Monroe County, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Monroe County
County
Monroe County Gordon A. Howe Office Building on Main and Fitzhugh street in Rochester.
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	New York
Founded	February 23, 1821; 204 years ago (1821)
Named for	James Monroe
Seat	Rochester
Largest city	Rochester
Area
• Total	1,367 sq mi (3,540 km2)
• Land	657 sq mi (1,700 km2)
• Water	710 sq mi (1,800 km2)  52%
Population  (2020)
• Total	759,443
• Estimate  (2022)	752,035
• Density	555.55/sq mi (214.50/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	25th

Monroe County is a county in the state of New York, USA. It's located along the southern shore of Lake Ontario. In 2022, about 752,035 people lived here.

The biggest city and the main government center (called the county seat) is Rochester. The county is named after James Monroe, who was the fifth president of the United States. Monroe County is also part of the larger Rochester metropolitan area and the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York.

History of Monroe County

When counties were first created in New York in 1683, the area that is now Monroe County was part of a huge place called Albany County. This county was so big it even included parts of what is now Vermont and stretched far to the west!

Over many years, this large county was divided into smaller ones. In 1772, Albany County was split, and a new county called Tryon County was formed. This new county covered a vast western area. It was named after William Tryon, who was the governor of New York at the time.

After the American Revolutionary War, the name of Tryon County was changed in 1784. It became Montgomery County to honor General Richard Montgomery, a hero who fought in the war.

Later, in 1789, Ontario County was created from Montgomery County. This new Ontario County was also very large. It included many of the counties we know today, like Allegany, Erie, and Niagara.

Then, in 1802, Genesee County was formed by splitting off from Ontario County. Genesee County was also much larger than it is today.

Finally, in 1821, Monroe County was officially created. It was formed using parts of both Genesee and Ontario counties. This is how Monroe County got its start!

Development of the City of Rochester and the towns of Monroe County from the towns of Genesee and Ontario Counties

Geography of Monroe County

Monroe County covers about 1,367 square miles. A little over half of this area (710 square miles) is water, mostly from Lake Ontario. The rest (657 square miles) is land.

The county is located in the western part of New York State. It's northeast of Buffalo and northwest of Syracuse. The northern edge of Monroe County is the border with Lake Ontario, which also marks the border of the United States. Monroe County is just north of the famous Finger Lakes region.

Neighboring Counties

Monroe County shares its borders with these other counties:

• Wayne County - to the east
• Ontario County - to the southeast
• Livingston County - to the south
• Orleans County - to the west
• Genesee County - to the southwest

Main Roads

Many important roads and highways run through Monroe County, helping people travel easily.

Economy of Monroe County

Monroe County is home to many important businesses, including some that are known worldwide. Companies like Eastman Kodak, Paychex, and Pictometry International have their main offices here. Even though Xerox isn't headquartered in Rochester anymore, it still has major offices and factories in Monroe County.

Other well-known businesses, like the grocery store chain Wegmans and the fashion brand Hickey Freeman, also started and grew here.

High Technology

Monroe County is becoming a hub for high technology. This means many new, smaller companies are starting up, especially in areas like imaging and optical science. Rochester is even called the "world capital of imaging" because of all the work done here in that field.

Big universities like the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) help these new tech companies grow. They have special programs for imaging and optics, which are about how light works and how we see things.

Major Employers

Many people in Monroe County work in healthcare. The University of Rochester (which includes many hospitals) is the largest employer, with over 27,000 workers. Rochester Regional Health is the second largest, and Wegmans is the third.

People of Monroe County (Demographics)

In 2020, there were 759,443 people living in Monroe County. Most people (68.6%) were White, 15.7% were African American, and 4.3% were Asian. About 9.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in the county was 39 years old. About 21% of the population was 18 years old or younger. More than half (52%) of the population was Female, and 48% was Male.

The average income for a household in the county was $62,103. About 12.7% of the people lived below the poverty line. Most adults (90.4%) had at least a High school diploma, and 38.6% had a Bachelor's degree or higher.

Many different religions are practiced in Monroe County. In 2020, about half of the county's population (50.2%) followed a Religion. The largest group was Catholic (27.5%), followed by Protestant (9.4%), and Nondenominational Christians (6.0%). There are also many Muslim, Hindu, and Jewish people living here.

2020 Census Information

Education in Monroe County

Schools for Kids

Most children in Monroe County go to public schools. There are also many private schools, including those run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester.

Public Schools

Monroe County has about 25 public school districts. The largest is the Rochester City School District. Other districts serve the towns and villages around Rochester.

Private Schools

There are a few private schools in Monroe County that serve many students:

• Allendale Columbia School in Pittsford, which helps students get ready for college.
• The Harley School in Brighton, also a college prep school.
• Mary Cariola Children's Center, which helps children with special needs.
• The Rochester School for the Deaf, a historic school for deaf students.

Religious Schools

Monroe County also has schools connected to different religions:

• A few small Jewish and Islamic schools.
• About ten primary schools run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester.
• Four Catholic high schools:

• More than two dozen schools run by different Christian groups. Two of these are larger:

Colleges and Universities

Monroe County is home to many colleges and universities where students can continue their education after high school:

• Bryant & Stratton College
• Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
• Monroe Community College
• Nazareth University
• Roberts Wesleyan College
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry
• St. John Fisher University
• SUNY Brockport
• University of Rochester

Some other colleges also have offices or smaller campuses here, like Cornell University and Ithaca College.

Parks and Fun Places

County Parks

Monroe County has many beautiful parks that are great for outdoor activities.

Wetlands Trail in Black Creek Park

State Parks

New York State also has parks in Monroe County:

• Hamlin Beach State Park
• Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park

Golf Courses

If you like golf, Monroe County has many courses to play on:

• Arrowhead Golf Course & Marina
• Deerfield Golf & Country Club
• Durand Eastman Golf Course
• Genesee Valley Golf Course
• Majestic Hills Golf Course
• Mill Creek Golf Club
• Morgan's Crossing
• Monroe Golf Club
• Shadow Lake Golf & Racquet Club
• Timber Ridge Golf Club
• White Birch Golf Course

Communities in Monroe County

The town, village, and city borders

Bigger Towns and Cities

Here are some of the largest places where people live in Monroe County:

Towns in Monroe County

Hamlets in Monroe County

A hamlet is a small community or area within a town that doesn't have its own separate government. The town it belongs to is listed in parentheses.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Monroe (Nueva York) para niños