21:22Moving to Rochester
Moving to Rochester, planned properly.
Most people who move here pick a suburb from a list online and learn the map afterwards. This page is the other way round: what to understand first, where things are, and the free guide that goes deeper.
Free · 21 pages · delivered instantly
Six things to understand before choosing where to live
General orientation, not advice on any specific property. Verify details for the address you are considering.
- 1
Start with the commute, not the suburb
Greater Rochester is organized around its highways: I-490 runs east to west through downtown, I-390 and I-590 carry traffic around the west, south and east sides of the city, and the Thruway (I-90) crosses the southern towns. Find where you will work or study first, then look at the communities along those routes.
- 2
Learn the difference between a town, a village and the city
New York towns can contain villages. Fairport is a village in the Town of Perinton; Pittsford is both a town and a village. Services, rules and tax bills can differ between the village and the rest of the town, so check which one an address is actually in.
- 3
School districts do not follow town lines
Several towns are split between school districts, so a town name alone does not tell you the district. Confirm the district for a specific address with the district office before you rely on it.
- 4
Property taxes are layered
A tax bill here can combine county, town, village and school district levies. Two similar homes a mile apart can carry different bills. Ask for the actual figures on any home you are serious about.
- 5
Plan for winter as a practical matter
Rochester sits on Lake Ontario and gets real winters, including lake-effect snow. Driveway length, garage space and the route to work matter more here than in most places people move from.
- 6
Decide early whether new construction is on the table
New subdivisions and townhome communities run on builder timelines, deposits and option lists that work differently from buying an existing home. It is worth understanding both paths before you start touring.
Where everything is.
The lake is north, the Finger Lakes are south, the Genesee River runs up through downtown and the Erie Canal cuts across the southern suburbs. Every community on the map has its own page.
Explore the areasThe guide
What is inside the Ultimate Rochester Guide
What a newcomer or relocating buyer needs to understand about Greater Rochester, its suburbs, city neighborhoods and daily life.
Download the Rochester Guide (opens khemkadariya.com in a new tab)- 01Suburb breakdowns: Brighton, Pittsford, Fairport, Webster and more
- 02City neighborhoods: Park Avenue, the South Wedge, Corn Hill
- 03Universities, school districts and commute patterns
- 04Restaurants, breweries and local food
- 05Parks, trails and Finger Lakes day trips
Watch before you visit
Relocation desk
Questions
- Is the Ultimate Rochester Guide free?
- Yes. The guide is free and is delivered instantly from khemkadariya.com/guides.
- Who wrote it?
- Khem Kadariya, founder of Living Rochester Suburbs and a Rochester-area Realtor with Real Broker NY LLC.
- Which suburbs does it cover?
- It includes suburb breakdowns for Brighton, Pittsford, Fairport, Webster and other communities, plus city neighborhoods such as Park Avenue, the South Wedge and Corn Hill.
- Where can I search homes for sale?
- Current Greater Rochester listings are on Khem’s real estate site, soldbykhem.com.