For most people who can afford it, yes. Southold grades B+ overall, 204th of 745 graded towns in New York. It is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns. The trade-off is money: the typical home is worth about $1.1 million, 11.3 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 98% of U.S. towns, with 29 places on the National Register. Southold’s value of a typical home is $1,117,000, above both the New York town median ($361,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($332,000). Its National Register listings include Firefighter and Plum Island Light Station. On hazard risk, just 72 of New York’s 1,216 towns do better.

StrongestA⁺History A⁺Hazard risk AOutdoorsWeakestD⁻Cost of living

What makes Southold stand out

Where Southold beats most towns.

Old House, The

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1640

A history going back 386 years.

Natural hazardsA⁺

Very low risk of storm and flood damage

FEMA National Risk Index.

Old House, The · National Register of Historic Places

Southold’s story

386 years in pictures

Old House, The is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1640, comes before those of 99% of the New York towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 3,219 in 1790, a low of 2,200 in 1800, 23,732 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1834 and 3 maps from 1904 on.

29 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1640Southold is settled

Explore the history →

How Southold grades

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

How grading works

Its grades run from A+ for hazard risk (better than 96% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 2%), so the B+ overall blends very different results.

Cost of livingD⁻Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 7% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA⁺Open →HealthLawrence & Memorial Hospital 17.7 miles awayAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8 of 20; 4.5% of households have no car; 11.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →SafetyB⁺Open →SchoolsB⁺Open →Jobs & incomeBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors2% conserved landAOpen →History2 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life14.3 library visits per resident; 7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →

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

Climate–Open →Housing market42 days on market–Open →Who lives here–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Mohegan Sun Arena and 51 more within 40 miles

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

All 129 attractions →

27 mi Stadium & arenaMohegan Sun Arena

36 mi Stadium & arenaYale Bowl

21 mi State parkGillette Castle State Park

24 mi State parkCamp Hero State Park

25 mi LighthouseMontauk Point Light

24 mi MuseumMystic Seaport

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

Photo credits

Mohegan Sun Arena: Bbjeter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yale Bowl: Kenneth Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gillette Castle State Park: Original uploader was Kevinpepin at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Camp Hero State Park: Transpoman, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Montauk Point Light: Wolfgang Wander, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mystic Seaport: Joethon, Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Southold: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Southold, 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

Internet5 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpSouthold Town Transfer Station (Cutchogue Transfer Station)Drop-offTown site

SchoolsMattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District Southold Union Free School District2 districts serve Southold; 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.gov

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

ZIP codes11971, 11944, 11952, 1193511971 26% · 11944 20% · 11952 20% · 11935 14%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 Southold.

Southold is safe by national standards but not by New York’s; it also has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New York and has a long record of flood insurance claims.

HousingCost of living grade D⁻

Southold earns a D− for cost of living

At 11.3 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $1.12M) costs more against local pay than in 95% of New York towns; that ratio is one input to that grade.

Southold’s rent at the middle of the market stands at $2,135 a month. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 2.5%. For households locally, the share who live in a home they own is 82%.

$1.12MZillow home value

	Southold	New York towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$2,135 a month	$1,098 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	82%	75%	73%

Typical home value

Southold$1.12M

New York$525K

Market temperature

days on market

100.9%

sale-to-list price

+2.5%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

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

Prices over the yearsUp 2.5% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 9.6 years of income Rents$2,135 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 3 graded neighbors

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

SchoolsB⁺

Public schools in Southold beat 72% of New York districts

Below: Three of its 9 schools, each with why it was picked. The largest public high school is Mattituck Junior-Senior High School, with 524 students. Also worth knowing: 5 public schools serve Southold, with 1,698 students in all.

72%of NY districts it outscoresB⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Mattituck-Cutchogue Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6	Grades K–6	457	B
Mattituck Junior-Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12	Grades 7–12	524	B⁺
Fishers Island SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–12	Grades PK–12	56	A⁻

Full pageSouthold’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsMATTITUCK-CUTCHOGUE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 3 graded neighbors Every school9 schools · Mattituck Junior-Senior High School Questions“Are Southold’s schools good?”

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

HealthA

Southold stands out in New York and nationally, with fewer of its adults who feel lonely

Southold: 15% of adults say their health is fair or poor. Among adults locally, 16% have been diagnosed with depression and 13% report frequent mental distress.

89%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade

	Southold	New York towns	U.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	27%	32%	33%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	16%	21%	23%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	13%	16%	17%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	8.3%	13%	14%

32 measures vs. New York

17 better10 too close to call5 worse

What stands out	Southold	NY
Fewer adults facing food insecurity	8.7%	17.2%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity	7.7%	14.5%
More adults who have had cancer	12.2%	7.7%

Lawrence & Memorial Hospital

17.7 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

81st

percentile among NY towns

Full pageSouthold’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby17.7 miles to an ER · Lawrence & Memorial Hospital How adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional support Every CDC estimateBetter than NY on 17 of 32

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁺

Southold has a very low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

850 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 82 properties have flooded more than once.

On expected storm and flood damage, Southold sits below 93% of U.S. communities. 850 flood insurance claims have been paid locally since 1978. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 50% come from inland flooding and 21% from hurricanes. Federal aid has come to Southold households in 9 declared disasters; the latest was in 2021.

7risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHurricanesCoastal flooding

850

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageSouthold’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery low risk Flood claims850 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters9 federal disasters · Paid out in Southold Get ready3.5 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

SafetyB⁺

Less crime per resident in Southold than in 73% of U.S. towns

At 10.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 58% of New York’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 15 reported in 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 residents.

Southold’s violent offense rate is 0.7 per 1,000 residents. Its property offense rate stands at 7.7 per 1,000 residents.

73%of U.S. towns report more crimeB⁺Safety Grade

	Southold	New York towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	0.7 per 1,000 residents	0.8	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	7.7 per 1,000 residents	7.5	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Southold0.7

New York3.7

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Southold7.7

New York15.7

U.S.15.5

73rd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

58th

percentile among NY towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

167

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageSouthold’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 2 graded neighbors Questions“Is Southold, NY safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Who lives here

A older population than New York as a whole

30% of residents are 65 or older in Southold. The town has grown 2.3% since 2020, to 24,260 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. The median age for Southold comes to 53.7 years. The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 50%, against 40% across New York.

53.7median age · NY 39.8

	Southold	New York towns	U.S. towns
Median age	53.7 years	42.9 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	30%	20%	18%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	50%	32%	29%
Under 18	16%	20%	22%

SoutholdNew YorkUnited States

NYU.S.

Ages · share of residents

19%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma7%

High school18%

Some college16%

Associate’s9%

Bachelor’s29%

Graduate21%

Women and men · all residents

52% women, 48% men

That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.1 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Southold
	Southold	NY	U.S.
Under 10	8.6%	11%	11.6%
10 to 17	7.6%	9.5%	10.3%
18 to 24	5.7%	8.9%	9.1%
25 to 34	8.6%	14.2%	13.7%
35 to 44	10.4%	13%	13.2%
45 to 54	10.7%	12.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	18.5%	13.3%	12.7%
65 to 74	17.3%	10.3%	10.2%
75 and older	12.7%	7.6%	7%
No diploma	6.7%	12%	10.4%
High school	17.9%	24.3%	26%
Some college	16.4%	14.6%	19.1%
Associate’s	9.1%	8.8%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	28.9%	22.4%	21.6%
Graduate	21.1%	17.9%	14.1%

Full pageSouthold by the numbersOpen the page

Ages53.7 median age · 30% are 65 or older Schooling50% have a four-year degree Homes82% own their home · Homeowners Income$117K a year · Median household income

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

Climate

In Southold, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

For Southold, the peak summer temperature is 81°F.

27″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter26–42°

Spring39–57°

Summer62–79°

Fall47–64°

Nov 17

typical first frost

Apr 6

typical last frost

+2.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageSouthold’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 81°, January lows 24°Rain & snow27″ of snow a winter · 45 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+2.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Southold’s workers commute out

The average commute for its 9,598 working residents takes 26.6 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.

The share of residents in Southold who live below the poverty line: 5.6%. Roughly one working resident in three has a job in Southold itself. The income of the median household locally is $117,000. Jobs in Southold grew by 432 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 7,326.

35%work in town

	Southold	New York towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	35%	10%	8%
Work from home	21%	12%	11%
Median household income	$117,000	$82,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	5.6%	9.5%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Southold35%

New York16%

Brookhaven6%

Riverhead6%

Southampton5%

24 mi

median commute distance

7,326

jobs based in Southold

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 88% of U.S. towns

Full pageSouthold’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here7,326 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work35% work in Southold Commute times27 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 24 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

OutdoorsA

1.5% of the land in Southold is protected from building

Walkers can cover 44 miles of trail in 31 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Long Beach Bay Tidal Wetlands Area, at 407 acres. Southold’s trail density comes in at 0.1 miles per square mile.

#527for trails in NY

	Southold	New York towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	0.1 miles per square mile	0.4	0.4
Conserved land	1.5%	5.2%	4.3%

1.5%

conserved · 3,942 of 257,131 acres

44 mi

of trails · 0.1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Orient Beach State Park	2.6 mi	382
2. Inlet Pond County Park	1.7 mi	59
3. Laurel Lake Preserve	1.2 mi	31

Full pageSouthold’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map44 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk2.6 miles of trail · Orient Beach State Park Conserved land1.5% conserved · 3,942 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Southold?”

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Southold

20pages on Southold

The big questions

SchoolsB⁺Beat 72% of NY districts · 9 schools SafetyB⁺0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NY on 17 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD⁻$1.12M typical home · up 2.5% in a year Work & commuteB$117K median household income · 7,326 jobs here Natural hazardsA⁺FEMA risk higher than 7% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA44 mi of trails · 2% conserved land PlacesAttractions129 nearby · Cedar Point County Park 7 mi LibraryA14.3 library visits per resident Colleges

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1640 · 29 on the National Register Famous people2 born in Southold Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 101 residents Climate81° summer highs · 27″ of snow

Day to day

News1 recent stories about Southold WeatherHandbookZIP code 11971 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Southold; the nearest are

Mitchell CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · New London, CT17.5 mi$40,490 tuition University of Connecticut-Avery PointUniversity or college · Public · Groton, CT18 mi$18,140 in-state tuition Suffolk County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Selden43.4 mi$6,630 in-state tuition

About 4 of every 100 Southold residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

By the sea

Southold lives by the ocean

Coastal flooding makes up 17% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.

30.1% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, so the town is fuller in summer than its census count suggests.

17%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding

98thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally

850paid flood-insurance claims since 1978

8storm & flood disasters paid out here

On the water

Orient Beach State Park Directions ↗
Long Beach Bay Tidal Wetlands Area Directions ↗
Orient Point County Park Directions ↗
5th Street Beach Park

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap

Landmarks

29 places in Southold on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Old House, TheNational Historic Landmark

FirefighterNational Historic Landmark

Orient Historic District

Gildersleeve, Andrew, Octagonal BuildingBuilt 1854

About Southold

Town in New York, United States

Official town website ↗

The Town of Southold is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located in the northeastern tip of the county, on the North Fork of Long Island. The population was 23,732 at the 2020 census. The town contains a hamlet, also named Southold, which was settled in 1640.

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

Established: 1640
Area: 404 sq mi
Elevation: 0 ft
ZIP code: 11971
Area code: 631

Southold’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Southold.

Explore the map →

It grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; East Hampton (B+) comes closest. Shelter Island next door grades lower for schools (C+ to Southold’s B+) and higher for cost of living (C− to D−).

How the neighbors grade

Town	NY rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Southold	#204	B⁺	D⁻	B⁺	B⁺	A
East Hampton	#273	B⁺	D⁻	—	B⁺	A
Shelter Island	#274	B⁺	C⁻	A⁻	C⁺	A⁻
Riverhead	#649	C⁻	D⁻	C	C⁻	B
Shelter Island Heights	—	—	—	—	—	—
Greenport West	—	—	—	—	—	—
Northville	—	—	—	—	—	—
Mattituck	—	—	—	—	—	—

East Hampton reports no FBI crime data of its own. Shelter Island Heights, Greenport West, Northville and Mattituck aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Southold with a neighbor →

Questions about Southold

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Southold, NY a good place to live?

For most people who can afford it, yes. Southold grades B+ overall, better than 74% of U.S. towns and #204 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health, B+ for safety and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Southold, 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 Southold, NY known for?

2 notable people were born here, including John Benedict and Mike Wheeler.

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