The Town Files

Rochester Institute of Technology, New York

Community in Monroe County · population 7,322 (2020 Census)

Map: where Rochester Institute of Technology is in New YorkRochester Institute of Technology
Household income
$20,192
Jan low / Jul high
19° / 83°
Snow a year
102 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
2
Median age
19.8

Rochester Institute of Technology is a community of 7,322 people in Monroe County, New York. It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of New York towns, hipper than 95% of New York towns, more of a college town than 95% of New York towns.

Rochester Institute of Technology in our rankings:

How Rochester Institute of Technology ranks

Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.

Rochester Institute of Technology lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement5th pctFamilies6th pctQuiet4th pctWalkability84th pctFirst-time buyers49th pctYoung professionals99th pctVibrancy87th pctHip & trendy95th pctCollege town95th pctUpscale76th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling81st pctTransit82nd pctDriving3rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

Median rent is $1,037 a month. 0.0% of households own their home.

Rochester Institute of Technology vs Monroe County vs typical New York townRochester Institute of TechnologyMonroe CountyTypical New York townHousehold income$20,192$76,382$80,740Monthly rent$1,037$1,173$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingRochester Institute of TechnologyTypical New York town
Median home value—$217,700
Median rent$1,037$1,080
Median household income$20,192$80,740
Home value ÷ income—×2.8×
Homeownership0.0%79.5%
Median year built20051965
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Rochester Institute of Technology

PeopleRochester Institute of TechnologyTypical New York town
Median age19.843.5
Age 65 and over0.0%20.4%
Under 181.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher92.3%30.4%
Below the poverty line46.4%9.3%
Veterans0.0%—
Born outside the U.S.10.9%—
Work from home11.2%11.1%
Average commute12.4 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband18.5%91.1%

Weather in Rochester Institute of Technology

July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 19.0°F. About 35.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 102.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.

Rochester Institute of Technology monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing33°19°Jan35°20°Feb44°27°Mar57°37°Apr69°48°May78°57°Jun83°62°Jul81°61°Aug74°54°Sep61°43°Oct49°34°Nov39°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.527.42.123.12.517.93.03.02.90.13.43.63.33.23.20.12.88.12.722.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Rochester Gtr Intl Ap station (2.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester Institute of Technology since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 8, 1981 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2020.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Rochester Institute of Technology by decade01950s01960s01970s11980s01990s02000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 1985.

Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996

Storm events in Monroe County since 1996 by typeHail70Flood42High Wind74Lightning12Heavy Rain9Heavy Snow39Flash Flood62Frost/Freeze23
NOAA Storm Events Database, Monroe County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Monroe County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3434: Covid-19
November 14, 2017FloodDR-4348: Flooding
October 28, 2012HurricaneEM-3351: Hurricane Sandy
September 30, 2005HurricaneEM-3262: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Monroe County

Monroe County had 382,138 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,838 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Rochester Institute of Technology itself the ACS puts it at 9.4%.

Largest industries in Monroe CountyHealth care & social assistan…73,647 jobs · $59,625Retail35,169 jobs · $40,538Manufacturing34,851 jobs · $81,793Education28,018 jobs · $85,304Hotels & restaurants27,386 jobs · $26,293Professional & technical serv…22,032 jobs · $93,119
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Monroe County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Monroe 3.7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester Institute of Technology questions

Is Rochester Institute of Technology, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rochester Institute of Technology scores better for retirees than 5% of New York towns and quieter than 4%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 19.8).

What is the weather like in Rochester Institute of Technology?

July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 19.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.1 inches of precipitation a year and 102.0 inches of snow.

Does Rochester Institute of Technology get tornadoes?

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rochester Institute of Technology since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 8, 1981. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Rochester Institute of Technology's Census boundary (GEOID 3663014). Comparisons use the median of New York towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.