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Hello! We're relocating to Rochester in the next six months; we're a multiracial family with a 10-year old child. We love to hike and camp and kayak and snowshoe, and we're also enamored of Rochester's museums and theaters and other cultural offerings.
Can you advise us on a diverse neighborhood in which we'll feel welcome as a multiracial family--a friendly, creative neighborhood within 10 miles of the city, with houses that have enough backyard space for a garden and compost pile and a fruit tree or two?
Thanks so much, in advance. We appreciate your time!
Hello! We're relocating to Rochester in the next six months; we're a multiracial family with a 10-year old child. We love to hike and camp and kayak and snowshoe, and we're also enamored of Rochester's museums and theaters and other cultural offerings.
Can you advise us on a diverse neighborhood in which we'll feel welcome as a multiracial family--a friendly, creative neighborhood within 10 miles of the city, with houses that have enough backyard space for a garden and compost pile and a fruit tree or two?
Thanks so much, in advance. We appreciate your time!
I'll say that outer portions of the Rush-Henrietta SD, Churchville-Chili, Wheatland-Chili, Spencerport and Brockport may be some to look into. I say this because these are good districts that are outer suburbs/exurbs with at least a visible degree of ethnic/racial diversity. So, they allow you to have more room, close access to nature and the city, have good schools, while also having a visible degree of people of different backgrounds.
Brockport and Spencerport are Erie Canal towns, which usually have trails along the canal. Brockport also has a SUNY(State University of NY) campus as well. People may not know that Brockport also participates in the Urban-Suburban program and its school superintendent is a Black female. I believe that it also was community that had/has a migrant farm worker that came from the South during the appropriate season. So, it may be a community that fits all of the criteria in terms of property, creativity, some visible diversity, proximity to nature and the city. With this said, I believe that taxes can be high and may be something to keep in mind.
Spencerport is just east of Brockport and closer to Rochester. The 2 Chili school districts and Rush-Henrietta are SW/South of Rochester. Hopefully, if there are other suggestions, that others will chime in.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 08-27-2016 at 07:03 AM..
Not sure what you mean by "creative neighborhood" but it sounds to me like pretty much every Rochester suburb would fit in terms of what you're looking for. You would have access to outdoor activities wherever you lived. And the Rochester area is just about as accepting as as any other 2016 metro area. Both my neighbors are interracial couples and they never have any problems. I'm in Chili by the way. It sounds to me like it would come down to your preferred location. Eastside/westside or close to the lake/more inland. And what your housing situation will be like once to you move i.e. Apartment, rental, buying, budget, etc. Also how important is the school district? Do you want the best of the best or are you okay with simply a good solid school district? Pretty much all the suburb school districts are great. In my opinion I'd try and stay away from Gates or Greece though. A little more info and I'd try and narrow it down a little. Good luck with your move! I'm sure you'll enjoy it here.
Not sure what you mean by "creative neighborhood" but it sounds to me like pretty much every Rochester suburb would fit in terms of what you're looking for. You would have access to outdoor activities wherever you lived. And the Rochester area is just about as accepting as as any other 2016 metro area. Both my neighbors are interracial couples and they never have any problems. I'm in Chili by the way. It sounds to me like it would come down to your preferred location. Eastside/westside or close to the lake/more inland. And what your housing situation will be like once to you move i.e. Apartment, rental, buying, budget, etc. Also how important is the school district? Do you want the best of the best or are you okay with simply a good solid school district? Pretty much all the suburb school districts are great. In my opinion I'd try and stay away from Gates or Greece though. A little more info and I'd try and narrow it down a little. Good luck with your move! I'm sure you'll enjoy it here.
I understand the opinion, but parts of western Gates and SW Greece are in the Spencerport SD. Parts of the Hilton SD is north/NW Greece. Clarity on what you are referring to is that it isn't the people in Gates or Greece(or Irondequoit), but some city residents that go to select shopping establishments(source is sibling in law from Gates with a parent still in the town and lives currently in Chili).
I would just avoid Gates and Greece in general, compared to the other suburbs. But if we are breaking it down by school district I would just say to avoid Gates-Chili and Greece School District. And as ck said some parts of Gates and Greece are in Spencerprort/Hilton school districts. Spencerport I know if a nice town and school district, I go there often. Hilton I can't say much about but I've heard it is a nice town and schools as well. So I should have clarified my statement a little better. I would avoid the parts of Greece and Gates located in the Gates-Chili and Greece school district which are closer to the city. But again that's just my opinion.
My source is that my wife works in Greece and our babysitter lives there as well. We also go into Gates as well to since we are pretty close to the Chili-Gates border. I also have family in Spencerport we visit pretty often as well as visiting for restaurants and festivals. I also have a child in the Churchville-Chili school district that we have been very happy with so far. So as far as the west side goes I'd recommend Chili/Spencerport over Greece/Gates. Churchville and Brockport are nice areas as well but are a little further out than the others mentioned.
Something to keep in mind as well OP is that parts of the Gates-Chili SD is of course is in Chili. So, that will be your call on that, but ironically, that portion of the school district may have some of the best examples of relatively ethnically/racially diverse and middle class suburban neighborhoods in the area. Census Tract 014504 in Monroe County, New York If you click on the census block groups, it will offer more specific information with the census tract.
It sounds to me like most of the south and east of Rochester itself would work (except for the schools). They have Cobbs Hill, Highland and Genesee Valley parks for outdoor activities. All the creative and museum stuff is right there also.
Thank you all for these thoughtful suggestions; we really appreciate your insight. School district isn't so much of an issue--we're homeschooling our child for now because of a learning disability. We'd love to be able to walk to a vibrant downtown area. Right now, we're living in a neighborhood with a Little Free Library and pubs and markets within walking distance--the type of neighborhood where people stand in the street and talk for an hour. That would be wonderful to find in Rochester, with the addition of racial diversity.
Oh, well if schools arnt an issue then I'd recommend the south and eastern parts of the city like JW mentioned above. That's definitely where I'd live if I didn't have kids or homeschooled.
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