Coordinates: 43°18?N 77°41?W / 43.30°N 77.69°W
Monroe County | |
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Monroe County Office Building | |
![]() Location within the U.S. state of New York | |
![]() New York's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 43°18?N 77°41?W / 43.3°N 77.69°W | |
Country | |
State | ![]() |
Founded | February 23, 1821 |
Named for | James Monroe |
Seat | Rochester |
Largest city | Rochester |
Government | |
o County Executive | Adam Bello (D) |
Area | |
o Total | 1,367 sq mi (3,540 km2) |
o Land | 657 sq mi (1,700 km2) |
o Water | 710 sq mi (1,800 km2) 52% |
Population | |
o Estimate (2019) | ![]() |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
o Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Congressional districts | 25th, 27th |
Website | www |
Monroe County is a county in the Finger Lakes region of New York, in the United States. The county is along Lake Ontario's southern shore. As of 2019, Monroe County's population was 741,770, a decrease since the 2010 census.[1] Its county seat and largest city is the city of Rochester.[2] The county is named after James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States.[3] Monroe County is part of the Rochester, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current County Executive is Adam Bello.
When counties were established in the Province of New York in 1683, the present Monroe County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont.
On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County, contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately five miles west of the present city of Schenectady, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River. The area then designated as Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon, colonial governor of New York.
In the years prior to 1776, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada. In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War, the name of Tryon County was changed to Montgomery County in order to honor the general, Richard Montgomery, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec, replacing the name of the hated British governor.
In 1789, Ontario County was split off from Montgomery. The actual area split off from Montgomery County was much larger than the present county, also including the present Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Steuben, Wyoming, Yates, and part of Schuyler and Wayne counties.
Genesee County was created by a splitting of Ontario County in 1802. This was much larger than the present Genesee County, however. It contained the present Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming, and portions of Livingston and Monroe counties.
Finally, Monroe County was formed from parts of Genesee and Ontario counties in 1821.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county's total area is 1,367 square miles (3,540 km2), of which 657 square miles (1,700 km2) is land and 710 square miles (1,800 km2) (52%) is water.[4]
Monroe County is in Western New York State's northern tier, northeast of Buffalo and northwest of Syracuse. The northern county line is also the state line and the border of the United States, marked by Lake Ontario. Monroe County is north of the Finger Lakes.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | 38.3% 145,661 | 59.4% 225,746 | 2.2% 8,468 |
2016 | 39.3% 136,582 | 54.2% 188,592 | 6.5% 22,616 |
2012 | 40.0% 133,362 | 58.0% 193,501 | 2.1% 6,950 |
2008 | 40.5% 144,262 | 58.2% 207,371 | 1.3% 4,791 |
2004 | 47.7% 163,545 | 50.6% 173,497 | 1.8% 6,022 |
2000 | 44.5% 141,266 | 50.9% 161,743 | 4.7% 14,816 |
1996 | 37.3% 115,694 | 53.2% 164,858 | 9.5% 29,442 |
1992 | 39.4% 134,021 | 41.6% 141,502 | 19.1% 64,846 |
1988 | 49.9% 155,271 | 49.3% 153,650 | 0.8% 2,545 |
1984 | 57.8% 182,696 | 41.8% 132,109 | 0.5% 1,472 |
1980 | 41.9% 128,615 | 46.4% 142,423 | 11.6% 35,695 |
1976 | 55.1% 167,303 | 44.4% 134,739 | 0.5% 1,392 |
1972 | 62.0% 196,579 | 37.8% 120,031 | 0.2% 695 |
1968 | 48.3% 143,233 | 47.7% 141,437 | 4.1% 12,085 |
1964 | 28.1% 80,099 | 71.9% 205,226 | 0.1% 257 |
1960 | 51.2% 148,423 | 48.8% 141,378 | 0.1% 147 |
1956 | 66.8% 183,747 | 33.2% 91,161 | 0.0% 0 |
1952 | 58.9% 159,172 | 41.0% 110,723 | 0.1% 370 |
1948 | 48.1% 109,608 | 48.6% 110,641 | 3.3% 7,544 |
1944 | 48.1% 111,725 | 51.5% 119,672 | 0.4% 876 |
1940 | 48.5% 114,383 | 51.1% 120,613 | 0.5% 1,099 |
1936 | 44.2% 93,055 | 54.3% 114,286 | 1.5% 3,182 |
1932 | 51.6% 95,964 | 44.8% 83,208 | 3.7% 6,788 |
1928 | 55.7% 99,803 | 41.2% 73,759 | 3.1% 5,516 |
1924 | 57.1% 80,577 | 20.5% 28,956 | 22.4% 31,595 |
1920 | 63.8% 73,809 | 24.7% 28,523 | 11.6% 13,389 |
1916 | 61.7% 39,393 | 34.1% 21,782 | 4.2% 2,688 |
1912 | 31.5% 16,880 | 33.3% 17,863 | 35.2% 18,834[a] |
1908 | 56.7% 33,250 | 38.7% 22,704 | 4.6% 2,695 |
1904 | 60.3% 30,772 | 32.4% 16,544 | 7.3% 3,737 |
1900 | 54.6% 26,691 | 40.1% 19,611 | 5.3% 2,568 |
1896 | 58.7% 26,288 | 38.3% 17,158 | 3.1% 1,372 |
1892 | 51.4% 21,327 | 42.7% 17,706 | 5.9% 2,455 |
1888 | 54.6% 21,650 | 42.0% 16,677 | 3.4% 1,361 |
1884 | 54.9% 18,325 | 39.7% 13,249 | 5.4% 1,812 |
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2008) |
Monroe County was chartered as a municipal corporation by the New York State Legislature in 1892[6] and re-chartered under New York's Municipal Home Rule Law in 1965.[7]
The county's executive branch is headed by the County Executive, Adam Bello.[8][9] The executive's office is on the first floor of the County Office Building on West Main Street in Rochester. The County Clerk is Jamie Romeo.
The county was exclusively governed by a Board of Supervisors for the first 114 years of its history. In 1935, the position of County Manager, appointed by the Board, was approved by popular referendum.[10] In 1983, the position was replaced by a County Executive, directly elected by popular vote, with expanded powers (e.g., veto).[11] In 1993, the legislature enacted term limits for the executive office of 12 consecutive years to start in 1996.[12]
Name | Title | Party | Term |
---|---|---|---|
Clarence A. Smith | County Manager | Republican | January 1, 1936 - December 31, 1959 |
Gordon A. Howe | County Manager | Republican | January 1, 1960 - December 31, 1971 |
Lucien A. Morin | County Manager County Executive |
Republican | January 18, 1972 - December 31, 1982 January 1, 1983 - December 31, 1986 |
Thomas R. Frey | County Executive | Democrat | January 1, 1987 - December 31, 1991 |
Robert L. King | County Executive | Republican | January 1, 1992 - January 14, 1995 |
John D. "Jack" Doyle | County Executive | Republican | January 14, 1995 - December 31, 2003 |
Maggie Brooks | County Executive | Republican | January 1, 2004 - December 31, 2015 |
Cheryl L. Dinolfo | County Executive | Republican | January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2019 |
Adam J. Bello | County Executive | Democrat | January 1, 2020 - |
The county's legislative branch consists of a 29-member County Legislature which replaced the earlier 43-member Board of Supervisors on January 1, 1967.[10] It meets in the Legislative Chambers on the fourth floor of the County Office Building. All 29 members of the legislature are elected from districts. District Maps Currently, there are 15 Republicans and 14 Democrats, and the President of the Legislature is Dr. Joe Carbone. In 1993, the legislature enacted term limits of 10 consecutive years to start in 1996.[12] Legislators can return to the office after not being in the Legislature for a term. Since the enacting of term limits, as of 2020 three Legislators (Karla Boyce, Calvin Lee, Jr., and Robert Colby) returned after previously being term limited.
After redistricting based on the 2010 United States Census, Monroe County was split between two congressional districts:
District | Areas of Monroe County | Congressperson | Party | First took office | Residence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York's 25th congressional district | All of Monroe County except those portions represented by the 27th district[13] | Joseph D. Morelle | Democratic | 2018 | Irondequoit, Monroe County |
New York's 27th congressional district | Hamlin, Mendon, Rush, Wheatland, and the southwest corner of Clarkson[14] | Chris Jacobs | Republican | 2020 | Buffalo, Erie County |
After redistricting based on the 2010 United States Census, Monroe County was split between six state senate districts:
District | Areas of Monroe County | Senator | Party | First took office | Residence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
54 | Webster[15] | Pam Helming | Republican | 2017 | Canandaigua, Ontario County |
55 | Northeastern[16] | Samra Brouk | Democratic | 2021 | Rochester, Monroe County |
56 | Northwestern[17] | Jeremy Cooney | Democratic | 2021 | Rochester, Monroe County |
59 | Henrietta, Wheatland[18] | Patrick M. Gallivan | Republican | 2011 | Elma, Erie County |
61 | Chili, Riga, southern part of the City of Rochester[19] | Michael H. Ranzenhofer | Republican | 2009 | Amherst, Erie County |
62 | Ogden, Sweden[20] | Robert Ortt | Republican | 2015 | North Tonawanda, Niagara County |
After redistricting based on the 2010 United States Census, Monroe County was split between seven state assembly districts:
District | Areas of Monroe County | Assemblyperson | Party | First took office | Residence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
133 | Mendon, Pittsford, Riga, Rush, Wheatland[21] | Marjorie Byrnes | Republican | 2019 | Monroe County |
134 | Greece, Ogden, Parma[22] | Josh Jensen | Republican | 2021 | Greece, Monroe County |
135 | East Rochester, Penfield, Perinton, Webster[23] | Jennifer Lunsford | Democratic | 2021 | Webster, Monroe County |
136 | Brighton, Irondequoit, northwest portion and easternmost tip of the City of Rochester[24] | Sarah Clark | Democratic | 2021 | Rochester, Monroe County |
137 | Gates, center of the City of Rochester[25] | Demond Meeks | Democratic | 2021 | Rochester, Monroe County |
138 | Chili, Henrietta, parts of the City of Rochester[26] | Harry B. Bronson | Democratic | 2011 | Rochester, Monroe County |
139 | Clarkson, Hamlin, Sweden[27] | Stephen M. Hawley | Republican | 2006 | Batavia, Genesee County |
Monroe County is part of
Monroe County is a home to a number of international businesses, including Eastman Kodak,[28]Paychex,[29] and Pictometry International,[30] all of which make Monroe County their world headquarters. While no longer headquartered in Rochester, Xerox has its principal offices and manufacturing facilities in Monroe County (Xerox 2010 Annual Report), and Bausch and Lomb was headquartered in Rochester until it was acquired by Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Monroe County is also home to regional businesses such as Wegmans,[31] Roberts Communications, Inc.,[32]Holding Corp.,[33] and major fashion label Hickey Freeman.[34]
Tech Valley, the technologically recognized area of eastern New York State, has spawned a western offshoot into the Rochester, Monroe County, and Finger Lakes areas of New York State. Since the 2000s, as the more established companies in Rochester downsized, the economy of Rochester and Monroe County has been redirected toward high technology, with new, smaller companies providing the seed capital necessary for business foundation. The Rochester and Monroe County area is important in the field of photographic processing and imaging as well as incubating an increasingly diverse high technology sphere encompassing STEM fields, in part the result of private startup enterprises collaborating with major academic institutions, including the University of Rochester and Cornell University.[35] Given the high prevalence of imaging and optical science among the industry and the universities, Rochester is known as the world capital of imaging. The Institute of Optics of the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology in nearby Henrietta both have imaging programs.[36]
Major Employers:
Several industries occupy a major portion of the jobs located regionally, with healthcare comprising a significant portion of jobs in Monroe County. The U of R (including its numerous hospitals) is the largest employer regionally with over 27,000 workers; Rochester Regional Health (parent company of Rochester General and Unity Hospitals) is the second largest consisting of over 15,000. Wegmans is third with about 13,000 local employees.[37]
As of the census of 2000, there were 735,343 people, 286,512 households, and 184,513 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,115 people per square mile (431/km2). There were 304,388 housing units at an average density of 462 per square mile (178/km2). The county's racial makeup was 79.14% White, 13.75% African American, 0.27% Native American, 2.44% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.44% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.31% of the population. 18.6% were of Italian, 15.3% German, 11.3% Irish and 8.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 4.64% of the population reported speaking Spanish at home, while 1.43% speak Italian.[43]
There were 286,512 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.40% were married couples living together, 13.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,891, and the median income for a family was $55,900. Males had a median income of $41,279 versus $29,553 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,821. About 8.20% of families and 11.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.50% of those under age 18 and 7.40% of those age 65 or over.
The public school system educates the overwhelming majority of Monroe County's children. The schools operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester or Roman Catholic religious orders educate the next largest segment of children, although collectively, they are a distant second.
There are some 26 public school districts that serve Monroe County, including the Rochester City School District, 10 suburban school districts in Monroe #1 BOCES, seven in Monroe #2-Orleans BOCES, and several primarily serving other counties (Avon, Byron-Bergen, Caledonia-Mumford, Holley, Wayne, Williamson and Victor central school districts).[44]
Name | BOCES | Established | District population | Professional staff | Support staff | Median teacher salary | Enrollment | Budget | Per pupil cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brighton Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1966 | 26450 | 372 | 293 | $63580 | 3681 | $74.0 million | $18444 |
Brockport Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1927 | 30000 | 356 | 362 | $59971 | 3411 | $78.9 million | $23128 |
Churchville-Chili Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1950 | 30000 | 350 | 322 | $59752 | 3845 | $82.6 million | $21523 |
East Irondequoit Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1956 | 27000 | 335 | 352 | $56447 | 3145 | $76.3 million | $24257 |
East Rochester Union Free School District | Monroe #1 | 1920 | 8200 | 125 | 91 | $53829 | 1179 | $27.4 million | $23282 |
Fairport Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1951 | 40000 | 645 | 516 | $65630 | 5905 | $123.3 million | $20874 |
Gates Chili Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1956 | 35000 | 451 | 402 | $61423 | 4123 | $100.8 million | $24459 |
Greece Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1928 | 96000 | 1127 | 1249 | $72100 | 11094 | $221.2 million | $19941 |
Hilton Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1949 | 25323 | 421 | 367 | $60407 | 4452 | $80.0 million | $17965 |
Holley Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1949 | 7774 | 125 | 87 | $53366 | 1051 | $24.4 million | $23216 |
Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1969 | 10500 | 219 | 205 | $62074 | 2212 | $48.5 million | $19542 |
Kendall Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1957 | 3000 | 86 | 76 | $53551 | 704 | $17.4 million | $22269 |
Penfield Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1948 | 31000 | 438 | 477 | $61612 | 4564 | $93.3 million | $20445 |
Pittsford Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1946 | 33000 | 575 | 656 | $67848 | 5685 | $125.5 million | $22280 |
Rochester City School District | None | 1841 | 209000 | 5786 (total) | 5786 (total) | $61617 | 30217 | $864.7 million | $21546 |
Rush-Henrietta Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1947 | 46000 | 613 | 603 | $63344 | 5247 | $119.9 million | $22838 |
Spencerport Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1949 | 23000 | 408 | 351 | $62348 | 3584 | $77.1 million | $21521 |
Webster Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1948 | 54093 | 801 | 631 | $66408 | 8549 | $163.9 million | $19167 |
West Irondequoit Central School District | Monroe #1 | 1953 | 23754 | 344 | 258 | $59855 | 3568 | $71.2 million | $19916 |
Wheatland-Chili Central School District | Monroe #2-Orleans | 1955 | 5100 | 80 | 63 | $54967 | 691 | $17.8 million | $23837 |
There are three private schools that serve more than 200 students each:
There is one small, but historically significant school: Rochester School for the Deaf in the city
School | Founding religious order | Location | Established | Grades |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aquinas Institute | Basilian | City of Rochester | 1902 | 6-12 |
Bishop Kearney High School | Christian Brothers, Sisters of Notre Dame | Irondequoit | 1962 | 6-12 |
McQuaid Jesuit High School | Jesuits | Brighton | 1954 | 6-12 |
Our Lady of Mercy High School | Sisters of Mercy | Brighton | 1928 | 6-12 |
School | Religious affiliation | Location | Established | Grades |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Charles Finney School | Non-denominational Christian | Penfield | 1992 | K-12 |
Northstar Christian Academy | Baptist | Gates | 1972 | K-12 |
The county is home to nine colleges and universities:
Additionally, four colleges maintain satellite campuses in Monroe County:
The following is a list of parks owned and maintained by Monroe County:[50]
The following is a list of parks owned and maintained by New York State:[51]
Villages in New York State are incorporated municipalities located within Towns. The town in which each village is located is noted in parenthesis.
In New York State the term "Hamlet", although not defined in law, is used to describe an unincorporated community and geographic location within a town. The town in which each Hamlet is located is in parenthesis.
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(help). 2010-07-07. Dick Kaplan announced his resignation as CEO of Pictometry International Corp., the Henrietta-based aerial imaging firm that he has built into one of the Rochester area's better-known companies.
PAETEC Holding Corp. is edging closer to -- but still falling short of -- profitability. The Perinton-based telecommunications company reported a loss of $7.5 million for the quarter that ended June 30, an improvement from the $16.5 million it lost in the same quarter a year earlier and from the $9.5 million it lost in the January-March quarter this year.
Ithaca College maintains a teaching and research facility in Rochester, NY on the campus of the Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School (CRCDS on South Goodman St. at Highland Ave.) and is affiliated with the University of Rochester and Strong Memorial Hospital.
We are located at 1880 South Winton Road, situated near Rochester's Outer Loop