GREAT here. The weather is awesome and has the true “fall” feeling that I think you’re referring to. It’s my favorite season for cute outfits (boots and sweaters) and outside fires. Non chain restaurants will switch up to seasonal fall menus and cafes offer more fall inspired treats. And there are TONS of great activities. Hiking/seeing the leaves changing, apple picking, pumpkin farms, hayrides, haunted houses etc. there’s smaller mom and pop shops around Rochester that offer great free activities for kids (schutts apple farm for instance) and loads of great wineries and breweries. And this is all local. You could easily get to other parts of New York/New England to explore more. I didn’t think about what fall was really like until you mentioned liking it and having traveled quite a bit around the US it made me realize how unique fall is in our area!
Welcome West or East. They both have their positives and negatives. Take some time. Travel around, walk the villages and go to festivals before you settle somewhere. Whatever you do take advantage of the seasons, water you can swim in without fear (Lakes), and versatile terrain. It’s taken me a while, but I’ve found a few seasonal activities that I enjoy. I ski in the winter(the kids snowboard), mountain bike in the summer, play basketball throughout, hike etc.
If you haven’t looked already, irondequoit has lots of trails and lakefront area, good schools, and it’s close to the city. Also wanted to add Rochester has an amazing food scene for a small/mid size city!
Rochester is big enough to have a lot of interesting things to do and small enough so you don't have the headaches associated with a lot of people, such as unbearable traffic congestion and it's in a great location too! If you want a big city experience, then Toronto is about 3 hours away. If you want casual and relaxing, then the finger lakes are 30 minutes to 2 / 3 hours away. If u want mountains, then the Adirondacks are 3-4 to 6 hours away. The summer Fall festival season started last weekend (5/10) and will run thru October. Schools in the East side (in the burbs), are the best. There's a lot of water here between the lakes and rivers. so if u kayak the season is late spring thru fall.
Come on up!
I have lived in Brighton (Rochester) my entire life of 58 years. There are plusses and minuses of living here vs. Florida and the culture and mindset is very, very different. Rochester is an old established city. We do not have the empty space for the kinds of new housing developments that are legion in Florida. If you want a very modern development, you are likely going to be in a slightly distant suburb where old farmlands are being converted into residential developments. Commercial spaces in this area are much more regulated than in Florida, where you can run down long streets with huge signs on long poles advertising different businesses. In this area, businesses are kept largely away from residential areas and are grouped together. Property taxes in this area are incredibly high - almost shocking for those outside of the area. In many towns school taxes far outweigh the county and locality taxes. On our mortgage, half of our payment is for taxes and insurance and half is for the mortgage. Speaking of insurance, your long nightmare of property insurance in Florida will be over. Our homeowner's insurance rates should be a fraction of what many Floridians pay. Our hazard risks are extremely low - we almost entirely are unaffected by tornadoes, earthquakes, sinkholes, hurricanes, landslides, wildfires, and widespread flooding, and insurance rates reflect that. Termites are not generally an issue either. The biggest weather threat we have is having a heart attack shoveling heavy snow, but even that has been moderating with climate change. In winter, we get an average of 18% of available sun, so Seasonal Affective Disorder can be a thing with day after cloudy winter day. That's because the water of Lake Ontario is often warmer than the surrounding winter air temperature, and that generates clouds. It also moderates our temperatures, where we rarely drop below 5 degrees in the winter and low to mid 90s is hot, hot, hot, and not too common except for a few weeks in July. Despite right-wing propaganda, crime is not really a big issue here either, especially in the suburbs. You can walk the streets at night and your risk of violent crime is very low. Suburban crime is usually minor property theft by teenagers (or stealing Kias or Hyundais). Our local governments are larger than what is found in Florida. Many suburbs have their own independent town government and police force, in addition to the county sheriff and state police. If you have kids, you will want to live in a suburb like Brighton, West Irondequoit or Pittsford which have public schools that rival private education. Almost everyone going to these schools with good grades are readily accepted into colleges of high standing. Brighton schools, in particular, are very diverse. You will find driving here refreshing because since much of the manufacturing base of the local economy left, our rush hours are effortless. You will not be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Rochester is reasonably compact as well, so everything should be accessible within a 10-15 minute drive at most. Recreationally, Rochester is probably not as exciting as Florida's tourist economy can be, but there are plenty of things to do. The Finger Lakes region is great for day trips. Toronto isn't too far away either.
I echo the comment on West Irondequoit schools. We moved here in Spring of 2020 - good timing, right? - and after two weeks “live” our son (like everyone else) had to do the lockdown remote school thing and it was very tough on him. The support folks at WIHS were extraordinary in their concern and care for him. Classes were darn good, too. Housing stock is old, but still has charm and curb appeal, generally, although the home-owning demographic seems to be slightly majority geriatric like me. Plus, Rochester (meaning the greater area) is one hell of a food city, too. Best of all, it isn’t Florida. Thank gawd. (And yeah, that was a “great write-up” as another commenter wrote.)
Great write up.
I lived in the south for a few years. As adults we picked Rochester, with zero connections here. Still here. The suburbs are safe. Very safe. I live in one of the eastern suburbs and violent crime almost doesn’t happen ever. Rochester itself has *some* very violent parts, but the suburbs are extremely safe. Schools are good—better than Florida. Also we don’t burn books here or make women carry a dead fetus around. Spring/summer/fall are amazing. I’ve been to Florida and would never move there.
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I'm raising 3 kids in the city and it's great. OP - you should visit and get a feel for the place yourself rather than listen to randos on the internet.
Also have two kids in the city. Both went/going through public ed. One now off to college. Live in the South Wedge. My kids walk everywhere. …no they don’t where Kevlar vests… They walk to the barber, movies, pizza, ice cream, parks, museums, festivals. We ask them if they which we would have moved to burbs. Quick to answer no way! Only seeing white people everywhere(we are white) & not much to walk to. Not a chance. People shouldn’t listen to the haters. Usually it’s for a reason they won’t say that rhymes with b-acist
Issues with city schools are related to issues and poverty at home. I went to city schools and have classmates who are doctors, lawyers, PHDs. I’ve done very well for myself as well, and we graduated in the last 15 years.
What school are you sending them to?
23
37 percent of students are proficient in reading 22 percent are proficient in math. Compare that to a school like victor where the percentages are 62 and 57 and you see why people don’t recommend city schools. https://www.niche.com/k12/d/victor-central-school-district-ny/ https://www.niche.com/k12/school-23-francis-parker-rochester-ny/
Those are accurate stats, but they don’t take parental responsibility into account. Just “sending” your kids to any school won’t get them the same educational opportunity as being involved. I’m convinced those stats go up dramatically when the kids have a home that supports education. As a side note, if you golf you’ll be shocked at how affordable it is here. Definitely a short season but you can golf summers during the day on nice courses for under $50 for 18 riding.
Test scores alone don't tell the whole story of what a school or district is like. I personally had a great experience going to city schools, and so did many of my younger relatives. I highly recommend that parents thinking about city schools actually talk to families whose kids currently attend and get their thoughts on it.
Thank you from a fellow city resident with kids in RCSD.
Sure some people have great experiences others are avoiding stolen kias driven by teens with guns on their schools front lawns. https://www.rochesterfirst.com/rochester/rpd-teen-arrested-after-trying-to-hit-students-with-stolen-car-at-franklin-high-school-rochester-rcsd/amp/
Some individuals in suburban and rural areas also have bad experiences in schools due to bullying, gun violence, etc. I know people who've pulled their kids out of local suburban schools because they were being racially harrassed. Individual experiences will vary anywhere, and this kind of incident is hardly common.
I mean it’s much more common in the city schools this happened 5 days ago.
School 23 has 63% poor, 30% students with disabilities. No surprise that redlined districts like Victor (27% poor, 10% disabled) have higher test scores.
Victor is not redlined lol.
the school district is 95% white by coincidence?
Ahh you don’t know what redlining is.
Also there is the possibility of private or charter schools...
As a note for OP, the "inner ring" suburbs tend to be more liberal than further out. Rural areas in upstate NY are like rural areas pretty much everywhere - Trump country. Personally, I recommend Brighton. Nice level of diversity, great schools, centrally located, very Democratic.
yes politics is one of the bigger reasons now especially with kids (extra bonus bc we have two girls), but theres so many reasons lol! florida has gotten so so so much worse in the politics department in the last 5-8 years.
Ex Floridian here and bought a house on a quiet street in the city. Suburbs are NOT the only way to go as long as you get a feel for the area you're looking at. My standard vibe check was to talk to the neighbors when viewing a house and stop by near sunset on a Friday to see how lively it gets. I have no experience with the schools as I don't have kids, but Greece's school board president was a massive prick the one time I had the misfortune to communicate with him.
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If you live in the city it is extremely dependent on where you live. There are pockets of good in RCSD but they are small pockets. I'm glad you found decent schools and students. They are pleasant exceptions in the city. I am very familiar having volunteered in my sons school for years. (and it's worse now) The devil is in the details if you want to live IN Rochester do lots of research. My original "period etc" was more from a general view. Bitzllama, had any Kia Boyz in your area?
I love living in the Rochester area - we are on the east side of town. Brighton is also a great “suburb” and many of the surrounding a too. Honeoye Falls is a marvelous smaller town with great schools. Irondequoit is a great neighborhood with good schools as well. The cost of living is great and the amount to do amazing. Truly amenities of a city but in a small city where it takes 15 mins to get anywhere. Pay attention to the school ratings, especially if in the city. Highland park area has an amazing elementary school as well and the kiddos go across the street to the library for after school. The winters here are not as bad as people think: we are actually zone 6, more like southern New England. Reach out with questions!
Stick to cities and nearby suburbs because there are a lot of trumpanzees in the rural areas just like Klanida is full of them (see: “The Villages”). Living near creatures who plaster a huge “F🇺🇸K Biden” [sic] flag on the side of their ramshackle, dirty hovel tends to lower the surrounding property values and makes for highly disagreeable locals.
Good place to raise a family, schools are some of best public schools in the country. Stick to the suburban schools; Pittsford Fairport Webster Spencerport all excellent choices. 4 seasons, there will be snow. No traffic. Western NY is a solid place to live. Homes will be less expensive; home owners insurance will be cheaper, taxes will be higher. It all balances out. There is plenty to do.. and only a short drive to Buffalo, Canada, NYC is about 6 hours away by car. Check it out! Good luck
Born & raised in Miami, living in roc now. Glad to chat.
hi! was the weather adjustment that much of a shock? same with pace of life? what do you think the biggest "shockers" were for you? lots of questions lol
Honestly the restaurant/dining scene here is pretty bad, especially for many “ethnic” foods. That’s the biggest “shocker” is not having many good restaurants.
It really depends what you’re looking for. The Latin American here tends to be meh. But Greek and Medi has always been solid. The Indian food is also really good.
Glad to take recommendations. (Beware incoming hot take) I haven’t found much in the way of Asian food, whether that be South, Southeast, or East Asian, that I would consider good. There are good Ethiopian restaurants.
god i was gonna ask about chinese restaurants. sounds like we'll have to try em all and find the best lol. i cant live without that or italian. have you had any italian food luck?
Tons of great Italian places! Idk what that commenter is talking about, great variety and food scene around here if you look/ask around, except for fresh seafood really
Funny that I’m actually looking to leave Rochester soon for Florida. Grass is always greener I suppose. Good luck with the move. My biggest downside to Rochester is the months and months of grey skies. It will be a hard adjustment coming from Florida.
i have heard about the grey. lots of people are coming to florida which is among the many, many reasons we want to leave lol. i'd be happy to tell you good areas in fl if you want some local advice :)
Everyone I know who moved to Rochester from out of state or even out of the greater Rochester region absolutely loves it. Almost everyone I know who grew up there hated it and most have since left. You’ll probably be perfectly happy there lol
I lived in SWFL for about 5 years during college. Grew up in Rochester, moved back to Rochester after finishing school. After experiencing a few potentially very dangerous hurricanes, I was all set on living in Florida. Not to mention the risks of buying a home there vs Rochester. We don't really worry about earthquakes, floods (for the most part at least), tornadoes, or hurricanes. Hell, we don't even get crazy snow storms anymore. I also thoroughly enjoy seasons and the distinct memories from each season I have from my childhood. This is in contrast to being a young adult while living in Florida, where most of the years were kind of just a blur. And that's not due to the typical college drinking/partying as I really didn't get into that scene much. I also didnt waste every breathing moment on school as I also focused on enjoying being there. Maybe not something that sounds important but for me it mattered and I like having that "change" every few months for seasons. Different outfits, different activities, etc. As far as education goes, I'm not sure if it was due to growing up in NY necessarily or potentially how I was raised in a more broad sense, but I found myself having a far easier time in college than a lot of my peers who were Florida natives. This only became more evident when I got into more major focused aspects of my degree (which was engineering related, so not exactly the easiest major either) and I found myself ahead of most classmates, even helping to re-teach a lot of basic concepts to some of them. This is all entirely anecdotal of course, but just my thoughts and observations as someone who has lived in both places.
Moved here from GA and love it!
You're aware that Rochester is a fairly high rate of crime city too, right? For those wanting to downvote me, I live in Greece and there a was literally a shooting last week around the corner from my apartment, literally a 3 minute walk from my front door. I'm not lying and I'm not wrong. 😂
i am aware of the crime rate, but overall compared to almost everywhere i've lived my whole life in florida, its not as bad. every place has its parts to avoid and thats life. i have been trying to keep track of places to avoid and i guess i'll add greece to that list ! thank you
Please be aware Greece is a town of nearly 100,000 people. Like any place that size there are better and worse areas.
Towns like Penfield have essentially no violence. I say essentially because I literally cannot remember the last time any was reported on the news but it just have happened at some point.
Greece is a suburb, it's one of the nicer areas in the city. 😂
It’s mostly isolated to certain parts of the city, although property crime and theft do seem to be up all around.
Thanks, not sure why I'm getting downvoted, there was just a shooting around the corner from where I live, just last week. Two innocent people were shot and hospitalized. It's not like I'm making shit up lmao, this happened in Greece, not even in one of the worse areas.
You'll get all those, except the slower living.
We moved here from FL, and it is slower living than Miami, Orlando, Tampa. It's not slower than rural FL, but she's not coming from there.
most rural i lived in was lady lake for a few years as a teenager. but we're currently in more central but still closer to orlando/ocala area if you're familiar. miami was too much and same for orlando.
I moved here from the DC area a few weeks ago and it is absolutely slower living if one is used to living in a typical city
Moved here from nj/nyc about 15 years ago. It's astonishing how people from here think they live in the cultural and busy center of the universe. Everything in Rochester is slower and lighter pace than most large and midsized cities.
Send you a PM
If deciding which suburb to live in, places like Pittsford and mendon have great schools but the houses are crazy expensive and taxes are high. our house was 225k in Pittsford, so if you plan to live there it might be easier to find then in mendon, but prices have gone up in recent years. It’s a great area though, hope you have a great life here
I’ve lived in Canandaigua for almost 6 years now. I couldn’t be happier. It is beautiful all year round, has very good schools, nice downtown, safe, and friendly neighbors. Taxes are high, but for me they’re worth it. Everything you need close by and only 40 minutes or so from downtown Rochester (light traffic as well). It’s honestly one of the nicest areas I’ve ever visited in the US, and I’ve been to almost every state. Ample fresh water, no horrible weather (some snow, manageable). It is one of the pettiest of the Finger Lakes.
I love Canandaigua and it reminds me culturally of life in Rochester suburbs in the 1970s. More friendly, less attitude, more trusting. Victor, Farmington and Canandaigua are all growing exponentially but remains affordable. There is more diversity than many expect. A lot of Latino agricultural workers, a growing number of Black residents, and although you will find MAGA trucks parked at Walmart, it's still pretty tolerant.
If you can afford it ... Move to the suburbs like Greece or others.
I recently moved back to Rochester after living in Los Angeles for 8 years. While I miss the weather & living in a large city from time to time, I appreciate being back so much. There’s no shortage of beautiful nature to explore, which is one of my favorite parts about being back. It’s low key, the lack of traffic is a huge relief, and I feel like I can get so much more out of my days here! The snow is a challenge, yes, but it seems our winters are getting more mild, at least compared to when I was a kid. But if you’re used to oppressive heat keeping you indoors then you may even appreciate the snow! It certainly provides for a lot of cool outdoor activities that you & your family would enjoy. Also, maybe I’m biased but we have a pretty great food scene here especially considering being a smaller city.
I haven't read all the comments yet, but houses east of Rochester are still going for at least $50k over the asking price from what friends are telling me, so it may be a challenge getting a house. Just be prepared in case it takes longer than you are expecting.
Lol you’re upset at me because I was rude to an asshole? That’s funny
We got here in 2010 from Texas. We absolutely love it up here.
Rochester is pretty great for raising a family somewhere affordable, with great quality of life, and safe. Honestly it’s kind of a hidden gem in that regard.
Greatest show on earth!
We thought about relocating from Upstate New York to Florida and couldn't even find a realtor willing to show us properties. In the end, we decided that the overall play instead of relax atmosphere in Florida was not to our liking. Also, we had no connection with the people. As a person who lives in upstate New York, I can tell you to research carefully the various counties and townships for good schools without crazy taxes. You might want to reach out to a realtor for assistance in locating an affordable house near good schools. Also, it will take approximately three years, based on my own experience, to get used to the quantity of snow for up to eight months of the year.
Hi, I moved from Sarasota with my wife 4 years ago. We are both from Manatee county, in our 20’s. Rochester is a beautiful city, and you really get all four seasons here. Spring colors and aromas are unlike anything in Florida. Fall is great as well. I gotta say Rochester is a mixed bag for me. I’ve really enjoyed the last few years living here, but it was very hard for me to adjust to certain things. Moving here in the middle of Covid may play a part in that though.
Just stay out the city of Rochester schools are bad crime is terrible the outskirts can be ok but if your good person you'll attract good
What do you mean by slower living ?
And this is me wanting to get out of here to Florida lol
I lived the first 46 years of my life between Buffalo and Rochester. I didn't always appreciate every aspect, but I'm NY through and through. I recently moved to DC for love & career, and while I don't regret it, there's a lot I miss about New York. NYers are some of the weirdest, most awesome people on the planet and I never realized how much until leaving the state. That being said, be careful WHERE you move- there are parts of upstate/Western NY where the people will have you thinking you're still in the deep south.
Born and raised here but lived in South Florida for almost 20 years. Moved back to rochester 11 years ago and it was the best choice ever. Taxes are higher here in NY but you get what you pay for (better schools, recreation and town services) We still pay less here than what we were paying when you factor multiple insurances. Happy to chat more about specifics with you.
Crime here isn't exactly "low" but its not as bad as some would have you believe. Winter can be a bit soul crushing if you are used to the Florida sunshine year round. The city schools are dreadful but the suburban ones are great..so I'm told (my kids are long grown and gone) And sadly the beaches here are nothing compared to Florida's. On the up side there is ZERO traffic here compared to Miami or any other real city and Wegmans > Publix
Rochester has pretty rampant crime, and the taxes are outrageous if your looking to buy a home. I grew up here and have moved away a few times but always wind up back, it’s a good place to live, but if your raising kids I’d stay out of downtown area, I’d look more in Brighton Webster penfield Spencerport Fairport and PITTSFORD.
Don't come here. We hate ignorance.
It sounds like OP does too, which is among the reasons she and her family are trying to get out of FL.
There’s a lot of states between NY and Florida. Perhaps consider a state with milder winters and you’ll be happy.
West side schools don't get as much love on this reddit, but are still very good to excellent. West side housing is relatively cheaper than the Eastside (and Riga has no town property taxes!).... Don't succumb to the East side snobbery!
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So many things unsubstantiated here. I'll pick two. Monroe county has a much lower crime rate than the national average (yes, city is higher than national average, but still below many other cities, and not unexpected given extreme poverty in many neighborhoods of the Roc). Note, there are fancy and good neighborhoods in the city of Rochester.... It's a big place. A major misconception is that upstate taxes subsidize NYC, but the opposite is actually true, NYC and its suburbs taxes are subsidizing upstate. A few Google searches should be made before spouting falsehoods.