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Rochester

Rochester, Michigan Community

About Rochester

Rochester is situated on the north side of Detroit, Michigan with a population of close to 13,000. It is composed of 3.83 square miles of land with an eastern boundary that extends to Macomb County. The city has been having the same Christmas Parade since 1951 and is Michigan’s biggest Christmas Parade. Rochester was established in 1817 and was one of the first settlements in Oakland County. There are currently twenty-two buildings in Rochester that are at least 50 years old with many of them on the State Register of Historic Places. The city has a thriving downtown shopping district and holds a local Farmer’s Market every Saturday from May through October.

The household median income of Rochester is approximately $68,574.

Rochester Homes

Rochester History

The Graham family was the first to arrive to the area of Michigan that would eventually become known as Rochester. They arrived to Michigan in 1817 where they built a log cabin. The city was named after Rochester, NY since many of the settlers were from New York. The city quickly became an industrial center and received water source from two main sources, the Clinton River and Paint Creek. Although they are no longer used for sources of water today, they offer the area lots of natural beauty. The city used to have a sugar and beet refinery, paper products-company, and a knitting mill. Rochester used to be served by two railroads.

A flood in 1946 caused Chapman Mill Pond to eventually flow into the Paint Creek. The land has been reclaimed and is now home of the town’s post office, and a library. In 1837, Michigan became the 26th state with the Village of Rochester later becoming established in 1869 inside the boundaries of Avon Township. In 1895, Rochester had a population of about 900. In 1967, the village became the city of Rochester. Avon Township became the City of Rochester Hills and after an intense court battle, Rochester annexed 2.2 square miles of Avon Township land, becoming Rochester.

Rochester Real Estate

The median home value in the city is $350,700. This means that the home values of Rochester have increased 2.1% in the past year. They are predicted to increase further 0.8% in the next year. The median list price is $181 per square foot; this places it higher than the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metro average. The sales price of homes in Rochester is $394,500. Rochester has an average rental rate of $1,199 per month. The housing expenses in Rochester are 10% higher than the national average.

Rochester Schools

  • Stoney Creek High School – (grades 9-12) This school in Rochester, MI is a top-rated, public school with just under 1,600 students. It has a student-teacher ratio of 22 to 1. 71% of students are at least proficient in math with 83% proficiency rating in reading. The school graduates at least 98% of its seniors.
  • North Hill Elementary School – (grades K-5) North Hill is a high-rated school with 554 students wit ha student-teacher ratio of 19 to 1. State tests concluded that 77% of its students are proficient in math and 75% are proficient in reading.
  • West Middle School – (grades 6-8) West Middle School in Rochester, MI has approximately 857 students with a student-teacher ratio of 22 to 1. 64% of the schools students are proficient in math with 70% of them proficient in math.

Rochester Parks and Recreation

  • Rochester Municipal ParkThis is the largest park in the city, which also includes parts of downtown Rochester. There are two playgrounds, tennis courts, an amphitheater, and Pavilion.
  • Bloomer ParkThere are 200-acres of land that make up this park. It has shelters for picnics, grills, volleyball nets, horseshoe pits, hiking and mountain trails, and a playground.

$350,700

Median Home Price

$1,199

Median 1-Bedroom Rent

2.1%

Estimated Price Increase Next Year

Rochester Restaurants, Bars, and Shopping

Most people enjoy shopping in downtown Michigan, as they have everything, shoe stores, specialty food shops, sports goods, wine, pet products, jewelry, consignment shops, home furnishings, gift shops, florist, convenience stores, galleries, and more. Restaurants in Rochester:

  • Give Thanks Bakery & Café – Get your morning started with a cup of coffee and a nice pastry at Give Thanks Bakery Café. Dine in or take-away available.
  • Rochester Diner & Grill – This family-owned business offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Delicious, uncomplicated dining. American cuisine.
  • Rochester Brunch House – When you’re looking for a fun and interesting place for a special event, this is the perfect place. Enjoy some of the best brunch options available in Michigan.

Rochester Points of Interest

Some of the main points of interest in Rochester, MI are its many historical buildings.

  • Opera House – The Opera House Building opened in November 1890 and quickly became the social and cultural center of town. The building was used for lectures, movies, commencement ceremonies, dances, and other social activities until 1933. The funny part is that despite the name of the building, there was never a single opera performed here. Today the building is a pharmacy.
  • Rolling Sprague Building – This is the oldest commercial building in downtown Rochester. It was built in 1849 and was made from coursed cobblestone. It has housed The Home Bakery since 1930.
  • Rochester Grain Elevator – The gran elevator was built in 1880. Farmers used to bring the grain to the elevator and then shipped to Detroit until the 1970s. Today, it is used as a supply store.
  • Western Knitting Mills – This building was built in 1896. At one point it produced more than 100,000 dozen pairs of gloves, making it the largest glove producer. The building has been fully restored and is now The Rochester Mills brewery restaurant with several other businesses housed here.

In addition to these historical points of interest are the following:

  • Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve – This nature preserve hosts nature-focused event all-year-round. Camps are also available at the 16-acre woodland preserve.
  • Meadow Brook Theatre – This local theater lets you get up close and personal with the actors and actresses, as it a small and intimate theater. You’ll see some of the best annual products at the Meadow Brook Theater. If you miss it this year, chances are that it will return next year.