About a mile north of Downtown Rochester, Upper Falls features historic homes and generally lower housing costs than nearby areas. Rochester school choice and a growing mix of businesses offer flexibility in education and everyday needs. The neighborhood also includes several parks with sports, riverfront trails and waterfall views.
Homes in Upper Falls are packed along sidewalk-lined streets, often set behind chain-link fences and modest lawns with the occasional tree. “It’s an up-and-growing community of Rochester,” says Cassandra Bradley, broker and owner of Cassandra Bradley Realty, with over seven years of experience. “The price point is less than $200,000 to buy a single-family home, and that’s all the way updated.”
Architectural styles vary, but Colonial Revival and Craftsman homes are most common, and many are historic. “You’re going to find that, in Rochester as a whole, a lot of homes were built in the 1900s, 1800s,” Bradley says. Typical details include white clapboard siding, louvered shutters and covered porches. Cars are usually parked parallel to the street or tucked into paved driveways and detached garages.
Prices range from the upper $20,000s to the lower $200,000s, with a median in the lower $80,000s. That’s below Rochester’s overall median and lower than nearby neighborhoods, including Downtown Rochester and Marketview Heights. Most residents are renters, and many homes have been converted into multifamily properties, making Upper Falls appealing to investors.
Kids in Upper Falls attend school through the Rochester City School District. Families may choose an elementary school within their assigned zone or a citywide school. Upper Falls is in the Northeast Zone. Secondary schools are citywide.
The neighborhood’s Abraham Lincoln School No. 22 teaches pre-kindergarten through sixth grade and is within walking distance of many homes. Teens may attend World of Inquiry School No. 5, a National Blue Ribbon school.
Upper Falls has a handful of green spaces, but High Falls Terrace Park stands out for its sweeping waterfall views. The Pont de Rennes Bridge is a popular vantage point, with a few loungers set up for taking it all in. For baseball games and playground time, residents head to Baden Park or Don Samuel Torres Park. The Genesee Riverway Trail runs nearby, offering a scenic route along the river for jogging and cycling. The 24-mile trail continues through Maplewood Park, home to pickleball courts, fishing spots along the Genesee River and the well-known Maplewood Rose Garden, which features more than 250 varieties in peak season.
Upper Falls is dotted with convenience stores and fast-casual restaurants serving flavors from around the world. “It’s pretty convenient,” Bradley says. “There are plazas, a Tops Friendly Market … a McDonald’s, the Coca-Cola Factory, the Department of Human Services.” The Genesee Brew House is another standout, with rooftop seating for craft beer, bar bites and waterfall views; the brewery itself has been a Rochester fixture since 1878. Downtown offers additional go-to spots, including:
Upper Falls is walkable, bike-friendly and peppered with Regional Transit Service bus stops. North Clinton Avenue leads directly downtown, where you can connect to Interstate 490 and catch the Amtrak from the Louise M. Slaughter Rochester Station.
Rochester’s annual events give residents plenty to look forward to. Highlights include:
Austin Moyer
Coldwell Banker Custom Realty
(585) 378-5175
94 Total Sales
2 in Upper Falls
$115K - $130K Price Range
Nicole Noon
eXp Realty, LLC
(585) 667-8644
142 Total Sales
1 in Upper Falls
$95,000 Price
Deborah Renna-Hynes
eXp Realty, LLC
(315) 903-5777
213 Total Sales
1 in Upper Falls
$95,000 Price
Anastasia Broikos
RE/MAX Plus
(585) 203-9075
90 Total Sales
2 in Upper Falls
$34K - $38K Price Range
Corey Wild
Keller Williams Realty Greater Rochester
(585) 514-5238
105 Total Sales
1 in Upper Falls
$64,000 Price
Andrew Hannan
Real Broker NY LLC
(585) 514-5927
408 Total Sales
1 in Upper Falls
$300,000 Price
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Upper Falls | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 8 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 9 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 9 | 4 |
| Robbery | 8 | 4 |
| Burglary | 4 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 5 | 4 |
| Larceny | 5 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 6 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
On average, homes in Upper Falls, Rochester sell after 30 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Upper Falls, Rochester over the last 12 months is $84,975, consistent with the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Convenient city living just 2 miles from Downtown Rochester
The heart of Rochester, filled with dining and parks beside the Genesee River
Rochester’s oldest and most diverse neighborhood along the Genesee River
Handyman’s dream in the Northwestern Quadrant of Rochester
Rochester community featuring historic homes and walkable streets near downtown
