Rochester Apartments for Rent:

City Summary - Rochester, New York

Rochester is the entrance to New York's Finger Lakes region and New York's third-largest city. Known as The Flower City and The World's Image Centre, Rochester lies just south of Lake Ontario. The Genesee River bisects the city and empties into Lake Ontario.

Rochester contained 207,291 residents in 2009. Of the residents reporting one race, 49.5% are white, 40.5% are black or African-American, 0.3% are American Indian or Alaska Native, 2.3% are Asian, 0.1% are Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 4.4% are of some other race. The remaining 2.9% of Rochester's residents are of two or more races, and 13.0% of Rochester's residents are of Hispanic or Latino origin. The average household size is 2.28, and the average family size is 3.21. Roughly one in four Rochester residents has a bachelor's degree or higher, with 25.1% of residents holding at least a bachelor's degree.

The nickname "The World's Image Centre" comes from the presence of image-related companies such as Kodak and Xerox, along with optical company Bausch & Lomb, in Rochester. Kodak's presence is particularly noticeable, with the renowned Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, the Eastman Theatre, and Durand Eastman Park named after founder George Eastman.

The Susan B. Anthony house is still standing in Rochester and is open to the public for tours. Other places of interest include the Strong National Museum of Play, the Rochester Contemporary Art Center, the Seneca Park Zoo, and the Rochester Museum and Science Center.

Festivals are a regular occurrence in the spring and summer months. The best-known is the Lilac Festival, which celebrates Rochester's nickname of The Flower City and has been celebrated for over a century. Some other festivals include the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Rochester-High Falls International Film Festival, the Corn Hill Arts Festival, and the Maplewood Rose Celebration. Admission to many of the festivals is free.

Rochester is also home to several professional sports teams, including the Rochester Red Wings of baseball's International League and the AHL's Rochester Americans. Lacrosse is becoming popular in Rochester, and the city hosts two teams, the Rochester Rattlers in Major League Lacrosse and the Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League.