What’s the best part of Rochester?
It could be where everyone knows their neighbor. Or it could be where home prices are the highest, meaning it’s where everyone wants to live.
Instead of relying on public opinion and speculation, we wanted to get the facts straight and find out which neighborhoods in Rochester are the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Whether you live in the sticks or in an apartment building downtown, you want a little pocket that you can call home. And each neighborhood offers different perks and benefits.
Smaller neighborhoods usually have obvious benefits — less crime, a slower pace of life, and a lower cost of living. But not all Rochester neighborhoods are created equal. Some are better than others. But which ones?
If you’re thinking of moving to New York and Rochester is on the top of your list, check out the best neighborhoods for 2025.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the best neighborhood to live in Rochester for 2025? According to the most recent census data, Park Avenue looks to be the best Rochester neighborhood to live in.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Rochester that deserve a little bragging rights, or maybe you’re interested in the worst neighborhoods in Rochester.
For more New York reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In New York
- Cheapest Places To Live In New York
- Most Dangerous Places In New York
The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Rochester
1. Park Avenue
Population: 6,372
Median Home Value: $261,650 (best)
Median Income: $62,473 (Fifth best)
More on Park Avenue:
2. Ellwanger-Barry
Population: 4,276
Median Home Value: $164,000 (Sixth best)
Median Income: $63,772 (Third best)
More on Ellwanger-Barry:
3. Cobbs Hill
Population: 1,469
Median Home Value: $230,200 (Third best)
Median Income: $106,229 (best)
More on Cobbs Hill:
4. Browncroft
Population: 3,413
Median Home Value: $130,250 (13th best)
Median Income: $85,448 (Second best)
More on Browncroft:
5. Culver-Winton
Population: 7,013
Median Home Value: $114,312 (14th best)
Median Income: $62,846 (Fourth best)
More on Culver-Winton:
6. East Avenue
Population: 6,890
Median Home Value: $226,500 (Fourth best)
Median Income: $54,360 (Eighth best)
More on East Avenue:
7. Homestead Heights
Population: 3,495
Median Home Value: $72,300 (2best)
Median Income: $61,461 (Sixth best)
More on Homestead Heights:
8. Corn Hill
Population: 2,395
Median Home Value: $206,300 (Fifth best)
Median Income: $39,924 (16th best)
More on Corn Hill:
9. Swillburg
Population: 1,776
Median Home Value: $135,950 (12th best)
Median Income: $44,152 (14th best)
More on Swillburg:
10. Central Business District
Population: 5,015
Median Home Value: $245,350 (Second best)
Median Income: $53,569 (Ninth best)
More on Central Business District:
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Rochester, NY Neighborhoods In 2025
To rank the best neighborhoods in Rochester, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 32 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Rochester.” We’re lookin’ at you, Park Avenue.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Rochester, New York has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Rochester.
Summary: Putting A Bow On Our Analysis Of The Best Neighborhoods In Rochester
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Rochester where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Rochester are Park Avenue, Ellwanger-Barry, Cobbs Hill, Browncroft, Culver-Winton, East Avenue, Homestead Heights, Corn Hill, Swillburg, and Central Business District.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Rochester aren’t all good. Best takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Rochester.
The worst neighborhoods in Rochester are Best, Charles House, Upper Falls, Dutchtown, and South Marketview Heights.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.
For more New York reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In New York
- Safest Places In New York According To Science
- Worst Places To Live In New York State
Best Neighborhoods To Live In Rochester For 2025 Detailed Data
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Park Avenue | 6,372 | $261,650 | $62,473 |
| 2 | Ellwanger-Barry | 4,276 | $164,000 | $63,772 |
| 3 | Cobbs Hill | 1,469 | $230,200 | $106,229 |
| 4 | Browncroft | 3,413 | $130,250 | $85,448 |
| 5 | Culver-Winton | 7,013 | $114,312 | $62,846 |
| 6 | East Avenue | 6,890 | $226,500 | $54,360 |
| 7 | Homestead Heights | 3,495 | $72,300 | $61,461 |
| 8 | Corn Hill | 2,395 | $206,300 | $39,924 |
| 9 | Swillburg | 1,776 | $135,950 | $44,152 |
| 10 | Central Business District | 5,015 | $245,350 | $53,569 |
| 11 | Strong | 4,246 | $153,350 | $54,846 |
| 12 | 19th Ward | 19,116 | $81,181 | $47,842 |
| 13 | South Wedge | 3,650 | $146,540 | $48,928 |
| 14 | Charlotte | 5,134 | $102,383 | $37,386 |
| 15 | Northland-Lyceum | 5,565 | $91,180 | $45,906 |
| 16 | Maplewood | 18,384 | $76,412 | $43,339 |
| 17 | Atlantic-University | 1,874 | $137,933 | $38,480 |
| 18 | Beechwood | 7,623 | $64,670 | $37,591 |
| 19 | Pearl-Meigs-Monroe | 3,322 | $108,733 | $35,344 |
| 20 | Highland | 5,403 | $142,467 | $44,419 |
| 21 | North Marketview Heights | 4,924 | $39,200 | $22,091 |
| 22 | Lyell-Otis | 8,670 | $52,625 | $30,686 |
| 23 | Genesee-Jefferson | 4,523 | $43,871 | $22,632 |
| 24 | Mayor’s Heights | 2,406 | $102,625 | $22,113 |
| 25 | Plymouth-Exchange | 3,471 | $41,380 | $19,068 |
| 26 | Edgerton | 7,542 | $46,075 | $22,720 |
| 27 | Susan B Anthony | 755 | $147,750 | $19,618 |
| 28 | South Marketview Heights | 3,378 | $46,800 | $20,220 |
| 29 | Dutchtown | 3,516 | $49,100 | $22,697 |
| 30 | Upper Falls | 6,300 | $30,600 | $20,382 |
| 31 | Charles House | 2,575 | $55,550 | $20,658 |
| 32 | Best | 514 | $62,567 | $18,122 |