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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Rochester, NY

Population: 210,992 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
47/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$15.9B
Per Capita
$75,154
Total Revenue
$1.5B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Education
56.9%$9.0B
Other
24.2%$3.8B
Housing & Community Development
6.9%$1.1B
Utilities
6.8%$1.1B
Parks & Recreation
1.2%$192.1M
Hospitals
1.0%$161.1M
Health
1.0%$158.8M
Sewerage
0.7%$115.5M
Highways & Roads
0.5%$80.0M
Fire Protection
0.4%$61.9M
Interest on Debt
0.3%$45.3M
Public Welfare
0.2%$29.6M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
7.2%$107.8M
Income Tax
20.1%$301.0M
Intergovernmental
53.7%$804.7M
Charges & Fees
28.1%$420.5M
Other
11.6%$174.0M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$293/person
Highways & Roads$379/person
Parks & Recreation$910/person
Education$42,739/person
Health$753/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)17/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)21/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Rochester stacks up against another city.

vs New York, NYvs Buffalo, NYvs Yonkers, NY
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in New York

New York, NY

Pop. 8.6M

C
Total Spending
$1113.3B
Per Capita
$129,119

Buffalo, NY

Pop. 277K

C
Total Spending
$16.7B
Per Capita
$60,354

Yonkers, NY

Pop. 210K

C
Total Spending
$13.2B
Per Capita
$62,907

Syracuse, NY

Pop. 146K

C
Total Spending
$8.2B
Per Capita
$55,830

Compare Rochester With

New York, NY

Spending: $129,119/person · Grade: C

Buffalo, NY

Spending: $60,354/person · Grade: C

Yonkers, NY

Spending: $62,907/person · Grade: C

Syracuse, NY

Spending: $55,830/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Rochester, NY spends $75,154 per resident, based on total expenditures of $15.9B for a population of 210,992. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100).

Rochester, NY has total expenditures of $15.9B and total revenue of $1.5B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Rochester, NY employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Rochester, NY has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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