Youth Profile

Youth Profile, City of Rochester, NY

City of Rochester Population–2019 American Community Survey

–youth, ages 10-14:	13,501
–youth, ages 15-19:	13,975
–total adolescents:	27,476
Total City of Rochester population	206,848

City of Rochester residents, 2016-2020

–% of persons, over age 25, who are High School graduates or more	82%
–% of persons living below the poverty level	30%
–Language other than English spoken at home	21%
–% of persons living in same house, one year or more	79%
–% disabled	17%

US Census, 2019 American Community Survey Data

Child Poverty:

In 2015-2019, 48% of Rochester youth under age 18 lived in poverty. Rochester ranks third in overall poverty among the nation’s largest 75 metropolitan areas. (US Census, American Community Survey data and ACT Rochester.)

Adverse Childhood Experiences:

According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered to RCSD high school students:

19% of students said they had lived with someone who was an alcoholic, problem drinker, problem gambler, or who took drugs to get high.
22% lived with someone who was depressed, mentally ill or suicidal.
31% had witnessed someone get shot, stabbed or beaten in their neighborhood.

Education:

Student characteristics: In the Rochester City School District, 89% of students are classified as economically disadvantaged. 22% of students have disabilities, and 16% are English learners. 53% of students are African American, 33% are Latino; 19% are White, 3% are Asian, and 1% are multi-racial.

In 2020, the Rochester City School District high school graduation rate was 68%. (NYS Education Department, data.nysed.gov)

Economic segregation: A report entitled Fault lines: America’s Most Segregating School District Borders (edbuild.org, updated 2020) notes that the single most segregating school district border in the country divides Rochester City School District, which has a poverty rate of 47%, from Penfield, whose poverty rate is just 5%. Five other suburbs around Rochester are also numbered among the most economically segregated in the nation. “While it is no small thing for Rochester to serve so many children in poverty, it is something else entirely to do it surrounded by so many more well-off communities.”

Youth Violence:

In 2021, 60 young people (age 18 and younger) were shot in Rochester. This is the highest number in the last ten years (Rochester Police Department).

According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered in RCSD high schools:

12% of students say they carried a weapon in past 30 days
5% of students say they carried a gun in past 12 months.
10% of students say they missed school in the past 30 days because they felt unsafe at school or on the way to school
14% of students say they were teased, harassed or attacked at school or on the way to school in past 30 days.
26% of students say they were in a physical fight at least once during last 12 months.
12% of students say that a parent/adult in the home physically hurt them sometimes, often or repeatedly.
9% of students said that a boyfriend/girlfriend hit or physically hurt them during the past year.
10% of students said they had been physically forced to have sexual intercourse or to touch someone or be touched by someone sexually.

(2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, administered by Rochester City School District)

Health Care

68% of RCSD students said they had seen a health care provider for a check up or well care visit within the past two years.
62% of students say they had a chance, within the past year, to speak privately to a health care provider, without parents or others in the room.

(2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, administered by Rochester City School District)

Youth HIV Rates

In 2020, 12 cases of HIV were newly diagnosed in Rochester among young people, ages 24 and younger.

(Monroe County Dept. of Public Health)

Youth STD Rates

In 2020, there were 2,146 cases of Chlamydia diagnosed among Rochester youth, ages 24 and younger. In 2019, there were 2,310 cases diagnosed.
In 2020, there were 1,294 cases of Gonorrhea diagnosed among Rochester youth, ages 24 and younger. In 2019, there were 710 cases diagnosed.
Untreated STDs are a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease, and infertility; and can increase the spread of HIV.

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Monroe County Dept. of Public Health)

Mental Health

RCSD high school students reported in the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey the following:

33% in the past year felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in row and stopped doing some usual activities.
12% in the past year made a plan about attempting suicide
11% had injured themselves on purpose (cutting, burning, bruising)

Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Use