Community Vitality






The greater Rochester region has the community vitality opportunities of a big city. The area is renowned for its theater, music, dance, an impressive range of museums and both large and intimate art galleries. The arts scene features many prominent institutions, as well as a flourishing array of mid- and small-sized theaters and clubs with just about every form of music. The community hosts festivals of world-wide importance, as well as ones that contribute to neighborhood vitality.

Attendance at arts and cultural attractions in 2019 increased 55% since 2004 for festivals which attracted over 1.8 million people.

Tourism revenue in our region was over $1.7 billion in 2021. This was a 50% increase from 2020, likely reflecting a recovery in tourism and travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The spending on recreation by tourists was over $101 million in 2021, up 52% since 2020 due to the recovery from the pandemic. 

Residents in our region are registered to vote and turn out to vote at rates similar to the state.  In 2021, 84% of regional residents were registered to vote. In 2020 (a presidential election year), 64% of regional residents voted, compared to 57% of state residents and 62% nationally.

Residents in the region spent 0.8% of their income on charitable giving in 2020, lower than the state and national rates (1.6% and 1.5% respectively).

In our region, 55% of residents were registered library borrowers in 2020, lower than the state level. Genesee had the highest rate in 2020 followed by Monroe County, with Monroe seeing the largest increase since 2000. Visits to libraries in the region per capita, at 2.5, were greater than the state, with Monroe County (2.7) having the highest rate followed by Batavia and the City of Rochester (5.6 and 4.1 respectively) in 2020.








Worse than NYS by 10% or more
Up to 10% worse than NYS
Equal to or better than NYS


INDICATORS - Grouped by Topic REGIONAL VALUE YEAR NYS COMPARISON TREND | REGION
Prenatal Care 78% 2019 3 1
Increasing
Prenatal Care, by Race/Ethnicity 0 10 Not Applicable*
Babies Born with Low Birth Weights 8.4% 2019 2 1
Increasing
Babies Born with Low Birth Weights, Race/Ethnicity 0 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality Rate 6.9 2017-19 2 0
Maintaining
Infant Mortality Rate, Race/Ethnicity 0 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels 0.8% 2019 2 -1
Decreasing
Children in Poverty 18% 2017-21 3 1
Increasing
Children in Poverty, Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Single-Parent Families 39% 2017-21 2 1
Increasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Rate of Child Abuse and Neglect 20 2020 2 1
Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions 1.8 2020 2 -1
Decreasing
Rate of Teen Pregnancy 1.3% 2019 3 -1
Decreasing
Rate of Teen Births 12 2019 2 -1
Decreasing
Arts and Culture Attendance 2019 0 10 Not Applicable*
Tourism Spending $1,399 2021 1 0
Maintaining
Recreation Spending $83 2021 1 -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 84% 2021 2 1
Increasing
Voter Participation Rate 64% 2020 3 1
Increasing
Registered Library Borrowers 55% 2020 3 -1
Decreasing
Library Visits 2.5 2020 3 -1
Decreasing
Charitable Contributions as a Percentage of Income 0.8% 2020 2 -1
Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles 10% 2017-21 3 0
Maintaining
Total Population 1.4% 2021 2 1
Increasing
Population by Age 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Population by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Population by Age and Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 6% 2017-21 3 -1
Decreasing
Median Household Income $64,995 2017-21 1 -1
Decreasing
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
People Living in Poverty 13% 2017-21 3 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
People Living in Poverty, by Sex 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Public Assistance Recipients 1.2% 2021 3 -1
Decreasing
Approval Rate for Public Assistance Applications 22% 2021 0 -1
Decreasing
Females Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Seniors Living in Poverty, by Sex 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP 13% 2017-21 3 -1
Decreasing
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Female Seniors Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Tax Filers Receiving Earned Income Tax Credit 14% 2020 3 -1
Decreasing
EITC Dollars $153 2020 2 -1
Decreasing
Change in Total Jobs 2.3% 2021 2 1
Increasing
Change in Number of Business Establishments by Sector 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Jobs by Sector 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
Sector Shares of Regional Total Employment 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
Unemployment Rate 4.9% 2021 3 1
Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Average Salary by Sector 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 12% 2021 3 1
Increasing
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 by Sector 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
Employment-to-Population Ratio 59% 2017-21 3 -1
Decreasing
Prekindergarten Participation 41% 2021 2 1
Increasing
School Spending Per Student $23,561 2020 1 1
Increasing
Instructional Spending Per Student $16,983 2020 1 1
Increasing
Students Receiving Special Education Services 2021 0 -1
Decreasing
Grade 3 English 37% 2022 2 1
Increasing
Grade 3 English by Student Subgroup 2022 0 10 Not Applicable*
Grade 3 English by Race/Ethnicity 2022 0 10 Not Applicable*
Grade 3 Math 40% 2022 2 1
Increasing
Grade 3 Math by Student Subgroup 2022 0 10 Not Applicable*
Grade 3 Math by Race/Ethnicity 2022 0 10 Not Applicable*
Grade 8 English 39% 2019 2 1
Increasing
Grade 8 English by Student Subgroup 2019 0 10 Not Applicable*
Grade 8 English by Race/Ethnicity 2019 0 10 Not Applicable*
Grade 8 Math 49% 2019 2 1
Increasing
Regents Algebra 1 73% 2019 3 1
Increasing
Regents English 83% 2019 2 1
Increasing
Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rate 88% 2022 3 1
Increasing
Cohort Graduation Rate, Beyond Four Years 90% 2022 3 1
Increasing
Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rate by Race/Ethnicity 2022 0 10 Not Applicable*
Education Levels of Adults 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
People Without Health Insurance 5% 2020 3 -1
Decreasing
Supply of Doctors 35.3 2019 1 1
Increasing
Mortality Rate 693 2019 1 -1
Decreasing
Chlamydia Rate 53 2020 2 1
Increasing
Chlamydia Rates, Race/Ethnicity, Monroe County 0 10 Not Applicable*
Gonorrhea Rate 37 2020 1 1
Increasing
Maternal Health, by Race/Ethnicity 2018-20 0 10 Not Applicable*
Gonorrhea Rates, Race/Ethnicity, Monroe County 0 10 Not Applicable*
Early Syphilis Rates 2.8 2020 3 1
Increasing
Early Syphilis Rates within Monroe County, by Race/Ethnicity 0 10 Not Applicable*
People Living with HIV 105 2021 0 1
Increasing
People Living with HIV by Race/Ethnicity 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
People Living with AIDS 124 2021 0 1
Increasing
People Living with AIDS by Race/Ethnicity 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
Percent of Days with Good Air Quality 0 10 Not Applicable*
Alcohol-related Crashes 2.7 2021 2 -1
Decreasing
Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment by Primary Substance 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value $151,405 2017-21 1 1
Increasing
Median Rental Prices $936 2017-21 3 -1
Decreasing
Housing Affordability for Homeowners 2.3 2017-21 3 0
Maintaining
Housing Affordability for Homeowners by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Overall Housing Cost Burden 28% 2017-21 3 -1
Decreasing
Housing Affordability for Renters 32% 2017-21 3 10 Not Applicable*
Rent Burdened Households 48% 2017-21 3 -1
Decreasing
Housing Affordability for Renters by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Homeownership Rate 68% 2017-21 3 -1
Decreasing
Homeownership Rate by Race/Ethnicity 2017-21 0 10 Not Applicable*
Vacant Housing Units 9% 2017-21 3 1
Increasing
Homeless Persons 0 10 Not Applicable*
Serious Crimes 165 2021 3 -1
Decreasing
Violent Crimes 25 2021 3 1
Increasing
Victims of Domestic Violence 59 2021 0 -1
Decreasing
Incarceration Rates 10.0 2021 0 -1
Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 2018 0 10 Not Applicable*
Arrest Rates 125.2 2021 3 -1
Decreasing
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 2021 0 10 Not Applicable*
Per-Capita Spending for Local Government $3,731 2019 0 1
Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0.70 2017-21 3 0
Maintaining
*No or multiple regional values for this indicator


Worse than NYS by 10% or more
Up to 10% worse than NYS
Equal to or better than NYS





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