Rochester | |
|---|---|
 Seal  Logo | |
| Nickname(s): "The Flour City", "The Flower City", "The World's Image Center" | |
 Interactive map outlining Rochester | |
  Rochester  Rochester | |
| Coordinates: 43°09′56″N 77°36′58″W / 43.16556°N 77.61611°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| Region | Western New York; Genesee Valley; Finger Lakes Region |
| Metro | Rochester metropolitan area |
| County | Monroe |
| Founded | 1788 |
| Incorporated (village) | March 21, 1817 (as Rochesterville) |
| Incorporated (city) | April 28, 1834 |
| Named for | Nathaniel Rochester |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Malik Evans (D) |
| • City council | List |
| Area | |
| • City | 37.17 sq mi (96.27 km2) |
| • Land | 35.76 sq mi (92.62 km2) |
| • Water | 1.41 sq mi (3.65 km2) 3.6% |
| Highest elevation | 702 ft (214 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 230 ft (70 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 211,328 |
| • Rank | US: 108th NY: 4th |
| • Density | 5,909.45/sq mi (2,281.62/km2) |
| • Urban | 704,327 (US: 62nd) |
| • Urban density | 2,413.5/sq mi (931.9/km2) |
| • Metro | 1,067,486 (US: 52nd) |
| Demonym | Rochesterian |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 146xx (14604=downtown) |
| Area code | 585 |
| FIPS code | 36-63000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 979426[2] |
| Website | cityofrochester.gov |
Rochester (/ˈrɒtʃɛstər, -ɪs-/ ROCH-ess-tər, -iss-) is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Monroe County. It is the fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality[3] in New York, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 census.[4] The city forms the core of the larger Rochester metropolitan area in Western New York, with a population of just over 1 million residents. Throughout its history, Rochester has acquired several nicknames based on local industries; it has been known as "the Flour City" and "the Flower City" for its dual role in flour production and floriculture,[5] and as the "Imaging Capital of the World" for its association with film, optics, and photography.[6]
The city was one of the United States' first boomtowns, initially due to the fertile Genesee River valley which gave rise to numerous flour mills, and then as a manufacturing center, which spurred further rapid population growth.[7] Rochester has also played a key part in US history as a hub for social and political movements, especially abolitionism,[8] and the women's rights movement.[9]
Rochester is the birthplace and/or home of many notable companies including Eastman Kodak, Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, Wegmans, Gannett, Paychex, and Western Union, and the region became a global center for science, technology, and research and development. This has been aided by the presence of several internationally renowned universities, notably the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology, and their research programs; these schools, along with many other smaller colleges, have played an increasingly large role in its economy.[10] The city experienced significant population decline due to deindustrialization in the late 20th century, although less severely than its Rust Belt peers. The Rochester metropolitan area is the third-largest regional economy in New York, after New York City and Buffalo-Niagara Falls.[11][12]
Rochester is also known for its culture; in particular, the Eastman School of Music, one of the most prestigious conservatories in the world, and the Rochester International Jazz Festival anchor a vibrant music industry.[13] It is the site of several museums such as The Strong National Museum of Play and the George Eastman Museum, which houses the oldest photography collection in the world.[14]
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rochester, New York
- ^ "New York Cities by Population". www.newyork-demographics.com. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Rochester city, New York". www.census.gov. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Photography & Film". Archived from the original on October 11, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ^ Publications, Rochester History Alive; Kling, Warren (April 1, 2008). America's First Boomtown - Rochester, NY: The Early Years and the Notables Who Shaped It. Rochester History Alive Publications. ISBN 9780981510705. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- ^ "Abolition - Freethought Trail - New York". freethought-trail.org. Archived from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ McKelvey, Blake (July 1948). "Woman's Rights in Rochester: A Century of Progress" (PDF). Rochester History. X (2). Archived (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Fisher, RIT, U of R named among best universities in U.S." 13 WHAM News. WHAM-TV. September 10, 2018. Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
- ^ Daneman, Matthew, "Our manufacturing roots sprout jobs" Archived January 26, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Democrat and Chronicle (March 2, 2008) (archived copy Archived March 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine)
- ^ The United States Conference of Mayors & The Council on Metro Economies & the New American City, U.S. Metro Economies: GMP & Employment 2013–2015 Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, prepared by IHS Global Insight (U.S.A.) [Lexington, Mass.: IHS Global Insight (U.S.A.), 2014‑06], app., table 1, pp. 1–9.
- ^ "The Geography of America's Music Scenes". Bloomberg.com. August 6, 2012. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "History of George Eastman House". George Eastman House website. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2010.