why rochester's exploding (and not just from the garbage plates)

so rochester, ny is suddenly everywhere on "fastest growing cities" lists and i gotta admit, i was skeptical. i mean, i grew up here, and for years it felt like the city was stuck in a weird time loop where everyone just talked about the good old days of kodak and xerox. but something's changed. the numbers don't lie: rochester's population grew by 3.5% between 2020 and 2023, and the job market? it's actually buzzing. healthcare, tech startups, and even craft brewing are pulling people in. rent's still way cheaper than buffalo or syracuse-like, you can get a decent 2-bedroom for under $1,200, which in 2024 is basically a steal. safety-wise, it's a mixed bag: some neighborhoods are super walkable and low-crime, others... well, let's just say i wouldn't wander around alone at 2am. but that's most cities, right?

overheard at spot coffee: "yeah, the east end's changed. used to be all dive bars and closed storefronts, now it's like... people actually go out on weekdays?" and it's true-there's this weird energy now, like the city's finally remembering it's allowed to have fun. the public market on saturday mornings is packed with out-of-towners, and the trail along the genesee river? suddenly everyone's biking it like they're training for the tour de france. even the garbage plate, our legendary drunk food, has gone gourmet-food trucks are doing vegan versions with quinoa and cashew cheese, which feels both sacrilegious and brilliant.

but here's the thing: rochester still feels small-town in the best way. you'll run into the same barista three times in one week, and someone will inevitably ask if you're new in town (even if you've lived here five years). the winters are brutal-lake effect snow will bury your car and your soul-but then spring hits and the lilacs at highland park explode like the city's making up for lost time. and yeah, toronto and new york are just a short drive or train ride away, which is perfect when you need a big-city fix but don't want to deal with the rent.

so is rochester the next austin or nashville? probably not. but it's got this scrappy, underdog energy that's hard not to root for. if you're into affordable living, a tight-knit creative scene, and the occasional existential crisis brought on by lake-effect snow, it might just be your kind of boomtown.

*random local intel:*
- check out the south wedge for vintage shops and weirdly good vegan food
- park ave festival in august is peak rochester chaos
- reddit/r/rochesterny for the unfiltered truth about living here
- don't sleep on the highland park lilacs in may unless you want lifelong regret

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