About Rochester, New York

Rochester struggles with post-industrial economic decline, particularly Eastman Kodak's historic collapse, across 12 ZIP codes. Healthcare employment through University of Rochester and Strong Memorial Hospital provides substantial professional opportunity. Education through the university supports academic employment. Manufacturing persists in specialized optics and precision machinery. Technology and biomedical innovation emerging from university research provides some growth. Government and public employment provides stability. Downtown and University areas show revitalization efforts with mixed success. South and East Rochester concentrate lower-income residents with persistent unemployment and blight. New York's high progressive income tax (up to 10.9%) and Rochester's municipal taxes create substantial burden. Housing costs remain very low due to oversupply and population loss. Employment opportunities have declined sharply with manufacturing loss. The Kodak collapse created generational job loss and population hemorrhage. Recovery efforts focus on healthcare and biomedical innovation with limited current success.