2010 10 23 lhr-iad-bos 179, 2010
Stony Brook University’s story
69 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2010.
- 1957Stony Brook University is settled
Stony Brook UniversityNY
Today 9,530 people live in this town, first settled in 1957.
Is Stony Brook University a good place to live?
3% of residents are 65 or older in Stony Brook University, against 20% in New York’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. No town among the 759 in New York we compare has a lower share of children under 18 than Stony Brook University. Stony Brook University’s density of trails is 2.9 miles per square mile, above both New York’s towns (0.4) and U.S. towns (0.4). We don’t grade Stony Brook University yet; the figures below are still real.
What makes Stony Brook University stand out
Where Stony Brook University beats most towns.
A growing town
Stony Brook University has grown 13% from 2010 to 2020
9,216 counted in 2010 and 10,409 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Nearby attractions
All 555 attractions →Citi Field and 111 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Stony Brook University. Close and well known come first.
Big draw39 mi Stadium & arenaCiti Field
Big draw39 mi Stadium & arenaEtihad Park
40 mi City parkFlushing Meadows–Corona Park
38 mi LandmarkFerncliff Cemetery
28 mi Stadium & arenaNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
40 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 · 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 · Bronx Zoo: Stavenn, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Stony Brook University: who provides what
Stony Brook University is unincorporated, so Suffolk County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPSEG Long Island26.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSuffolk County Water AuthorityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSuffolk CountySuffolk County provides services here
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 codes11790, 11794, 1173311790 79% · 11794 17% · 11733 4%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 Stony Brook University.
Work & commute
With 3.2 jobs for every working resident, Stony Brook University draws in 7,472 commuters
The top destinations are New York (39%), Brookhaven (7%) and Hempstead (6%). Most working residents leave Stony Brook University for work: only 5% work in town. Since 2013, Stony Brook University has lost 8,348 jobs, to 7,585 in 2023. The town’s average commute stands at 16 minutes.
5%work in town
| Stony Brook University | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Stony Brook University5%
New York39%
Brookhaven7%
Hempstead6%
Babylon5%
39 mi
median commute distance
7,585
jobs based in Stony Brook University
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Compared with most of New York and the rest of the country, the FEMA risk score in Stony Brook University is lower
Nearly a third of Stony Brook University’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 30%. One flood insurance claim has been paid in the town since 2024. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 99% of U.S. communities.
1risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingHurricanes
1
paid flood claims since 2024
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Stony Brook University
Its peak summer temperature stands at 83°F.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–41°
Spring40–59°
Summer63–81°
Fall47–64°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+2.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A smaller share of adults in Stony Brook University have high blood pressure than in the typical New York or U.S. town
The share of adults in Stony Brook University who report frequent mental distress: 21%. No town among the 756 in New York we compare has a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Stony Brook University. Also worth knowing: the town beats the New York average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. Only 10 of the 756 New York towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have obesity than Stony Brook University.
| Stony Brook University | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 2.4% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 6.8% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 34% | 35% |
32 measures vs. New York
14 better9 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Stony Brook University | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 1.3% | 7.7% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 4.9% | 24% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 37.3% | 77.2% |
Suny/Stony Brook University Hospital
0.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conservation land takes up 1.2% of Stony Brook University
4.6 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve.
1.2%conserved
1.2%
conserved · 13 of 1,048 acres
4.6 mi
of trails · 2.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Staller Steps | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Stony Brook University
15pages on Stony Brook University
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Stony Brook University
Stony Brook UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Stony Brook0.3 mi$10,931 in-state tuitionSuffolk County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Selden5.4 mi$6,630 in-state tuition
College town 96 of every 100 Stony Brook University residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
A job hub
Every workday, about 7,472 people come to Stony Brook University for work
Where Stony Brook University’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
7,585jobs based in Stony Brook University
5%of working residents work in town
39 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Stony Brook University
Public university in Stony Brook, New York, US
The State University of New York at Stony Brook, commonly referred to as Stony Brook University (SBU), is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York, United States, on Long Island. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York system's two flagship institutions. Its campus consists of 213 buildings on over 1,454 acres (588 hectares) of land in Suffolk County and it is the largest public university (by area) in the state of New York. Opened 69 years ago in 1957 in Oyster Bay as the State University College on Long Island, the institution moved to Stony Brook in 1962. Stony Brook is part of the Association of American Universities and the Unive…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1957
- Elevation
- 128 ft
- ZIP code
- 11794
Stony Brook University’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Stony Brook University.
Stony BrookEast SetauketSetauketStony Brook University
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stony Brook University | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stony Brook | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| East Setauket | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Setauket | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, East Setauket and Setauket aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Stony Brook University with a neighbor →
Questions about Stony Brook University
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Stony Brook University, NY a good place to live?
We don’t grade Stony Brook University yet; the figures below are still real.