Rochester NY Population

• Sep 06, 2010Canandaigua woman arrested for assault. Learn More

  
  

• Sep 06, 2010Olive Garden helps Strong Hospital workers. Learn More

  
  

• Sep 06, 2010Hornell woman charged with welfare fraud. Learn More

  
  

• Sep 06, 2010Summer box office fizzles. Learn More

  
  

• Sep 06, 2010Rochester man arrested for burglary, criminal mischief in Greece. Learn More

  
  

• Sep 06, 2010Geneva man killed in motorcycle crash. Learn More

  
  

• Sep 07, 2010VirtualScopics enters partnership with German imaging company. The Pittsford medical imaging firm is discussing the collabo ... Learn More

  
  

• Sep 07, 2010POLITICS The right year for a redistricting push. One of the reasons Albany's a mess is because many legislato ... Learn More

  
  

• Sep 30, 2010Geometries: Patron Preview for Members of CoCo (Contemporary Collectors at RoCo). A two-person media exhibition featuring recent works by Chri ... Learn More

  
  

• Oct 01, 2010Geometries: Opening Reception. A two-person media exhibition featuring recent works by Chri ... Learn More

  
  

• Apr 22, 2015Rochester Classifieds. Rochester Classifieds: We have been searching around on the ... Learn More

  
  

What is the Rochester NY population? The best number I could find for the Rochester NY population is 211,091. This is a City of Rochester measure, of course. The metro area would have a great deal more people.  The Rochester NY population has decreased approximately 5% since 1990.

The sad truth is that the city has been losing population since the 70's. While this trend is not unlike many other "rust belt" cities, I had always hoped that Rochester had more than your run-of-the-mill Northeastern manufacturing city. But with the demise of Kodak, things have really changed.

The sad thing about the Rochester NY population decline is that it need not happen. A recent report out about Pittsburgh PA shows that they have stopped their population slide by attracting high tech firms and a well-run campaign to convince young people to stay in their city. For the first time, they are at zero population loss in about 30 years.

Rochester needs this same emphasis and effort to reverse the current trend. I had hoped for this to happen with the attempt by the Mayor to revitalize downtown Rochester NY. Unfortunately, it seems that the County Executive (Maggie Brooks) and her republican friends are not in support of this idea. I'm not sure what they believe will reverse the population loss situation in Rochester, but they clearly need to study the Pittsburgh case study. A thriving downtown is essential to any meaningful population decline turnaround. Young people are the key. Until the young people WANT to stay in Rochester (or come back), you will not achieve population growth.

Newsflash Maggie Brooks! Young people like urban, walkable, safe, interesting cityscapes. They don't dig 16-lane highways with big-box stores and no sidewalks - the like of which we have in a ring around Rochester NY - sucking the economic life out of the city center like a jelly doughnut. One visit to Henrietta will convince you of our failed urban planning in Monroe County. Until this is addressed you will not a meaningful change in the Rochester NY population trends.