The typical owner-occupied home in Rochester is worth about $139,600, 67% below the New York median of $423,800 and 58% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,152 a year in property taxes, about 2.26% of their home's value, higher than the New York rate of 1.55%. The median household earns $47,213 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (4.9 times for New York). 38% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 61% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Rochester at a glance
| Rochester | New York | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,600 | $423,800 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,152 | $6,582 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 2.26% | 1.55% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $47,213 | $85,974 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 38% | 54% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 61% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,244 | $2,555 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.7% | 22.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,081 | $1,621 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 32.0% | 31.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1959 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 10.7% | 10.0% | 10.1% |
| Population | 208,772 | 19,852,366 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Rochester
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Rochester home of $139,600 with 20% down costs about $1,072 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,305, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $45,958 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median Rochester household income of $47,213; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $143,000.
The median rent here is $1,081 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $27,920 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $111,680 |
| Principal and interest | $751 |
| Property taxes (2.26% a year) | $263 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $58 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,072 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $4,886 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $137,072 |
| Principal and interest | $922 |
| Property taxes (2.26% a year) | $263 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $58 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $62 |
| Total per month | $1,305 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Rochester
What is the median home value in Rochester?
About $139,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Rochester?
Homeowners pay a median $3,152 a year, which is about 2.26% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Rochester?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,072 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $45,958 a year.
More about Rochester
- Mortgage Refinance in Rochester
- Debt Relief in Rochester
- Home Equity Loans in Rochester
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data