Student Housing in Rochester, NY
About Student Housing in Rochester
Rochester, NY is a mid-sized Great Lakes city of around 210,000 with a history of making cameras and optics. Rochester Institute of Technology anchors the student scene from its Henrietta campus south of downtown, and its co-op culture fills the city with engineers, designers, and photographers year round. The Genesee River cuts through the middle, dropping three waterfalls inside city limits, and the Genesee Riverway Trail links Olmsted-designed parks and the Erie Canal. Students drift toward Park Avenue for its tree-lined blocks, the South Wedge for its artsy lean, and Highland Park for the spring lilac festival. Add Lake Ontario beaches, a busy farmers market, and a serious winter, and you've got a city that rewards anyone who leaves their dorm.
Best Neighborhoods for Students in Rochester
Henrietta
The default for RIT students since it's closest to campus, packed with larger apartment complexes, and served directly by the campus shuttle.
Park Avenue
This draws upperclassmen who want tree-lined streets, walkable blocks, and a social scene, with older homes split into units.
South Wedge
An artsy, laid-back area with independent storefronts and easy bus routes toward downtown, popular with students who want character over convenience.
Getting Around Rochester as a Student
Here's what you need to know about getting around Rochester.
Public Transit
The Regional Transit Service, or RTS, runs buses across Monroe County through the Transit Center downtown, so one route usually gets you from campus toward Park Avenue, the South Wedge, or the city core. RIT also runs its own shuttle loop connecting campus to apartment complexes in Henrietta, which is how a lot of students skip the parking headache. The closer you live to Henrietta, the shorter your commute.
Walking and Biking
A ten-minute walk or shuttle hop beats traffic on the parkway for students living close to campus. Biking works in warmer months along the Genesee Riverway and Erie Canalway trails. Just plan around winter, because lake-effect snow is real and a reliable ride matters once the flakes fly.
Parking
Most RIT students keep a car, and you can get around Rochester comfortably with one. A vehicle helps for grocery runs and reaching neighborhoods beyond the campus core. Downtown and the East End can get tight on parking, so confirm options before signing a lease.
Frequently Asked Questions: Student Housing in Rochester
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Rochester is one of the more reasonable college markets in New York. Shared houses and bedrooms in a multi-bedroom unit near RIT often land around $600-$900 per person, while a one-bedroom closer to Park Avenue or downtown typically runs $1,100-$1,500. Splitting a house with roommates is how most students keep their number low.
Universities in Rochester
Rochester is home to 5 universities, each with its own student housing market.
Monroe Community College
Monroe Community College is a public two-year community college located at 1000 E Henrietta Rd in the Town of Brighton, just south of Rochester, New York. Part of the State University of New York system, MCC serves approximately 12,000 students across associate degree and certificate programs in fields ranging from…
View housing near Monroe Community CollegeRochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology gathers about 16,158 Tigers on a 1,300-acre campus in Henrietta, New York, a suburb just south of Rochester near the Genesee River. Students call it Brick City for the unified brick-and-concrete architecture, and campus is big enough that walking between buildings is its own workout.…
View housing near RITSaint John Fisher College
Saint John Fisher University, formerly known as Saint John Fisher College before its university designation in 2022, is a private liberal arts institution on East Avenue in Brighton near Rochester, New York. Founded in 1948 by the Basilian Fathers, Fisher enrolls approximately 3,000 to 4,000 students across programs in…
View housing near Saint John Fisher CollegeTalmudical Institute of Upstate New York
The Talmudical Institute of Upstate New York is a small Orthodox Jewish rabbinical seminary located at 769 Park Ave in Rochester, NY. The institution provides intensive religious and Talmudic training exclusively for male students pursuing rabbinical ordination. With an enrollment of roughly 50 to 100 students, it is…
View housing near Talmudical Institute of Upstate New YorkUniversity of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private research university in Rochester, New York, enrolling around 6,800 undergraduates. It is known nationally for programs in optics, engineering, music through the Eastman School of Music, and medicine through the UR Medical Center. The main River Campus sits along the Genesee…
View housing near University of RochesterFind Housing by University in Rochester
Browse student housing near each Rochester-area university.
Search Rochester Student Housing by…
Room Type
Lifestyle
See how students rate apartments in Rochester, NY on social life, management, and quality before you tour.
Read student apartment reviews in Rochester, NY →