You are sitting on a plane and your seatmate introduces himself. He says he’s from Rochester. You assume he lives in the city by that name, right?

Not so fast. He’s as likely to live in the sprawling town of Greece (one of New York’s largest) as he is in the quaint canal village of Fairport or the commercial mecca of Henrietta.

For the most part, people who live in the city of Rochester and the many towns that encircle it in Monroe County identify themselves as Rochesterians. Which isn’t to say surrounding communities lack their own flavor—far from it. In fact, many of the towns were incorporated long before Rochester and have rich histories and personalities all their own.

Brighton
www.townofbrighton.org
Close to the city’s eastern edge, Brighton is known for charming, storybook houses and neighborhood bagel shops, tailors and garages. Depending on what part of town you live in, you’ll be near shopping in Pittsford and Henrietta. City nightlife is a five-minute drive away. The Erie Canal towpath is a popular place to ride, run or skate.

Brockport
www.brockportny.org
Like any college town, Brockport is a good place to live if you crave what a campus has to offer—music, lectures, sports and a youthful energy. It’s moments from the open road, antique shops and farm markets of the countryside. The canal path is here too, and Lake Ontario is close. The village is a 30-minute drive from the city.

Chili
www.townofchili.org
Chili is a mix of suburban and rural. The western Monroe County town has parks, museums, golf courses and boat launches (one on the Genesee River and the other on Black Creek) on 40 square miles. Some 40,000 people call Chili home. Chili was named for the South American country that won its independence around the same time the town was founded. (The Rochester suburb of Greece was similarly named.) Chili’s unusual spelling was common at the time. Historians attribute its odd pronunciation (chie-lie) to the Yankee roots of the town’s settlers. Riga, Lima and Castile suffered similar fates.

Churchville
The village of Churchville lies on the west side of Monroe County within the town of Riga. With a population of some 2,000, it is a small village covering only about 1 square mile. Black Creek runs through town and is a popular fishing destination. Churchville Park on the edge of the village has lodges and shelters for group gatherings. A portion of the park’s 742 acres is Churchville Golf Club, a public course operated by the county.

East Rochester
www.eastrochester.org
Despite its name, East Rochester is a village all its own, not an extension of the city. If you like Italian food, you’re in luck: East Rochester has several family-run Italian restaurants that have been in business for generations. The village lies in the town of Pittsford and is close to all eastside shopping centers.

Fairport
www.village.fairport.ny.us
This village has pretty Victorians on tree-lined streets. Some have been subdivided into flats, and the surrounding area has plenty of apartment complexes. The Erie Canal cuts right through the center of the village. There are small shops, restaurants and bars, and EastView Mall is about 10 minutes away.

Gates
www.townofgates.org
Gates is the geographic center of Monroe County. It was incorporated in 1813 and is named after the American Revolutionary general Horatio Gates. The town was largely rural until city residents started migrating to outlying areas in the 1960s. With a population of 30,000, Gates has a solid parks and recreation program, popular big-box retailers and locally owned restaurants favored by generations of Rochesterians.

Greece
www.townofgreece.org
This town has the largest population in the county and one of the biggest in the state. Greece is perhaps best known for its Ridge Road retail strip and as the home of Kodak Park. But its proximity to Lake Ontario and ample rural acres give parts of it a country feel.

Henrietta
www.charityadvantage.com/townofhenrietta/Home.asp
The region’s first megamall, the Marketplace, is located here. Surrounding retail has sprung up over the last 20 years, making Henrietta a shopping destination easily accessible from the city and southside towns. Henrietta is about 15 minutes from downtown, and its property taxes are among the lowest in the area.

Honeoye Falls
www.villageofhoneoyefalls.org
Located in the southeast corner of the county, Honeoye Falls is named for the falls of Honeoye Creek that tumble through town. Gift shops, coffee shops and restaurants contribute to Main Street’s small-town feel. Founded in 1791, Honeoye Falls includes plenty of Victorian housing and 19th century buildings. The village is a 30-minute drive from downtown and accessible to nearby Mendon Ponds Park.

Irondequoit
www.irondequoit.org
Newcomers are always a little surprised that Rochester is more of an inland, river-oriented city. Those who love the seafaring ways of the Great Lakes will feel right at home in Irondequoit. Bordered by Lake Ontario and Irondequoit Bay, this town has a flavor all its own. There are rambling mansions, condos and tiny cottages on the waterfront. Houses in Irondequoit have the charming details of the early 20th century.

Mendon
www.townofmendon.org
The heart of Mendon is the intersection of routes 64 and 251. The hamlet bustles with the activity of area businesses, including restaurants, a grocery store, churches and several shops, offices and banks. All this belies the nature of the rest of Mendon, where rolling farmlands stretch for miles. Mendon borders Ontario County and is a 30-minute drive from downtown.

Penfield
www.penfield.org
Penfield is growing all the time. New stores and restaurants are coming to the retail corridors of Route 441 and Panorama Trail. At the busy Four Corners intersection, Penfield is recreating a walkable streetscape that plays off the 19th century buildings. Residential areas of the town continue to expand.

Pittsford
www.villageofpittsford.org
With tony shops and restaurants in restored 19th century buildings, the village of Pittsford has a well-heeled feel about it. Well-kept Victorian houses line neighborhood streets. Wegmans’ uber-store and busy shopping plazas are west on Monroe Avenue. Head east and be at EastView Mall in a few minutes. The Erie Canal runs through town.

Spencerport
www.vil.spencerport.ny.us
Like many villages located on the Erie Canal, Spencerport has polished up its waterfront with new paths and a gazebo. The village has early-20th century homes. You can shop for basics right in town; malls and plazas are nearby on Ridge Road in Greece.

Webster
www.ci.webster.ny.us
As their populations grow, the town and village of Webster are expanding as well, with more stores, restaurants, athletic fields, parks and trails appearing all the time. Lake Ontario borders the town on the northern edge.