Rochester vs South Bend
The short version
- South Bend is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Rochester area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $139,600 in Rochester and $140,400 in South Bend.
- Households earn more in South Bend ($55,786 vs $47,213 median).
- Rochester gets far more snow: 102 inches a year vs 65.
- South Bend is growing faster: -0.2% since 2020 vs -2.4%.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 206,108 | 103,201 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.4% | -0.2% |
| People per square mile | 5,763 | 2,463 |
| Median age | 33.7 | 34.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30% | 29% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $47,213 | $55,786 |
| Median home value | $139,600 | $140,400 |
| Home value to income | 3.0× | 2.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,081 | $1,033 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.0 | 92.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 87.5 | 74.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $72,800 | $69,600 |
| Homeowners | 38% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | 10.9% | 2.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 7% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.3 | 20.2 |
| Work from home | 13% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 6% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.9% | 6.5% |
| Poverty rate | 27.8% | 20.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 33° / 19° | 31° / 17° |
| July high / low | 83° / 62° | 83° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 35 in | 39 in |
| Snowfall per year | 102 in | 65 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 8 | 14 |
| Nights below freezing | 129 | 126 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 93.8 | 85.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 74% | 66% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.5% | +6.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +61.9% | +53.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Rochester: May to September. South Bend: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Rochester weather by month and South Bend weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $72,800 in Rochester and $69,600 in South Bend. Moving from Rochester to South Bend, you would need about $71,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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