Cordwood Beach, 2012
Head of the Harbor’s story
Head of the Harbor in pictures
Census counts: 244 in 1930, 1,520 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 6 maps from 1902 on.
Explore the history →
Head of the HarborNY
The town has 1,481 residents and lies in New York.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Iracaz · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,481
2025 Census estimate · +0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$1.36M
+10.7% in a year
Household income
$250K
median
Median age
44.5
years
Jobs based here
1,612
A job hub
Is Head of the Harbor a good place to live?
The best of Head of the Harbor’s subject grades are an A+ for incomes and health and an A for schools; the weakest is a D− for cost of living. 66% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Head of the Harbor, above both the New York town median (32%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Only 18 of New York’s 1,216 towns score higher on incomes. Head of the Harbor is more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns. Head of the Harbor’s trail density is 1.9 miles per square mile, against 0.4 in New York’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Only 80 of New York’s 1,216 towns score higher on the outdoors. The biggest place to walk is Avalon Preserve, 107 acres with 3.3 miles of trail. Head of the Harbor has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
How Head of the Harbor grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Head of the Harbor is from typical.
Jobs & incomeIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA+Open →HealthSuny/Stony Brook University Hospital 2.2 miles awayA+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $1.36M, 13.7 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household incomeD−Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listA+Open →SchoolsBeat 91% of New York districts on tests and graduationAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 1.3% of households have no car; 6.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trails; 10% conserved landA+Open →HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageAOpen →Civic life0.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Head of the Harbor stand out
Where Head of the Harbor beats most towns.
32 measures vs. New York
19 better12 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Head of the Harbor | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7% | 17.2% |
HealthA+
Healthier than 98% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Natural hazardsA+
Lower risk than 93% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
By the sea
Head of the Harbor lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 22% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
22%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
98thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
3paid flood-insurance claims since 2012
80thpercentile for hurricane risk
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Head of the Harbor.
HousingCost of living grade D−
A larger share of households in Head of the Harbor live in a home they own than in the typical New York or U.S. town
$1.36MZillow home value
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 11% in value. The rent at the middle of the market in Head of the Harbor is $2,333 a month. The typical Head of the Harbor home is worth about $1,362,000, up 10.7% in a year, more than twice the New York typical home.
| Head of the Harbor | Typical New York town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,333 a month | $1,101 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 97% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Head of the Harbor$1.36M
New York$525K
+10.7%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthA+
Head of the Harbor stands out in New York and nationally: a smaller share of its adults feel lonely
98%of U.S. towns are less healthyA+Health Grade
Just over a tenth of Head of the Harbor adults say their health is fair or poor. Across all 32 CDC measures, Head of the Harbor beats New York on 19 and trails on 1.
| Head of the Harbor | Typical New York town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 21% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 33% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 7.1% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. New York
19 better12 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Head of the Harbor | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7% | 17.2% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.7% | 12.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 7.7% |
Suny/Stony Brook University Hospital
2.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
With 2.2 jobs for every working resident, Head of the Harbor draws in 1,582 commuters
4%work in town
Commuting out is the norm in Head of the Harbor: 4% of working residents work locally. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 1,140, to 1,612. The town’s middle household income is put at $250,000. Half commute less than 13 miles.
| Head of the Harbor | Typical New York town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $250,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Head of the Harbor4%
Smithtown19%
New York19%
Brookhaven15%
Islip14%
13 mi
median commute distance
1,612
jobs based in Head of the Harbor
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Head of the Harbor faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
7risk score of 100
The natural-hazard score from FEMA here in Head of the Harbor is 7 of 100. Expected losses in Head of the Harbor break down as 49% from inland flooding and 22% from coastal flooding. Also worth knowing: since 2012, Head of the Harbor has seen 3 flood insurance claims paid out.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCoastal floodingHurricanes
3
paid flood claims since 2012
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Head of the Harbor
32″snow a winter
In Head of the Harbor, the July high is 83°F.
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–42°
Spring41–59°
Summer64–81°
Fall48–64°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+2.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA+
Head of the Harbor keeps 9.8% of its land conserved
9.8%conserved
Walkers can cover 5.8 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Head of the Harbor’s parks and preserves take up 173 acres in all.
9.8%
conserved · 189 of 1,932 acres
5.8 mi
of trails · 1.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Avalon Preserve | 3.3 mi | 107 |
| 2. Hilltop Meadow | 1 mi | 19 |
| 3. Butler-Huntington Woods | 0.7 mi | 38 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Head of the Harbor
18pages on Head of the Harbor
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
Nearby attractions
All 560 attractions →Citi Field and 129 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Head of the Harbor. Close and well known come first.
Big draw37 mi Stadium & arenaCiti Field
Big draw37 mi Stadium & arenaEtihad Park
26 mi Stadium & arenaNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
36 mi LandmarkFerncliff Cemetery
37 mi City parkFlushing Meadows–Corona Park
38 mi Zoo & aquariumBronx ZooSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Citi Field: Chris6d, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Etihad Park: Bananza76, CC0 · Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum: iMatthew // talk //, Public domain · Ferncliff Cemetery: Anthony22 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Flushing Meadows–Corona Park: Flapane, Public domain · Bronx Zoo: Stavenn, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Head of the Harbor: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Head of the Harbor, and how to reach them.
PowerPSEG Long Island26.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSuffolk County Water AuthorityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpCounty or districtA county or regional provider runs trash and recyclingTown site
SchoolsSmithtown Central School DistrictThree Village Central School District2 districts serve Head of the Harbor; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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.govWho runs elections hereSuffolk County Board of ElectionsSuffolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP codes11780, 1179011780 91% · 11790 9%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Small town
1,481 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
St. JamesSmithtownStony BrookBrookhavenNissequogueHead of the Harbor
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Head of the Harbor
Stony Brook UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Stony Brook2.4 mi$10,931 in-state tuitionSuffolk County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Selden6.5 mi$6,630 in-state tuitionFive Towns CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Dix Hills13 mi$30,250 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Head of the Harbor residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
About Head of the Harbor
Village in New York, United States
Head of the Harbor is a village in Suffolk County, in Town of Smithtown. on the North Shore of Long Island, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, Head of the Harbor had a population of 1,520.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 121 ft
Questions about Head of the Harbor
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Head of the Harbor, NY expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.
Head of the Harbor is in here
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