Big Time

Rochester is not a big city.  In fact, the outside (and sometimes inside) perception of Rochester is that of a small town.  This perception is fueled by the lack of major professional sports, the lack of Division I college football and basketball, and a northeast location which forces comparisons to New York City, Boston, and Toronto.  But is Rochester really so small? Here are a few statistics to help "measure" the region:

• The U.S. and Puerto Rico have 388 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA's).  With almost 1.1 million people, the Rochester MSA is the 51st largest.  In other words, 337 MSA's are smaller.
• The Rochester MSA would be the largest MSA in 20 states.
• The Rochester MSA is larger by population than 8 states.
• The Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse MSA's combined have almost 2.9 million people, more than 16 states.
• The city of Rochester, with a population of perhaps 209,983, would be the second largest city in New England after Boston.