Geneva receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Geneva
Rochester
Opportunity
63 · Top 36%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
27 · Bottom 14%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs96 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
32 · Bottom 25%
vs21 · Bottom 13%
Access
80 · Bottom 23%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Geneva | Rochester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,512 | 208,772 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,435 | $47,213 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,731 | $31,314 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,969/sq mi | 5,838/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $165,500 | $139,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $972 | $1,081 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.7% | 38.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.6% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 215 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | -37.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.2" | 35.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.6 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.62 | 11.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 20.8% | 14.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.3% | 28.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.5% | 71.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Geneva, NY · Rochester, NY · How this is calculated: methodology