Both Albuquerque and Rochester are beautiful and affordable cities. However, Albuquerque has favorable job growth and many historical and cultural sites. The city is pretty green, making it a better place than Rochester. Rochester has a vibrant neighborhood, but the economic growth is technically slow.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, or Duke City is one of the ideal places for retirees and people that want to start a good life with its reasonable cost of living expenses and variety of labor prospects. The city has rich artistic and raw reserves, paired with many outdoor activities.
Rochester, New York, is an upstate city that offers an affordable cost of living, excellent schools, and minimal road congestion. You will get to enjoy local festivities in the area, but the slow economic growth is likely to be a little off for this town, paired with the city’s high poverty level.
Both places are way more affordable than other American cities to date. However, the projected economic growth of Albuquerque outwits Rochester’s family-friendly benefit.
A good comparison is a decent idea to thoroughly know which city will suit your lifestyle and budget.
List of Contents
What Are the Pros and Cons of Albuquerque Versus Rochester?
Albuquerque is a good place for everyone because of its affordable living cost, thriving economy, extensive outdoor options, and has a healthy neighborhood. However, beware of the rising criminal offenses in the area. Meanwhile, Rochester is also a city with cheap living expenses and top-graded schools, but the poverty rate in this city is a significant drawback.
Living in Albuquerque
Pros
- Albuquerque is an Affordable City
- Progressive Economic Status
- The Vibrant Outdoor Options
- The Duke City’s Diverse Neighborhood
- The Green City
One of the best deals living in Albuquerque is its cheap living expenses. The place’s overall index in terms of cost of living does not exceed the national average. The housing market in this town is highly favorable, granted that there is not much demand for accommodation in the area.
You can purchase a decent home for a price of $203,000, and you can also rent a suitable apartment for about $800 per month. ABQ has multiple inexpensive places to buy your essential groceries, like Shamrock Foodservice Warehouse and Eurozone Food Distributors.
Duke City has an increasing economic reputation, resulting in a 7.4% unemployment rate and a recent work increase of about 3.3%. Also, the projected job growth in the city for the next ten years is 34.5% which is more heightened than the national median of 33.5%.
Television and movie generation steadily grow and become a rising sector, paired with a massive potential for technological start-ups. Don’t forget that the city has many federal job openings and military options.
There are many outdoor activities that Albuquerque residents and even visitors will likely experience. One of which is to go tramway ride along the famous Sandia Mountains. Do not forget to grab some sumptuous meals at the foothill of the tourist spot or go backpacking and adore the glorious night sky in its vast open area mountain peak.
Try and enjoy the charm of Duke City’s dining scene and the range of food served at some of the local eateries with a worldwide flair. You will probably take advantage of the city’s brewery and winery perks.
Albuquerque or Duke City has a great variety of ethnicity that calls its place home. There are about 70 ethnicities that live in its multiple communities. Different races with varying cultures, such as Western, Native Americans, Europeans, and Asians, wrap up this welcoming city’s vibrant culture.
Albuquerque is a literal green city because the multiple parks are over 300 with lots of natural land formation in its nearby vicinity. The variety of green grounds in ABQ provides numerous options for everyone to reunite with nature and have fun underneath the trees.
Furthermore, the city has over 29,000 acres of green space, mainly around Albuquerque, for citizens to discover, reimagine, and help maintain the city’s national habitat.
Cons
- Scorching Hot Weather
- Difficult Public Transportation System
- Increasing Criminal Offenses
Albuquerque is a city that is pretty welcoming to Mr. Sun. Duke City’s semiarid position means that you’ll be going to bear the high temperatures throughout the year. The mean temperature from June to September is 80 degrees Fahrenheit but begins to fall from around October.
Albuquerque has constrained public transportation, making it more difficult for regular travelers to reach outlying areas where bus services do not go. Running a personal vehicle would be quite a relief in this situation, but it also contributes to road congestion and environmental distress.
Albuquerque has a growing criminal record as per its city’s police statistics. The metropolitan area has an annual crime output of about 34,000, a combination of violent and property crime categories.
ABQ is not as safe as it claims, and you must remain vigilant at all times to avoid becoming prey to aggression or theft.
Living in Rochester
Pros
- Cheaper Living Expenses in The Area
- Top-Tier Educational System
- Fast Travel Time with Minimal Traffic Congestion
- Fun Outdoor Activities
Rochester has one of the lowest prices when it comes to commodities. Essential dues like energy bills, gas prices, and transportation costs fall below the national average, even lower than other cities in New York.
The best deal in Rochester is its housing market, which is lower than most cities in America. In this town, you can buy a decent residence for $75,000, which is one of the best values in the real estate market.
Rochester, New York, has a great educational institution. It has 74 public primary schools, middle and secondary schools, and 89 private schools. Schools in the Rochester metro area use the Regents Examinations to assess students, which is one of the educational benefits.
Pittsford-Mendon High School is ranked 22nd in New York and 129th nationally, while Pittsford Sutherland High School is ranked 36th in NYC and 319th nationwide. The city is well-known for its collegiate institutions, including the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, and St. John Fisher College.
Living in Rochester will get you out of dealing with a lot of traffic. The city has one of the shortest commute times in the country, with 21 minutes.
Even though Rochester Public Transit has a constricted number of routes and service periods, most people do not use mass transit; in reality, just under 10% of citizens use public transport.
Depending on the season, Rochester has a variety of outdoor recreation to offer, like water sports, fishing, and playing golf. Bristol Mountain, Swain Resort, and Kissing Bridge provide skiing in the bitter cold.
Highland Park has the world’s most extensive best collection of lilacs. Thrilling rides such as roller coasters and games for the whole family are also available at Seabreeze Amusement Park.
Cons
- High Poverty Rate
- Cold Temperature is not Good
Rochester’s primary disadvantage is its high poverty rate. Even though the city has an affordable living cost and good job prospects, most residents seem not to meet their basic needs.
Rochester has a poverty rate of 33.1%, where it ranks third among the ten poorest metropolitan areas in the United States. The city’s unemployment rate is 9.8%, higher than the national average. One in every three Rochester inhabitants is poverty-stricken.
Living in Rochester will let you experience a freezing temperature, especially during the winter season. Winter is bitterly cold, and the sun only appears on rare occasions. However, it is gorgeous in the spring and early summer because the metropolitan area has vast parks, particularly in Genesee River Park.
If you can tolerate lengthy stretches of cloudy and icy conditions, Rochester is a peaceful and welcoming environment.
Albuquerque Or Rochester – Which Is Cheaper?
Albuquerque is less expensive than Rochester in most deciding factors, including utility, food, transit, and health-related costs, excluding house prices. Neither city outperforms the national average in terms of overall living expenses.
However, Rochester City is significantly less expensive than Albuquerque in housing expenditures.
Comparison Table of Living in Albuquerque, New Mexico vs. Rochester, New York
| Living Expenses | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Rochester, New York |
| Housing and Rent | 88% | 32.5% |
| Utilities | 97.2% | 103.2% |
| Food And Groceries | 96% | 97.8% |
| Transportation | 89.4% | 90.6% |
| Health | 81.1% | 93.3% |
| Miscellaneous | 97.1% | 107.7% |
Based on the Data of which 100 = U.S. National Average
>100 means more expensive
<100 means cheaper than the U.S. average
Housing and Rent Costs
Rochester City has one of the most affordable home prices in the whole of America, where its median cost is around $75,200, and the rental price is also approximately $1,169.
On the contrary, ABQ has a median home cost of $203,500 and a rental fee of about $1,339 per month.
Utility Costs
If you want to conserve your essential commodities budget, you should consider moving to Albuquerque, where 97.2 % is lower than Rochester’s 103.2 %. Compared to Rochester, living in ABQ will save you money on energy, water, phone, and even home internet service charges.
Food and Groceries Costs
Both metropolitan areas are cost-efficient, with percentiles that are lesser than national averages, but ABQ has a slight advantage when shopping for groceries and essential foods. Three-course meals in Albuquerque will cost you $50, which is less than the $60 charged in Rochester for the same item.
Transportation Costs
Both cities share the exact sentiment of having a limited mass transit carrier. Albuquerque’s public bus fare for a monthly pass will charge you $30, which is relatively cheap. Opposite to that, Rochester’s monthly pass for bus service costs $56, which is almost double that of ABQ’s.
Health Care Costs
Your medical bills, dental services, and clinical services will be less expensive in Albuquerque. The distinction between ABQ and Rochester is due to each town’s different medical assistance fees.
Taxes
Both metropolitan areas’ tax categories continue to outperform the national average. Rochester, New York, has an 8% sales tax and a 6.2 % income tax. On the other hand, Albuquerque has a 7.9 % sales tax and a 4.9% income tax.
Is Albuquerque Safer Than Rochester?
Rochester and Albuquerque have a high crime rate that surpasses the national average. However, Rochester recorded about 45.5 indexes on violent assault, which is lower than Albuquerque’s 51. This lower percentile makes Rochester, NY, safer than Albuquerque, NM.
The two cities have a growing proportion of criminal offense documentary evidence that exceeds the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s standard. However, ABQ still has a numerical advantage over Rochester when comparing the statistics.
On a side note, Rochester has a property crime index of 57.5, while ABQ has a whopping 85.3. The annual crimes recorded for both cities are also cause for concern, with Rochester having 8,592 and ABQ having 35,723.
Is Albuquerque bigger than Rochester?
Albuquerque has 562,240 occupants on its 187.2 square mile mainland, which is noticeably more than Rochester’s 205,225 dwellers on its 35.8 square mile land area.
The proportion of the two cities makes Rochester have a population density of 5,738 people per square mile compared to the ratio that ABQ has, making a population density of 3,004.7 people per square mile.
ABQ, located in central New Mexico, is influenced by the adjacent Colorado Plateau semi-desert. This link to the desert makes the city occupy a large portion of land for its people. On the other hand, Rochester’s foundation came from the ice sheets that now form its southern border.
Is Albuquerque Warmer Than Rochester?
Albuquerque occasionally records a high temperature of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit within its 280 sunny days, with less snowfall making it warmer than Rochester. On the contrary, Rochester has a 165 sunny day with 77 inches of snow.
Albuquerque has a semiarid climate, with long and scorching hot days the majority of the year. One factor contributing to the warm temperatures is ABQ’s site is near-desert areas, so expect sunny shifts.
Meanwhile, the climate in Rochester is not particularly warm but rather bitterly cold. The winters in this area are harsh, with a high inch of snowfall each year. The freezing weather in this location appears to be a significant disadvantage.
Is Albuquerque Better Than Rochester?
Both Albuquerque and Rochester have a low living cost, but ABQ has a booming economy and culturally rich neighborhoods. These advantages distinguish it from Rochester’s elite schools and sluggish economic transformation.
With its low-cost commodity markets and dynamic labor market, Duke City, or Albuquerque, maintains a good standard of living. Everyone will appreciate the benefits of living in a financially stable metropolitan with a plethora of naturally beautiful reserves and outdoor pursuits to enjoy.
On the other hand, Rochester is a reasonably priced city in New York’s upstate, with quality academic institutions and fun outdoor activities. There is also no heavy road traffic in this area. However, Rochester has a high level of poverty, which is not exemplary if you consider moving here.
Both Albuquerque and Rochester have advantages; however, Rochester’s increasing poverty level is not something to consider if you want to migrate to a new metropolis. Living in Albuquerque is one of your best bets because it helps balance your living expenses with your employment options.
Albuquerque, New Mexico versus Rochester, New York– Where do you consider moving? Let me know your thoughts below.
