Suffolk County, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Suffolk County
County
Dawn over Montauk Point Light
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	New York
Founded	1683
Named for	Suffolk, England
Seat	Riverhead
Largest town	Brookhaven
Area
• Total	2,373 sq mi (6,150 km2)
• Land	912 sq mi (2,360 km2)
• Water	1,461 sq mi (3,780 km2)  62%
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,525,920
• Density	1,637.0/sq mi (632.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	1st, 2nd

Suffolk County (/ˈsʌfək/) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York, constituting the eastern two-thirds of Long Island. It is bordered to its west by Nassau County, to its east by Gardiners Bay and the open Atlantic Ocean, to its north by Long Island Sound, and to its south by the Atlantic Ocean.

As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was 1,525,920, its highest decennial count ever, making Suffolk the fourth-most populous county in the State of New York, and the most populous outside of the boroughs of New York City. Its county seat is Riverhead, though most county offices are in Hauppauge. The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, the origin of its earliest European settlers.

Suffolk County incorporates the easternmost extreme of both the New York City metropolitan area and New York State. The geographically largest of Long Island's four counties and the second-largest of New York's 62 counties, Suffolk County is 86 miles (138 km) in length and 26 miles (42 km) in width at its widest (including water). Most of the island is near sea level, with over 1,000 miles of coastline.

Like other parts of Long Island, the county's high population density and proximity to New York City has resulted in a diverse economy, including industry, science, agriculture, fishery, and tourism. Major scientific research facilities in Suffolk County include Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Huntington, and Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Plum Island. The county is home to Stony Brook University in Stony Brook and Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale.

History

Sign referring to Suffolk County's 1683 founding

Suffolk County was part of the Connecticut Colony before becoming an original county of the Province of New York, one of twelve created in 1683. From 1664 until 1683, it had been the East Riding of Yorkshire. Its boundaries were essentially the same as at present, with only minor changes in the boundary with its western neighbor, which was originally Queens County but has been Nassau County since the separation of Nassau from Queens in 1899.

During the American Revolutionary War, Great Britain occupied Suffolk County after the retreat of George Washington's forces in the Battle of Long Island, and the county remained under occupation until the British evacuation of New York on November 25, 1783.

According to the Suffolk County website, the county is the leading agricultural county in the state of New York, saying that: "The weather is temperate, clean water is abundant, and the soil is so good that Suffolk is the leading agricultural county in New York State. That Suffolk is still number one in farming, even with the development that has taken place, is a tribute to thoughtful planning, along with the excellent soil, favorable weather conditions, and the work of the dedicated farmers in this region."

Geography

Shinnecock Canal

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 2,373 square miles (6,150 km²), of which 912 square miles (2,360 km²) is land and 1,461 square miles (3,780 km²) (62%) is water. It is the second-largest county in New York by total area and occupies 66% of the land area of Long Island.

Suffolk County occupies the central and eastern part of Long Island, in the extreme east of the State of New York. The eastern end of the county splits into two peninsulas, known as the North Fork and the South Fork. The county is surrounded by water on three sides, including the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound, with 980 miles (1,580 km) of coastline. The eastern end contains large bays.

The highest elevation in the county, and on Long Island as a whole, is Jayne's Hill in West Hills, at 401 feet (122 m) above sea level. This low lying-geography means that much of the county is vulnerable to sea level rise.

Climate

Suffolk County sits at the convergence of climate zones including the humid continental (Dfa) and humid subtropical (Cfa), bordering closely on an oceanic climate (Cfb). The majority of the county by land area is in the Dfa zone. Summers are cooler at the east end than in the western part of the county. The hardiness zone is 7a, except in Copiague Harbor, Lindenhurst, and Montauk, where it is 7b. Average monthly temperatures in Hauppauge range from 31.0 °F (−0.6 °C) in January to 74.0 °F (23.3 °C) in July, and in the Riverhead town center they range from 30.1 °F (−1.1 °C) in January to 72.8 °F (22.7 °C) in July, which includes both daytime and nighttime temperatures. On February 9, 2013, Suffolk County was besieged with 30 inches of snow, making it the largest day of snowfall on record in Suffolk.

Adjacent counties

Suffolk County has maritime boundaries with five other U.S. counties and is connected by land only to Nassau County.

• Nassau County - west
• Fairfield County, Connecticut - northwest
• New Haven County, Connecticut - north
• Middlesex County, Connecticut - north
• New London County, Connecticut - north
• Washington County, Rhode Island - northeast

National protected areas

• Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge
• Conscience Point National Wildlife Refuge
• Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge
• Fire Island National Seashore
• Sayville National Wildlife Refuge
• Seatuck National Wildlife Refuge
• Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge
• Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge

Western Fire Island from Fire Island Lighthouse

Demographics

According to the 2010 U.S. census there were 1,493,350 people and 569,985 households residing in the county. The census estimated Suffolk County's population decreased slightly to 1,481,093 in 2018, representing 7.5% of the census-estimated New York State population of 19,745,289 and 19.0% of the census-estimated Long Island population of 7,869,820. The population density in 2010 was 1,637 people per square mile (632 people/km²), with 569,985 households at an average density of 625 per square mile (241/km²). However, by 2012, with an estimated total population increasing moderately to 1,499,273 there were 569,359 housing units. As of 2006, Suffolk County was the 21st-most populous county in the United States.

By 2014, the county's racial makeup was estimated at 85.2% White, 8.3% African American, 0.6% Native American, 4.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those identifying as Hispanic or Latino, of any race, were 18.2% of the population. Those who identified as "white alone", not being of Hispanic or Latino origin, represented 69.3% of the population. In 2006, the county's racial or ethnic makeup was 83.6% White (75.4% White Non-Hispanic). African Americans were 7.4% of the population. Asians stood at 3.4% of the population. 5.4% were of other or mixed race. Latinos were 13.0% of the population. In 2007, Suffolk County's most common ethnicities were Italian (29.5%), Irish (24.0%), and German (17.6%).

In 2002, The New York Times cited a study by the non-profit group ERASE Racism, which determined Suffolk and its neighboring county, Nassau, to be the most racially segregated suburbs in the United States.

In 2006, there were 469,299 households, of which 37.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.00% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non-families. 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

In 2008, Forbes magazine released its American Community Survey and named Suffolk County number 4 in its list of the top 25 richest counties in America. In 2016, according to Business Insider, the 11962 zip code encompassing Sagaponack, within Southampton, was listed as the most expensive in the U.S., with a median home sale price of $8.5 million.

The median income for a household in the county was $84,767, and the median income for a family was $72,112. Males had a median income of $50,046 versus $33,281 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,577. Using a weighted average from 2009 to 2014 about 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line In earlier censuses, the population below the poverty line included 2.70% of those under age 18 and 2.30% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Education

Colleges and universities

Stony Brook University in Stony Brook

St. Joseph's University in Patchogue

• State University of New York
  • Stony Brook University in Stony Brook with a satellite campus in Southampton
  • Farmingdale State College in East Farmingdale
  • Suffolk County Community College in Selden, Riverhead, and Brentwood, satellite centers in Sayville and Riverhead
• Private
  • Five Towns College in Dix Hills
  • St. Joseph's University in Patchogue
  • Touro University System with its School of Health Sciences in Central Islip and its Law Center in Central Islip
  • Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory School of Biological Sciences in Cold Spring Harbor
• Satellite and branch campuses
  • Adelphi University in Hauppauge
  • Long Island University in Brentwood and Riverhead, on the campuses of Suffolk County Community College
  • Molloy University in Amityville

School districts

School districts (all officially designated for grades K-12) include:

Media

Newspapers

• Amityville Record
• Bayport-Blue Point Gazette
• Dan's Papers
• Fire Island News
• Newsday
• Sayville Gazette
• Shelter Island Reporter
• The Beacon
• The East Hampton Press
• The East Hampton Star
• The Islip Bulletin
• The Long Island Advance
• The Port Times Record
• The Riverhead News-Review
• The Shelter Island Reporter
• The Southampton Press
• The Suffolk County News
• The Suffolk Times
• The Tide of Moriches and Manorville
• The Times Beacon Record
• The Times of Huntington
• The Times of Middle Country
• The Times of Northport and East Northport
• The Times of Smithtown
• The Village Beacon Record
• The Village Times Herald

Radio stations

• WALK-FM, Patchogue
• WAPP-LP, Westhampton
• WBAB, Babylon
• WBAZ, Bridgehampton
• WBEA, Southold
• WBLI, Patchogue
• WBON, Westhampton
• WBWD, Islip
• WEER, Montauk
• WEGB, Napeague
• WEGQ, Quogue
• WEHM, Manorville
• WEHN, East Hampton
• WELJ, Montauk
• WFRS, Smithtown
• WFTU, Riverhead
• WGSS, Copiague
• WHFM, Southampton
• WJJF, Montauk
• WJVC, Center Moriches
• WLID, Patchogue
• WLIM, Medford
• WLIR-FM, Hampton Bays
• WLIW-FM, Southampton
• WLIX-LP, Ridge
• WLNG, Sag Harbor
• WNYG, Patchogue
• WNYH, Huntington
• WPTY, Calverton-Roanoke
• WRCN-FM, Riverhead
• WRIV, Riverhead
• WRLI, Southampton
• WSHR, Lake Ronkonkoma
• WSUF, Noyack
• WUSB, Stony Brook
• WWSK, Smithtown
• WWWF-FM, Bay Shore
• WXBA, Brentwood

Television stations

• WFTY-DT, Smithtown
• WLNY-TV, Riverhead
• WVVH-CD, Southampton

Suffolk seashore

Fire Island Lighthouse

Fire Island National Seashore

Fire Island Lighthouse was an important landmark for many trans-Atlantic ships coming into New York Harbor in the early 20th century. For many European immigrants, the Fire Island Light was their first sight of land upon arrival in America.

The Fire Island Inlet span of the Robert Moses Causeway connects to Robert Moses State Park on the western tip of Fire Island.

The Great South Bay Bridge, the first causeway bridge, had only one northbound and one southbound lane, was opened to traffic in April 1954. The span of 2 miles (3 km) across Great South Bay to Captree Island features a main span of 600 feet (200 m), with a clearance for boats of 60 feet (20 m).

After crossing the State Boat Channel over its 665-foot (203 m)-long bascule bridge, the causeway meets the Ocean Parkway at a cloverleaf interchange. This interchange provides access to Captree State Park, Gilgo State Park and Jones Beach State Park.

The Fire Island Inlet Bridge continues the two-lane road, one lane in each direction, across Fire Island Inlet to its terminus at Robert Moses State Park and The Fire Island Lighthouse. Robert Moses Causeway opened in 1964.

Suffolk County has the most lighthouses of any United States county, with 15 of its original 26 lighthouses still standing. Of these 15, eight are in Southold township alone, giving it more lighthouses than any other township in the United States.

Secessionist movements

At various times, there have been proposals for a division of Suffolk County into two counties. The western portion would be called Suffolk County, while the eastern portion of the current Suffolk County would comprise a new county to be called Peconic County. Peconic County would consist of the five easternmost towns of Suffolk County: East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold, plus the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.

The proposed Peconic County flag showed the two forks at the east end of Long Island separated by Peconic Bay. The star on the north represents Southold. The stars on the South Fork represent Southampton and East Hampton. Riverhead is at the fork mouth and Shelter Island is between the forks.

The secessionist movement has not been active since 1998.

The End of the Hamptons: Scenes from the Class Struggle in America's Paradise, by Corey Dolgon (New York University Press, 2005) examined the class roots of the secessionist movement in the Hamptons. In his review, Howard Zinn wrote that the book "[t]akes us beyond the much-romanticized beaches of Long Island to the rich entrepreneurs and their McMansions, the Latino workers, and the stubborn indigenous residents refusing to disappear. The book is important because it is in so many ways a microcosm of the nation." The book won the Association for Humanist Sociology's 2005 Book Prize and the American Sociological Association's Marxist Section Book Award in 2007.

Matt DeSimone, a young adult from Southold, and his partner Jake Dominy unsuccessfully started a similar movement in the late 2010s.

Finance and taxation

Suffolk County has an 8.625% sales tax, compared to an overall New York State sales tax of 4%, consisting of an additional 4.25% on top of the state and MTA assessment of .375%

Communities

Montauk Lighthouse, a Suffolk County landmark

Municipalities of Suffolk County

A map outlining the villages (grey), hamlets, and CDPs of Suffolk County

In the State of New York, a town is the major subdivision of each county. Towns provide or arrange for most municipal services for residents of hamlets and selected services for residents of villages. All residents of New York who do not live in a city or on an Indian reservation live in a town. A village is an incorporated area which is usually, but not always, within a single town. A village is a clearly defined municipality that provides the services closest to the residents, such as garbage collection, street and highway maintenance, street lighting and building codes. Some villages provide their own police and other optional services. A hamlet is an informally defined populated area within a town that is not part of a village.

Figures in parentheses are 2022 population estimates from the Census Bureau.

Towns

Villages (incorporated)

Census-designated places (unincorporated)

• 

  West Gilgo Beach, New York - Oak Beach

• 

  Huntington Bay, New York

• 

  Riverhead, New York

• 

  Watermill, New York

Gardiners Island

Gardiners Island in Suffolk County

Gardiners Island is an island off eastern Suffolk County. The Island is 6 miles (10 km) long, and 3 miles (5 km) wide and has 27 miles (43 km) of coastline. The same family has owned the Island for nearly 400 years; one of the largest privately owned islands in America or the world. In addition, it is the only American real estate still intact as part of an original royal grant from the English Crown.

Robins Island

Robins Island is an Island in the Peconic Bay between the North and South folks of eastern Suffolk County. It is within the jurisdiction of Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York. The Island is 435 acres (1.8 km²) and presently undeveloped. The island is privately owned and not accessible to the public.

Indian reservations

Two Indian reservations are within the borders of Suffolk County:

• Shinnecock Reservation
• Poospatuck Reservation

Transportation

The county includes a lot of roadways and other public transportation infrastructure. The local Suffolk County Legislature oversees funding and regulations for the infrastructure. In 2019, the legislature required all new projects to account for future climate change caused sea level rise.

Major highways

• I-495 (Long Island Expressway) traverses the county from the Nassau County line in the West to Riverhead in the East. Original plans called for the Expressway to extend further past Riverhead and along the island's North Fork, possibly to Orient Point, where a crossing to Connecticut could be built. The expressway connects to Manhattan via the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.
• New York State Route 27 crosses the county from the Nassau County line in the West to Montauk Point in the East, which is also the easternmost point in the State of New York. The road is limited-access from West Babylon to Southampton.

Airports

Commercial Airport:

• Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP/KISP)

General Aviation Airport:

• Republic Airport (FRG/KFRG)
• Brookhaven Calabro Airport (WSH/KHWV/HWV)
• Francis S. Gabreski Airport (FOK/KFOK)
• Town of East Hampton Airport (JPX/KJPX)
• Elizabeth Field (Fisher's Island) (FID/0B8)

Public transportation

Suffolk County is served by Suffolk County Transit. Long Island Rail Road, the Hampton Jitney, and Hampton Luxury Liner connect Suffolk County to New York City. Some parts of Suffolk County are also served by NICE bus.

Notable people

• Craig Biggio
• Jimmy Buffett
• Mariah Carey
• Mick Foley
• Kevin James
• Loudon Wainwright III
• Carl Yastrzemski

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Suffolk (Nueva York) para niños