Good Steer;, 2014
Lake Grove’s story
156 years in pictures
Census counts: 8,133 in 1970, 11,072 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1818 and 5 maps from 1902 on.
- 1870Lake Grove is settled
Population
11,168
2025 Census estimate · +1.2% since 2020
Typical home
$732K
+7.6% in a year
Household income
$118K
median
Median age
40.1
years
Jobs based here
6,697
Balanced
TownGrade
B+
#233 of 745 in NY
Is Lake Grove a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Lake Grove grades B+ overall, 233rd among New York's 745 graded towns. Residents are healthier than 92% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and the median household earns $118K. What holds it back is price: homes are expensive, about $732K for a typical one and 7.4 times the New York metro’s $99K median household income. Lake Grove’s average trip to work is 39 minutes, where New York’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 34 of New York’s 1,216 towns score lower on history. Lake Grove is more walkable than 82% of U.S. towns.
What makes Lake Grove stand out
Where Lake Grove beats most towns.
How Lake Grove grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Lake Grove is from typical.
Cost of livingD−Open →HealthSuny/Stony Brook University Hospital 3.9 miles awayAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 13% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.2 of 20; 6.3% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →SchoolsBeat 67% of New York districts on tests and graduationB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 2% conserved landB−Open →History3 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life2.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 552 attractions →Citi Field and 110 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lake Grove. Close and well known come first.
Big draw39 mi Stadium & arenaCiti Field
Big draw39 mi Stadium & arenaEtihad Park
39 mi GardenFlushing Meadows–Corona Park
39 mi LandmarkFerncliff Cemetery
27 mi Stadium & arenaNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
39 mi LandmarkUnisphereSources: 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 · Flushing Meadows–Corona Park: Flapane, Public domain · Ferncliff Cemetery: Anthony22 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum: iMatthew // talk //, Public domain · Unisphere: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lake Grove: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lake Grove, 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 & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
SchoolsMiddle Country Central School DistrictSachem Central School District2 districts serve Lake Grove; 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 code1175511755 100%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 Lake Grove.
Lake Grove has less tooth loss than most of New York, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New York.
HealthA
Lake Grove’s grade for health is an A
Its widest gap with New York is tooth loss: 7.3% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 12.8% statewide.
16% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Lake Grove. Lake Grove beats the New York average on 16 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 8.9% of adults smoke cigarettes in Lake Grove.
92%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Lake Grove | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 21% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 8.9% | 13% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
32 measures vs. New York
16 better15 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Lake Grove | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.3% | 12.8% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10% | 17.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.2% | 7.7% |
Suny/Stony Brook University Hospital
3.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
83rd
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Lake Grove
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 87% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Lake Grove since 2021.
13risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesEarthquakes
1
paid flood claims since 2021
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade D−
Lake Grove’s grade for cost of living is a D−
At 7.4 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $732K) costs more against local pay than in 87% of New York towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. 67.9% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.1% across New York.
Lake Grove’s median rent is $2,184 a month. Typical home values rose 7.6% in the year to September 2026.
$732KZillow home value
| Lake Grove | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,184 a month | $1,098 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 77% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Lake Grove$732K
New York$525K
Market temperature
22
days on market
103.7%
sale-to-list price
+7.6%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Lake Grove
Lake Grove has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 23° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–42°
Spring40–59°
Summer63–81°
Fall46–65°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+2.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 1.3 jobs for every working resident, Lake Grove draws in 6,553 commuters
Most working residents leave Lake Grove for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Lake Grove has added 1,396 jobs, to 6,697 in 2023. The top destinations are Brookhaven (24%), New York (18%) and Islip (16%).
3%work in town
| Lake Grove | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $118,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 10% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Lake Grove3%
Brookhaven24%
New York18%
Islip16%
Smithtown9%
12 mi
median commute distance
6,697
jobs based in Lake Grove
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 82% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
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. 43% of Lake Grove adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
40.1median age · NY 39.8
| Lake Grove | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 43% | 32% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 23% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 40.1 years | 43 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 18% | 20% | 18% |
Lake GroveNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school31%
Some college13%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate19%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.1 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Lake Grove | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.6% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.6% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.6% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.4% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.2% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.2% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.5% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.1% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.4% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.3% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.3% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.8% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.4% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 18.8% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
OutdoorsB−
Lake Grove has set aside 2.4% of its land for conservation
0.2 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The trail density in Lake Grove is 0.1 miles per square mile.
2.4%conserved
| Lake Grove | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.4% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
2.4%
conserved · 46 of 1,876 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Robert J. Henke Nature Preserve Passive Park | 0.2 mi | 8 |
| 2. Francis P. Kelly Memorial Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Olga Wilk Memorial Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake Grove
19pages on Lake Grove
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Lake Grove
Suffolk County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Selden3.2 mi$6,630 in-state tuitionStony Brook UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Stony Brook3.9 mi$10,931 in-state tuitionFive Towns CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Dix Hills13.9 mi$30,250 tuition
About 8 of every 100 Lake Grove residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
Famous people from Lake Grove
3 notable people were born in Lake Grove.
About Lake Grove
Village in Suffolk County, New York
Lake Grove is a village in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, Lake Grove had a population of 11,072.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 118 ft
- ZIP code
- 11755
Lake Grove’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Lake Grove.
Lake RonkonkomaCentereachSmithtownBrookhavenNesconsetSt. JamesStony BrookLake Grove
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Grove | #233 | B+ | D− | — | B+ | A |
| Lake Ronkonkoma | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Centereach | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Smithtown | #76 | A | D− | — | A | A |
| Brookhaven | #295 | B | D− | — | B | A− |
| Nesconset | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| St. James | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stony Brook | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Lake Grove, Smithtown and Brookhaven report no FBI crime data of their own. Lake Ronkonkoma, Centereach, Nesconset, St. James and Stony Brook aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Lake Grove with a neighbor →
Questions about Lake Grove
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake Grove, NY a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Lake Grove grades B+ overall, better than 71% of U.S. towns and #233 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Lake Grove, 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−.
What is Lake Grove, NY known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Joe Scally and Arthur Holmes Howell.