Rents are right about where Rochester's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,454 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Rochester usually run 0.8% below trend in December and 0.8% above it in July, about $23 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Rochester is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Rochester changed +3.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 82 New York cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Rochester rose 38.6% while median household income rose 32.7% ($35,590 to $47,213). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Rochester is 48.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 24 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($47,213) is $1,180 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,143); a 2-bedroom is $1,421.
The priciest of 19 ZIP codes in Rochester, 14623 ($1,916/mo), costs 1.6 times the cheapest, 14605 ($1,225/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Rochester. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Rochester, NY is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 30% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Rochester, NY has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Rochester, NY paid around $1,051 a month. That figure now sits near $1,454, up 38.3% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $47,213 today, compared with $40,083 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Rochester, NY losing about 2,328 residents over the five-year window, down 1.1% on net. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Rochester on your salary?
At $1,454/mo, how Rochester rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Rochester rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Rochester. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Rochester
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Rochester is $1,454/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,018/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,421/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,143/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,713/mo.
At 37% of local median household income ($47,213/yr), Rochester ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Rochester rent compare to other cities in New York?
At $1,454/mo, rent takes ~37% of Rochester's median household income ($47,213/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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