Rochester, also known as both The Flour City and The Flower City, is a city in Monroe County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, Rochester had a population of 219,773. As of 2004, the population given by the U.S. Census Bureau was 212,481, making this the third largest city in New York State. Rochester is also the county seat for Monroe County.
The City of Rochester is at the center of a larger Metropolitan Area which encompasses and extends past Monroe County and includes Genesee County, Livingston County, Ontario County, Orleans County, and Wayne County. This larger conurbation has a population of 1,037,831 people as of the 2000 Census. Principal suburbs of the city include Brighton, Irondequoit, Henrietta, East Rochester, Fairport, Penfield, Pittsford, Webster, Rush and Greece.
The current Mayor of Rochester is Robert Duffy
As of the census of 2000, there are 219,773 people, 88,999 households, and 47,169 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,368.3/km2 (6,132.9/mi2). There are 99,789 housing units at an average density of 1,075.3/km2 (2,784.7/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 48.30% White, 38.55% African American, 0.47% Native American, 2.25% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 6.58% from other races, and 3.81% from two or more races. 12.75% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 88,999 households out of which 30.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.1% are married couples living together, 23.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.0% are non-families. 37.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.36 and the average family size is 3.19.
In the city the population is spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is 27,123 USD, and the median income for a family is 31,257 USD. Males have a median income of 30,521 USD, versus 25,139 USD for females. The per capita income for the city is 15,588 USD. 25.9% of the population and 23.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 37.5% of those under the age of 18 and 15.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Rochester is a home to a number of international businesses, including Eastman Kodak, Bausch & Lomb and Paychex, all of which make Rochester their world headquarters. Xerox, while no longer headquartered in Rochester, has its principal offices and manufacturing facilities in the Rochester area. Because of the high prevalence of imaging and optical science among the industry and the universities, Rochester is known as the world capital of imaging. The Institute of Optics of the University of Rochester is ranked number one in the country, and the Rochester Institute of Technology has one of the best imaging science departments in the country. In 2005, the University of Rochester became the largest employer in the Rochester area, surpassing Kodak.
Rochester is also home to regional businesses such as Frontier Telephone of Rochester, Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., Roberts Communications, Inc., The Sutherland Group, PAETEC Communications and major fashion label Hickey-Freeman. The Gannett newspaper company and Western Union were both founded in the Rochester area by Frank Gannett and Hiram Sibley respectively.
Nick Tahou Hots, creator of the world-famous garbage plate, also calls Rochester home.
One food that Rochester is proud to call its own is the famous "white hot," (sometimes called "texas hots", despite no connection to Texas) made by the local Zweigle's company which can be found at any of the 4 locations of a local franchise called Schaller's.
The area takes the most pride in the Wegmans Grocery store chain, which now has locations throughout the Northeast and Northern Virginia, and was most recently rated the #2 best company in America to work for by Forbes Magazine, having fallen from #1 in 2005. Other local franchises include: Bill Gray's (a summertime hamburger/hotdog joint that lays claim to having "The World's Greatest Cheeseburger"), and Abbott's Frozen Custard.
On Nov. 8, 1803, a One Hundred Acre Tract of land was purchased by Colonel Nathaniel Rochester, Major Charles Carroll, and Colonel William Fitzhugh, all of Hagerstown, Maryland. With a population of fifteen, the three founders surveyed the land and laid out streets and tracts. In 1817, the Brown brothers (of Brown's Race) and other landowners joined their lands with the Hundred Acre Tract to form the Village of Rochesterville. By 1821, Rochesterville was named as the seat of Monroe County. By 1823, Rochesterville consisted of 1012 acres and 2,500 residents, and the Village of Rochesterville became known as Rochester. Also in 1823, the Erie Canal aqueduct over the Genesee River was completed, having been built by convicts from Auburn State Prison, and the Erie Canal east to the Hudson River was opened. By 1830, Rochester's population was 9,200, and Rochester became known first as "The Young Lion of the West", and then as the "Flour City". By 1838, Rochester was the largest flour-producing city in the world.
In 1829, the Rochester Athenaeum was founded as a reading society, and featured live lectures from some of America's best orators, including Oliver Wendell Holmes, Horace Greeley, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1834, Rochester was re-chartered as a city, and by 1840, Rochester was the 19th largest city in America, with a population of 20,191.
For a more detailed history, see History of Rochester, New York
Source:
USARochester.com
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