Auburn vs Rochester
Auburn, New York versus Rochester, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Auburn and Rochester score about the same overall (44 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Auburn | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $48k | $44k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $52k |
| Home Value | $138k | $111k |
| Monthly Rent | $844 | $995 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.96% | 2.67% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 22.18% | 20.45% |
| Unemployment | 6.0% | 8.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.3 in | 35.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 109.4 in | 102.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 203 days | 152 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 31.7 | 2.3 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 3098/100k | 3084/100k |
| Property Crime | 2145/100k | 3613/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 26,674 | 210,992 |
| Median Age | 40.3 | 32.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.66 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+22 |
| White (%) | 80.8% | 36.3% |
| Black (%) | 7.2% | 35.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.3% | 19.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.1% | 3.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.6% | 4.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 13.5/20 | 13.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 57 mi | 5 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.9% | 83.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 13.87 | 25.02 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Auburn or Rochester more affordable?
- Auburn has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Auburn's $49k and Rochester's $52k. Median rent is $844 in Auburn versus $995 in Rochester.
- Is Auburn or Rochester safer?
- Rochester has the lower violent crime rate. Auburn reports 3098/100k and Rochester reports 3084/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Auburn or Rochester?
- The median home value is $138k in Auburn and $111k in Rochester, so homes are more affordable in Rochester.