Brookhaven is a city of 496,410, and it grades B overall, ranked 295th of 745 in New York. Residents are healthier than 84% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and the median household earns $120K. The trade-off: the typical home is worth about $716K, 7.2 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income. Brookhaven’s median rent is $2,314 a month, above both New York’s towns ($1,098 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Its National Register listings include William Sydney Mount House and Bellport Village Historic District. On the outdoors, just 17 of New York’s 1,216 towns do better.

StrongestA⁺Outdoors A⁻Health A⁻HistoryWeakestD⁻Cost of living

What makes Brookhaven stand out

Where Brookhaven beats most towns.

William Sydney Mount House

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1655

51 places on the National Register

A history going back 371 years.

William Sydney Mount House · National Register of Historic Places

Brookhaven’s story

371 years in pictures

William Sydney Mount House is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1655, comes before those of 98% of the New York towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 3,224 in 1790, 485,773 in 2020. The archive holds 30 old photos and papers going back to 1812 and 5 maps from 1904 on.

51 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1655Brookhaven is settled

Explore the history →

How Brookhaven grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Brookhaven is from typical.

How grading works

Cost of livingD⁻Open →HealthLong Island Community Hospital 5.4 miles awayA⁻Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 23% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA⁻Open →Jobs & income131,759 jobs based hereA⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 4.5% of households have no car; 4.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁻Open →SchoolsBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors12% conserved landA⁺Open →History10 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life4.4 library visits per resident; 2.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.9–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and 72 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Brookhaven. Close and well known come first.

All 510 attractions →

34 mi Stadium & arenaNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

32 mi Stadium & arenaYale Bowl

in town Park & preserveLong Island Central Pine Barrens

28 mi National Historic SiteSagamore Hill National Historic Site122K visitors a year

34 mi State parkJones Beach State Park

9 mi LandmarkCalverton National Cemetery

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum: iMatthew // talk //, Public domain · Yale Bowl: Kenneth Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Long Island Central Pine Barrens: Americasroof, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sagamore Hill National Historic Site: Unknown, Public domain · Jones Beach State Park: Bjoertvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Calverton National Cemetery: United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Brookhaven: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Brookhaven, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerPSEG Long Island26.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterSuffolk County Water AuthorityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet3 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site

SchoolsLongwood Central School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereSuffolk County Board of ElectionsSuffolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024

ZIP codes11772, 11727, 11763, 1172011772 9% · 11727 6% · 11763 6% · 11720 6%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Brookhaven.

Brookhaven is one of New York’s best towns for the outdoors, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New York and has a long record of flood insurance claims.

OutdoorsA⁺

Brookhaven has set aside 12.2% of its land for conservation

Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #15 of 758 in New York.

592 miles of trail in 179 parks and preserves. The trail density in Brookhaven is 1.1 miles per square mile. Fire Island National Seashore, at 14,818 acres with 34.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.

#106for trails in NY

12.2%

conserved · 41,354 of 338,704 acres

592 mi

of trails · 1.1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest	64.1 mi	5,718
2. Fire Island National Seashore	34.5 mi	14,818
3. Manorville Hills County Park	33.7 mi	2,046

Full pageBrookhaven’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map592 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk64.1 miles of trail · Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest Conserved land12.2% conserved · 41,354 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Brookhaven?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsB

Brookhaven’s schools rank ahead of 62% of New York districts

Three of its 106 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

62%of NY districts it outscoresBSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Longwood Junior High SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8	Grades 7–8	1,363	B
William Floyd High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	3,107	A⁻
Earl L Vandermeulen High SchoolTop results in townGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	313	A⁺

Full pageBrookhaven’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsMIDDLE COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 3 graded neighbors Every school106 schools · Coram Elementary School Questions“Are Brookhaven’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation

HealthA⁻

Brookhaven’s grade for health is an A−

Against the 5,735 U.S. towns with household incomes like Brookhaven’s, it is healthier than 65%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.

17% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Brookhaven. Brookhaven beats the New York average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 30% of adults feel lonely in Brookhaven.

84%healthier than U.S. townsA⁻Health Grade

	Brookhaven	New York towns	U.S. towns
Depression (CDC PLACES)	17%	21%	23%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	30%	32%	33%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	10%	13%	14%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	30%	33%	35%

32 measures vs. New York

10 better21 too close to call1 worse

What stands out	Brookhaven	NY
Fewer adults facing food insecurity	12.2%	17.2%
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off	6.2%	8.2%
More adults who have had cancer	8.9%	7.7%

Long Island Community Hospital

5.4 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

71st

percentile among NY towns

Full pageBrookhaven’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby5.4 miles to an ER · Long Island Community Hospital How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than NY on 10 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade D⁻

Brookhaven’s grade for cost of living is a D−

At 7.2 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $716K) costs more against local pay than in 87% of New York towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. 64.3% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.1% across New York.

64% of Brookhaven renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent. Typical home values rose 6.7% in the year to September 2026. 81% of Brookhaven households own their home.

$716KZillow home value

	Brookhaven	New York towns	U.S. towns
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	64%	49%	48%
Households that own their home	81%	75%	73%

Typical home value

Brookhaven$716K

New York$525K

+6.7%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageBrookhaven’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 6.7% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 6.0 years of income Rents$2,314 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 3 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A⁻

Brookhaven has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

About one in 3 of Brookhaven’s working residents works in town. Brookhaven’s average trip to work is 32 minutes. The top destinations are New York (17%), Islip (15%) and Smithtown (6%).

32%work in town

	Brookhaven	New York towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	32%	10%	8%
Average trip to work	32 minutes	25 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$120,000	$82,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	7%	9.5%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Brookhaven32%

New York17%

Islip15%

Smithtown6%

Huntington4%

14 mi

median commute distance

131,759

jobs based in Brookhaven

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

A−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 77% of U.S. towns

Full pageBrookhaven’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here131,759 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work32% work in Brookhaven Commute times32 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 14 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

Brookhaven faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

3,825 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 432 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 77% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 3,825 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Brookhaven.

23risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHurricanesEarthquakes

3,825

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageBrookhaven’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims3,825 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters14 federal disasters · Paid out in Brookhaven Get ready3.5 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Brookhaven, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Brookhaven has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 23° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.

32″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter25–41°

Spring39–59°

Summer62–81°

Fall46–64°

Oct 28

typical first frost

Apr 18

typical last frost

+2.3°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageBrookhaven’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 83°, January lows 23°Rain & snow32″ of snow a winter · 46 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+2.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Who lives here

An age mix much like New York’s

No broad age group is more than 4 points off the New York average. Brookhaven has grown 2.2% since 2020, to 496,410 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 36% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York.

39.9median age · NY 39.8

	Brookhaven	New York towns	U.S. towns
Aged 65 or older	17%	20%	18%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	36%	32%	29%
Median age	39.9 years	43 years	40.5 years
Under 18	21%	20%	22%

BrookhavenNew YorkUnited States

NYU.S.

Ages · share of residents

14%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma8%

High school28%

Some college17%

Associate’s10%

Bachelor’s19%

Graduate17%

Women and men · all residents

50.5% women, 49.5% men

About 98 men for every 100 women. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women. Median age: women 40.8, men 39.1.

Ages and education in Brookhaven
	Brookhaven	NY	U.S.
Under 10	10.7%	11%	11.6%
10 to 17	10.5%	9.5%	10.3%
18 to 24	10.3%	8.9%	9.1%
25 to 34	12.5%	14.2%	13.7%
35 to 44	11.9%	13%	13.2%
45 to 54	13.4%	12.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	14.1%	13.3%	12.7%
65 to 74	9.7%	10.3%	10.2%
75 and older	6.9%	7.6%	7%
No diploma	8.1%	12%	10.4%
High school	28.4%	24.3%	26%
Some college	17.4%	14.6%	19.1%
Associate’s	10.2%	8.8%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	19.1%	22.4%	21.6%
Graduate	16.8%	17.9%	14.1%

Full pageBrookhaven by the numbersOpen the page

Ages39.9 median age · 17% are 65 or older Schooling36% have a four-year degree Homes81% own their home · Homeowners Income$120K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Brookhaven

19pages on Brookhaven

The big questions

SchoolsBBeat 62% of NY districts · 106 schools HealthA⁻Better than NY on 10 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD⁻$716K typical home · up 6.7% in a year Work & commuteA⁻$120K median household income · 131,759 jobs here Natural hazardsA⁻FEMA risk higher than 23% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁺592 mi of trails · 12% conserved land PlacesAttractions510 nearby · Long Island Central Pine Barrens under 1 mi LibraryC⁺4.4 library visits per resident CollegesSuffolk County Community College, in town

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1655 · 51 on the National Register Famous people10 born in Brookhaven Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 647 residents Climate83° summer highs · 32″ of snow

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 11719 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Brookhaven

Suffolk County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · BrookhavenIn town$6,630 in-state tuition Stony Brook UniversityUniversity or college · Public · BrookhavenIn town$10,931 in-state tuition

About 8 of every 100 Brookhaven residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

592 miles of trails in Brookhaven

12.2% of the town is conserved land, across 179 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Brookhaven

ConservedTrails

Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest64.1 mi of trails · 5,718 acres

Directions

Fire Island National Seashore34.5 mi of trails · 14,818 acres

Directions

Manorville Hills County Park33.7 mi of trails · 2,046 acres

Directions

Landmarks

51 places in Brookhaven on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

William Sydney Mount HouseNational Historic Landmark

Miller Place Historic District

Bellport Academy

Bellport Village Historic District

Famous people from Brookhaven

10 notable people were born in Brookhaven.

See all 10 →

William FloydAmerican Founding Father and politician · 1734–1821

Benjamin TallmadgeAmerican politician · 1754–1835

Felix GrucciAmerican politician · born 1951

Derrick RowlandBasketball player · born 1959

Selah B. StrongAmerican politician · 1792–1872

Tapping ReeveAmerican lawyer, judge and law educator · 1744–1823

About Brookhaven

2nd most populated town in New York, United States

Official town website ↗

Brookhaven is a large suburban town in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on Long Island. With a population of 488,497 as of 2022, it is the second most populous town in New York (after Hempstead, in the adjacent Nassau County) and the third most populous community in the state. The first settlement in what is now Brookhaven was known as Setauket. Founded as a group of agricultural hamlets in the mid-17th century, Brookhaven first expanded as a major center of shipbuilding in the 19th century. Its proximity to New York City facilitated the establishment of resort communities, followed by a post-war population boom. In the 2020 census record, Brookhaven contained 485,773 people. The to…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1655
Area: 532 sq mi
Elevation: 79 ft
ZIP code: 11719
Area code: 631

Brookhaven’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Brookhaven.

Explore the map →

How the neighbors grade

Town	NY rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Brookhaven	#295	B	D⁻	—	B	A⁻
Riverhead	#649	C⁻	D⁻	C	C⁻	B
Islip	#178	A⁻	D⁻	—	A⁻	A⁻
Calverton	—	—	—	—	—	—
Manorville	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wading River	—	—	—	—	—	—
East Shoreham	—	—	—	—	—	—
Smithtown	#76	A	D⁻	—	A	A

Brookhaven, Islip and Smithtown report no FBI crime data of their own. Calverton, Manorville, Wading River and East Shoreham aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Brookhaven with a neighbor →

Questions about Brookhaven

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Brookhaven, NY a good place to live?

By most measures, yes. Brookhaven grades B overall, better than 63% of U.S. towns and #295 of 745 in New York. It grades A− for health and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.

What is Brookhaven, NY known for?

10 notable people were born here, including William Floyd and Benjamin Tallmadge.

Post to Brookhaven

Check your email

BrookhavenNY

What is it like to live in Brookhaven?

What makes Brookhaven stand out

371 years in pictures

How Brookhaven grades

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and 72 more within 40 miles

Moving to Brookhaven: who provides what

The data

Brookhaven has set aside 12.2% of its land for conservation

Brookhaven’s schools rank ahead of 62% of New York districts

Brookhaven’s grade for health is an A−

Brookhaven’s grade for cost of living is a D−

Typical home value

Brookhaven has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

Where working residents work

Brookhaven faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

In Brookhaven, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Typical low → high °F

An age mix much like New York’s

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Everything we know about Brookhaven

Colleges nearby

592 miles of trails in Brookhaven

Landmarks

Famous people from Brookhaven

About Brookhaven

Brookhaven’s neighbors

Questions about Brookhaven