Rochester, NY vs New York, NY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New York, NY outspends Rochester, NY by a wide margin per resident — $129,119 versus $75,154, a 72% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
New York, NY holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 64/100 (grade C) against 47/100 (grade D) for Rochester, NY — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Rochester, NY reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while New York, NY carries $462 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Rochester, NY at $42,739 per resident and in New York, NY at $37,892.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 54% of total revenue in Rochester, NY and 14% in New York, NY.
Summary
New York spends 41.8% more per capita than Rochester ($53,965/person difference). New York, NY has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 64/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $511 | $399 |
| Income Tax | $1,427 | $19 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,814 | $20,520 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,993 | $1,835 |
| Other | $825 | $3,593 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,512 |
| Fire Protection | $293 | $11,050 |
| Highways & Roads | $379 | $221 |
| Education | $42,739 | $37,892 |
| Public Welfare | $140 | $1,116 |
| Health | $753 | $417 |
| Hospitals | $764 | $6,467 |
| Parks & Recreation | $910 | $868 |
| Housing | $5,169 | $7,137 |
| Sewerage | $547 | $315 |
| Utilities | $5,082 | $13,371 |
| Interest on Debt | $215 | $11,706 |
| General Admin | $0 | $11,668 |
| Other | $18,162 | $25,380 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.