Know anything about upstate New York? Fairport? Rochester?

[Anonymous]

My husband has an interview there and it is making me nervous. I've lived here my whole life. I've never been to any part of NY outside of Manhattan. Tell me your general impressions of Fairport? This is where the job is. Seem like the closest city is Rochester. What school districts should I be browsing for real estate in (just to give me a sense of the area)? Anything you could tell me would be helpful. It just seems so far away!

[Anonymous]

I can only comment on the Syracuse area, which is a cheap and family-friendly place to live. Little traffic, short commutes, easier lifestyle than here. I heard similar things about Rochester. You may want to post on the Rochester city-data forum.

[Anonymous]

WOw- a company is hiring in Fairport?? That's great, but amazing. Kodak and Mobile used to be the main employers of the region, but nobody buys film anymore and Mobile got bought out so it's a pleasant surprise to know there is a little bit of employment up there now!

It's a beautiful place. DH grew up there. The canal walk is lovely, the scenery is nice, you're near some wineries (Bully Hill was our fav.), and the people are so polite. Autumn was my favorite season - perfect temps and gorgeous foliage. Downtown Roch. is clean and friendly.

Summer is only about 2 months up there. The winter is long and cold (compliments of the lake effect), but if you love skiing and snow than it's perfect.

Houses are a bargain. But the property tax is harsh.

[Anonymous]

The suburbs of Rochester are wonderful!!!!! I think of it as the best of the northeast and the midwest combined.

On the whole, people are down to earth and very, very nice. Education is huge, both becuase of the universities (Univ. of Rochester and Roch Institute of Tech) and just because of the population who lives there.

The public schools are excellent in nearby suburbs Brighton and Pittsford -- they're nationally ranked, maybe higher than the best of the best here. I'm not sure about the Fairport schools, but I vaguely think they're great, too. (Either way, all three towns are right near each other so you could live in any of them and still work in Fairport.)

Other plusses: there's no traffic/sprawl like there is here, and the cost of living is out of this world. Neighborhoods are very, very nice, and houses cost about half of what they would cost here, possibly less.

The city itself is not huge, but it's got a lot going for it, including the Strong Childrens Museum, which is extraordinary. There are also concerts, Jazz Festivals etc. and lots of other good outdoorsy things to do in the summer. In terms of weekend getaways, the Finger Lakes are nearby (an hour drive, maybe?) and it's easy to get quick flights to NY, Boston and DC, among other places.

Downsides: The winter weather! Winter is about a month longer on either side than here, and the sky is often grey and cloudy through the season with BIG snowstorms like we had here this year. (Although this year they had less snow than we did.) The only other downside I can think of is the job market. It's not dead, but it's not as large as it is here. Of course, if your husband gets an offer he likes, you should be set there.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Roch and we visit often. We spend a lot of time there in the summer because the weather is lovely. Winter, well, that's another story. But you'll be fine if you just buy the right gear. The worst time of year there is actually the spring because it often doesn't come until May. I'm pretty sure it snowed on Mother's Day this year.

My sil is from Fairport. It's quaint. Quiet. The canal adds charm. Solid schools. Pittsford is also nice with a kind of quaint feel in part of it. More upscale than Fairport. Other parts of both Fairport and Pittsford feel almost rural. Outstanding schools. Victor, Bushnell's Basin and Perinton are farther out but very nice. If we ever move back, we'll move to Brighton because it's an inner ring suburb so it has the best diversity and you can quickly (5 minutes) get to the city. Outstanding schools as well. I would be very happy in Brighton, I think.

Quality of life is fabulous in Rochester. There are beautiful homes and neighborhoods. Lots of outdoor activities. Extremely family friendly. Good sports for kids but decent arts for a city that size. We always took advantage of the Finger Lakes, Letchworth State Park and the Adirondacks.

I hope you like it if you end up there!

[Anonymous]

I recently learned about Rochester because a good friend of mine moved there and we talk a lot. It sounds like a great place to live - think she actually lives in Fairport. I also have had friends who are from there over the years and have picked up a lot of info.

To the poster who was surprised about the job opp - lots going on in Rochester because of many universities/colleges etc. there, plus a major health insurance company is based there, and there are a lot of opportunities in public health (that's our field).

My friend really likes it there - her main complaints are the long winters (spring arrives pretty late) and there are not a ton of WMs there, so they didn't have as easy time finding daycare as we did (but did find something). Taxes are really high there, but their mortgage is great for the house they have. And yes, life just seems easier and schools I've heard are good.

[Anonymous]

I have to chime in. I grew up there and while everything the other posters say is true about charm, excellent schools and cost of living, I cannot imagine living there after living here. It is not just that the winter is brutal and that snow is constant work, it is the provincial attitude of the area, the small- and narrow-mindedness of the general population and its total inability to compare on any scale with the major international city that DC is. Yes, there are a lot of pros to living there as the other posters have mentioned, but there is not a lot of diversity of thought, no huge international presence, no good shopping (makes DC look like NYC), no good restaurants (again, just comparing to even DC), the museums are really sub-par compared to here, and big nights out are picnics at a friend's. Yes, it is charming, but it really isn't comparable to DC. Be very comfortable with what you are getting into if you move there, it is a huge cultural change, I think, from here.

[Anonymous]

Really really helpful posts, thank you so much! I'm feeling much better .

[Anonymous]

My family is from upstate NY and I went to college in Rochester. We joke about the cost of housing because it is so low as compared to here. As in, you can buy 2 4 bedroom 2.5 bath colonials for the price of 1. I still do a spit take when anyone from Rochester talks about "rush hour." Their worst traffic is like 9am Christmas morning here. Public schools are good in the "nicer" suburbs like Pittsford or Brighton. Greece also has good public schools, but it is probably to far North and West to be a good commute to Fairport. There are also good parochial schools if you are interested in private schooling. About an hourish from Rochester are the Finger Lakes which are just unequalled here. Wineries, biking, swimming, etc. Again, just dirt cheap prices as compared to here. Gas is uber expensive because of all the taxes on it. So are cigarettes. They have very high sales tax compared to Virginia. There winter weather is COLD and there will be loads of snow, but they manage it well unlike here. The nasal flat accent is annoying to me. And there is a lack of worldliness in much of the native population so don't count on having discussions of politics and current national and world events. This is a gross generalization, yes, but it is based on my extensive contact with my extended family members, their friends, neighbors, over the course of 40+ years. Drove me nuts in college, but now I could absolutely care less and would be perfectly happy never to have deep philosophical discussion ever again. But if you are someone who enjoys talking politics, current events, etc. you may be disappointed.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in "The Roc," and 3 of my sibs still live there (one in Fairport). I fully agree with everything the pp's have said. It's a nice area to raise a family, and you can find "culture" if you work at it, but it's a whole different world from DC, oh yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to chime in. I grew up there and while everything the other posters say is true about charm, excellent schools and cost of living, I cannot imagine living there after living here. It is not just that the winter is brutal and that snow is constant work, it is the provincial attitude of the area, the small- and narrow-mindedness of the general population and its total inability to compare on any scale with the major international city that DC is. Yes, there are a lot of pros to living there as the other posters have mentioned, but there is not a lot of diversity of thought, no huge international presence, no good shopping (makes DC look like NYC), no good restaurants (again, just comparing to even DC), the museums are really sub-par compared to here, and big nights out are picnics at a friend's. Yes, it is charming, but it really isn't comparable to DC. Be very comfortable with what you are getting into if you move there, it is a huge cultural change, I think, from here.

Second that. I don't know Rochester per se, but I went to grad school in Binghamton, an even smaller town in upstate New York, and it wasn't the snow that actually bothered me (I come from colder climates), it was the narrow-minded mentality. Very narrow-minded. I couldn't wait to get out of there.

Just my two cents.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in The Roc and would be extremely happy to move back there. (Binghamton and Syracuse are no comparison.) Agree with previous posters that the winter can be long, but you can ski, sled, and skate the winter away. Disagree with comments that The Roc can be provincial. I've not found that to be the case. I would lean towards Brighton schools (obv. I am biased. : ) Fairport High is pretty big and competitive athletically (so it would be hard to play varsity unless kid was really talented)). And best of all so many convenient Wegmans!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to chime in. I grew up there and while everything the other posters say is true about charm, excellent schools and cost of living, I cannot imagine living there after living here. It is not just that the winter is brutal and that snow is constant work, it is the provincial attitude of the area, the small- and narrow-mindedness of the general population and its total inability to compare on any scale with the major international city that DC is. Yes, there are a lot of pros to living there as the other posters have mentioned, but there is not a lot of diversity of thought, no huge international presence, no good shopping (makes DC look like NYC), no good restaurants (again, just comparing to even DC), the museums are really sub-par compared to here, and big nights out are picnics at a friend's. Yes, it is charming, but it really isn't comparable to DC. Be very comfortable with what you are getting into if you move there, it is a huge cultural change, I think, from here.

Second that. I don't know Rochester per se, but I went to grad school in Binghamton, an even smaller town in upstate New York, and it wasn't the snow that actually bothered me (I come from colder climates), it was the narrow-minded mentality. Very narrow-minded. I couldn't wait to get out of there.

Just my two cents.

Binghamton is very different from Rochester.

[Anonymous]

The home of Wegmans! That's a plus no one has mentioned.

[Anonymous]

WNY is the armpit of the state...