Rochester apartments for rent are great ways to join this thriving city of an estimated 12,793 people and can be found across the 3.83 square miles of land encompassed by the community. Rochester is located in the southern portion of the state of Michigan, roughly 26 miles north of Detroit. This community has seen rapid population growth in the past decade, and it is expected to continue growing to a projected 14,000 by 2035.
Rochester boasts of a thriving and well-recognized business district as well as an extensively developed park system with miles of recreation trailways. The city also is proud to be a full-service community, offering top-notch services to its residents like quality policing, public water and sewer services, and building inspectors among many others. Rochester is an up and coming city, with much to offer residents and visitors of all shapes and sizes.
Rochester was settled in 1817, a particularly attractive location for pioneers due to its position in the Clinton River Valley. The valley sits between the Clinton River, Paint Creek and Stoney Creek, all of which at the time of Rochester's settlement helped to power mills throughout the region that cut timber, grind grain, card wool and press apples into cider, according to the city website.
While the city's strategic location was certainly a draw in early days, it has become an even greater draw today for people seeking Rochester apartments. As the city grew up from the valley, citizens spurred the development of road systems that connect Detroit, Pontiac, Romeo and Royal Oak. This well-developed road system today keeps the community thriving and growing.
Apartments near Rochester can be excellent options for business professions and students. The city has a downtown district that features more than 350 shops, salons, restaurants and professional service businesses, and the Downtown Rochester website revealed that 85 percent of these businesses are independent merchants. The downtown area has been recognized as one of the best downtown districts in the entire state of Michigan, and is a particularly popular spot for professionals working in the automotive, sports and entertainment industries.
Students can take advantage of more than 26 major colleges and universities that are in southeastern Michigan as the area is located just minutes from Oakland University, Rochester College and Oakland Community College. Rochester College has an 80-acre campus providing education to students in many different concentrations, including business management, organizational leadership, mass communications and religious studies.
According to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, Rochester rentals have a vacancy rate of 14 percent and median rent was $757 as of 2010. Nearly half of all renters fall in the gross rent range of $500 to $749, with nearly 90 percent of all renters falling in the wider range of $500 to $1,499. The data further indicated that roughly 37 percent of all renters reported spending 35 percent or more of their household income on gross rental costs.
City-Data information indicated that in March 2012, the cost of living in Rochester was assigned a value of 91.4 points, which is 8.6 percent less than the national average of 100 points.
The downtown area is not only popular for business professionals, but is, in fact, a popular area attraction for people living in Rochester apartments as well as visitors. People often come downtown to take advantage of a little shopping or the farmers markets, as well as the recreational activities. Downtown Rochester has three parks and two trails for prime recreation space, in addition to abundant green space. Locals and visitors can enjoy the waterways that circle the city.
Another popular area attraction is the Meadow Brook Theatre, which features shows particularly well-suited for children such as puppet shows. The theatre also offers entertainment options for adults, such as drama performances, comedy and musicals.
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