Rochester Metro Area

Rochester Metro Area
With a population of more than one million people, Rochester is the third-largest metropolitan area in New York State. Rochester’s economy was historically centered around large manufacturing companies such as Eastman Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, and Xerox.
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Rochester Metro Area Economic Indicators
Rochester Metro Area
Economic and Demographic Trends
Population 2020Pop growth 2020, 10-year change (%)GDP 2020,
billions
($)		Job growth 2021, 5-year change
(%)		Median household income 2020
($)		Median home price 2020
($)		Pop share age 25+ with BA+ 2020
(%)
Rochester1,090,0001.064-5.560,000150,00034.2
Buffalo*1,167,0002.870-6.858,010160,00034.7
Syracuse*662,000-0.142-5.163,000150,00032.2
New York State20,201,0004.21,725-4.172,600350,00039.4
United States331,449,0007.420,8941.267,000250,00035.1
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; IPUMS USA-University of Minnesota. Data retrieved through data.census.gov, Moody's Economy.com, or directly from source.
*Neighboring Metros

The New York Fed publishes indicators, trends, research and analysis on our Second District. Explore the content below to learn more.

Regional Employment Trends
Regional Employment Trends
September 22, 2023
These interactive charts illustrate payroll employment trends for more than 20 geographies in the Second District, from the state level down to metropolitan areas.
Business Leaders Survey
Business Leaders Survey
September 18, 2023
A monthly survey that asks companies across the Second District—which includes New York State, Northern New Jersey, and Fairfield County, Connecticut—about recent and expected trends in key business indicators.
Empire State Manufacturing Survey
Empire State Manufacturing Survey
September 15, 2023
A monthly survey of manufacturers in New York State assessing current and forward-looking indicators for orders, prices, inventories, employees, and more.
Beige Book
Beige Book
September 06, 2023
Each Federal Reserve Bank gathers anecdotal information on current economic conditions in its District through reports from Bank directors and interviews with businesses, community organizations, economists, market experts, and other sources.
Businesses Want Remote Work, Just Not as Much
Businesses Want Remote Work, Just Not as Much
August 23, 2023
Results from the New York Fed’s August regional business surveys show that more than 20 percent of all service work and 4 percent of all manufacturing work is currently being done remotely, nearly identical to what was reported a year ago.
Supplemental Survey Report
Supplemental Survey Report
August 18, 2023
This report summarizes responses to topical questions posed periodically in the New York Fed’s Empire State Manufacturing Survey and Business Leaders Survey.




Quarterly Household Debt & Credit
Quarterly Household Debt & Credit (with state information)
August 08, 2023
The report provides unique data and insight into the credit conditions of U.S. consumers and provides a quarterly snapshot of household trends in borrowing and indebtedness, including data about mortgages, student loans, credit cards, auto loans and delinquencies.
Mapping Home Price Changes
Mapping Home Price Changes
July 2023
Explore year-over-year changes in home prices both regionally and nationally, using this dynamic map — updated monthly with new home price index data on 1,200 U.S. counties since 2003.
Press Briefing: The Region’s Recovery from the Pandemic Recession
Press Briefing: The Region’s Recovery from the Pandemic Recession
April 13, 2023
The press briefing discussed economic conditions across the Second District since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on employment trends.


The Tri-State Region’s Recovery from the Pandemic Recession Three Years On
The Tri-State Region’s Recovery from the Pandemic Recession Three Years On
April 13, 2023
Although the U.S. has seen job counts rise above pre-pandemic levels, the recovery has been uneven in the tri-state region. A dearth of available workers remains a significant constraint on growth in the region, particularly in upstate New York, which had already been suffering from a lack of workers before the pandemic began.
Richard Deitz's Briefing on Regional Economic Conditions in New York State
Richard Deitz's Briefing on Regional Economic Conditions in New York State
March 07, 2023
In a presentation to the Independent Bankers Association of New York, Richard discussed economic conditions in New York State, including business activity, jobs, housing, commercial real estate.
Press Briefing: Employment and Housing Conditions in the Second District
Press Briefing: Employment and Housing Conditions in the Second District
November 10, 2022
The press briefing focused on current economic conditions across the Federal Reserve's Second District and focused on the region's housing markets through the pandemic, including changes in home prices and affordability.


A Look at the New York-Northern New Jersey Region’s Pandemic Housing Boom
A Look at the New York-Northern New Jersey Region’s Pandemic Housing Boom
November 10, 2022
Home prices in the U.S. have soared by more than 40 percent since the start of the pandemic. In this post, the authors examine home price growth in the New York-Northern New Jersey region, where prices have shot up by 30 percent or more. Much of the home price boom can be traced to the rise in remote work, which increased the already strong demand for housing at a time when inventories were low and declining.
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