Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. It comprises the eastern two-thirds of Long Island, bordered to its west by Nassau County, to its east by Gardiners Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, to its north by Long Island Sound, and to its south by Great South Bay.
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, or the most populous if the New York City boroughs are not considered counties. 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 the New York City metropolitan area. The geographically largest of Long Island's four counties and the second-largest of New York state's 62 counties, Suffolk County is in length and 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
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.
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
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (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 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 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 in January to in July, and in the Riverhead town center they range from in January to in July, which includes both daytime and nighttime temperatures. PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State U 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
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
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 , with 569,985 households at an average density of . 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.
Law and government
|}
Suffolk County had long been a Republican bastion in the State of New York. U.S. Congressman Rick Lazio, who opposed Hillary Clinton in the 2000 Senate race, was from Suffolk County. However, the county shifted more toward the Democrats starting in the 1990s. In 2003, Democrat Steve Levy was elected county executive, ending longtime Republican control. In 2001, Democrat Thomas Spota was elected District Attorney, and ran unopposed in 2005. Although Suffolk voters gave George H. W. Bush a victory here in 1992, the county voted for Bill Clinton in 1996 and continued the trend by giving Al Gore an 11-percent victory in the county in 2000. 2004 Democratic candidate John Kerry won by a much smaller margin of one percent, in 2008 Democratic candidate Barack Obama won by a slightly larger 4.4 percent margin, 52%-47%.
In 2016, Republican candidate Donald Trump won Suffolk County by a 6.9 percent margin, becoming the first Republican to carry the county since 1992. In 2020, Trump again won Suffolk County; this time, however, it was decided by just 232 votes out of nearly 800,000 votes cast, making it the closest county in the nation in terms of percentage margin, and representing nearly a seven-point swing towards the Democratic ticket of former Vice President Joe Biden and junior California senator Kamala Harris. In percentage terms, it was the closest county in the state, although Ontario County and Warren County had narrower raw vote margins of just 33 and 57 votes, respectively. Suffolk was one of five counties in the state that Trump won by less than 500 votes. With Tarrant County, Texas and Maricopa County, Arizona flipping Democratic in 2020, Suffolk, along with Collin County, Texas were the most populous counties in the nation to vote for Trump.
As a whole, both Suffolk and Nassau counties are considered swing counties. However, until 2016, they tended not to receive significant attention from presidential candidates, as the state of New York has turned reliably Democratic at the national level. In 2008 and 2012, Hofstra University in Nassau County hosted a presidential debate. Hofstra hosted the first debate of the 2016 presidential election season, on September 26, 2016, making Hofstra the first college or university in the United States to host a presidential debate in three consecutive elections. The presence on the 2016 ticket of Westchester County resident Hillary Clinton and Manhattan resident Donald Trump resulted in greater attention by the candidates to the concerns of Long Island. Trump visited Long Island voters and donors at least four times while Clinton made one stop for voters and one additional stop in the Hamptons for donors. After the 2022 midterm election results were counted, Suffolk appears to have moved further to the right. Republican gubernatorial candidate and Suffolk County native Lee Zeldin won the county by more than 17 points over the Democrat candidate Kathy Hochul.
Suffolk County Executives
* Appointed to complete Cohalan's term.
** Levy was originally elected as a Democrat, but became a Republican in 2010.
Suffolk County Legislature
The county has 18 legislative districts, each represented by a legislator. As of 2022, there were 10 Republicans, 7 Democrats, and 1 Conservative.
Historical composition of the Suffolk County Legislature
Republicans controlled the county legislature until a landmark election in November 2005 where three Republican seats switched to the Democrats, giving them control. In November 2007, the Democratic Party once again retained control over the Suffolk County Legislature, picking up one seat in the process. In November 2009, the Republican Party regained the seat lost in 2007 but remained in the minority for the 2010-2011 session. In November 2011, the Democratic Party maintained control over the Suffolk County Legislature picking up one seat that had been held by an Independence Party member. In November 2013, the Republican Party gained the 14th district seat, but remained in the minority until 2021, when the GOP flipped the county legislature, picking up three seats with incumbents Robert Calarco (the sitting Presiding Officer) and Susan Berland (the sitting Majority Leader) losing their bids for re-election.
Law enforcement
Police services in the five western towns (Babylon, Huntington, Islip, Smithtown and Brookhaven) are provided primarily by the Suffolk County Police Department. The five "East End" towns (Riverhead, Southold, Shelter Island, East Hampton, and Southampton), maintain their own police and other law enforcement agencies. Also, there are a number of villages, such as Amityville, Lloyd Harbor, Northport, and Westhampton Beach that maintain their own police forces. In 1994, the Village of Greenport voted to abolish its police department and turn responsibility for law and order over to the Southold police department.
After the Long Island State Parkway Police was disbanded in 1980, all state parkways in Suffolk County became the responsibility of Troop L of the New York State Police, headquartered at Republic Airport. State parks, such as Robert Moses State Park, are the responsibility of the New York State Park Police, based at Belmont Lake State Park. In 1996, the Long Island Rail Road Police Department was consolidated into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police, which has jurisdiction over all rail lines in the county. Since the New York state legislature created the New York State University Police in 1999, they are in charge of all law enforcement services for State University of New York property and campuses. The State University Police have jurisdiction in Suffolk County at Stony Brook University and Farmingdale State College.
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office is a separate agency. The sheriff, an elected official who serves a four-year term, operates the two Suffolk County correctional facilities (in Yaphank and Riverhead), provides county courthouse security and detention, service and enforcement of civil papers, evictions and warrants. The Sheriff's Office is also responsible for securing all county-owned property, such as county government office buildings, as well as the campuses of the Suffolk County Community College. As of 2008, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office employed 275 Deputy Sheriffs, 850 corrections officers, and about 200 civilian staff.
Suffolk County has a long maritime history with several outer barrier beaches and hundreds of square miles of waterways. The Suffolk Police Marine Bureau patrols the of navigable waterways within the police district, from the Connecticut and Rhode Island state line which bisects Long Island Sound to the New York state line south of Fire Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Some Suffolk County towns (Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, East Hampton, Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown) also employ various bay constables and other local marine patrol, which are sworn armed peace officers with full arrest powers, providing back up to the Suffolk Police Marine Bureau as well as the United States Coast Guard.
This includes Fire Island and parts of Jones Island barrier beaches and the islands of the Great South Bay. Marine units also respond to water and ice rescues on the inland lakes, ponds, and streams of the District.
In February 2019, legislator Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) put forward a resolution to recover salary and benefits from James Burke, the county's former police chief. Burke had pled guilty to beating a man while in police custody and attempting to conceal it, and the county had paid the victim $1.5 million in a settlement; it had also paid Burke more than $500,000 in benefits and salary while Burke was concealing his conduct. Trotta said that the faithless servant doctrine in New York common law gave him the power to claw back the compensation. The Suffolk County Legislature supported the suit unanimously. The following month Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone signed the bill.
Also in February 2019, a court ruled against the Suffolk County jail in the case of a former inmate who was denied hormone replacement therapy by the jail's doctors. Documents introduced in the trial indicate 11 other inmates were also denied treatment.
Courts
Suffolk County is part of the 10th Judicial District of the New York State Unified Court System; is home to the Alfonse M. D'Amato Courthouse of the Federal U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York; and has various local municipal courts. The State Courts are divided into Supreme Court, which has general jurisdiction over all cases, and lower courts that either hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or of a specific nature. Similarly, the local courts hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or hear specific types of cases. The Federal Court has jurisdiction over Federal Claims, State Law claims that are joined with Federal claims, and claims where there is a diversity of citizenship.
Supreme Court
The Suffolk County Supreme Court is a trial court of unlimited general original jurisdiction, but it generally only hears cases that are outside the subject-matter jurisdiction of other trial courts of more limited jurisdiction. The Suffolk County Clerk is the Clerk of the Court of the Supreme Court.
The main courthouse for the Supreme Court is in Riverhead, which has been the court's home since 1729. The original courthouse was replaced in 1855, and that courthouse was expanded in 1881. The courthouse was damaged by fire and rebuilt in 1929. In 1994, a new court building was added to the complex. This Courthouse was dedicated as the "Alan D. Oshrin Supreme Court Building" on August 1, 2011.
The Supreme Court also shares space in the Cohalan Court Complex in Central Islip with several other courts and county agencies. Matrimonial actions are heard in the Supreme Court, and those matters are generally heard in the Supreme Court section of the Cohalan Court Complex.
Other Superior Courts
The Suffolk County Court is a trial court of limited jurisdiction. It has jurisdiction over all of Suffolk County, and is authorized to handle criminal prosecutions of both felonies and lesser offenses committed within the county, although in practice most minor offenses are handled by the local courts. It is the trial court for felonies, or where a person is indicted by a Grand Jury in Suffolk County. The County Court also has limited jurisdiction in civil cases, generally involving amounts up to $25,000. The County Court is in the Cromarty Court Complex Criminal Courts Building in Riverhead.
The Suffolk County Surrogate's Court hears cases involving the affairs of decedents, including the probate of wills and the administration of estates, guardianships, and adoptions. The Surrogate's Court is in the County Center in Riverhead.
The Suffolk County Family Court has jurisdiction over all of Suffolk County in petitions filed for Neglect & Abuse, Juvenile Delinquency/Designated Felonies, Persons in Need of Supervision, Adoption, Guardianship, Foster Care, Family Offense (Order of Protection), Custody & Visitation, Paternity, Support Matters (Child & Spousal), Consent to Marry. The court also has a Juvenile Drug Court and Family Treatment Court. Individuals, attorneys, and agencies may initiate a proceeding in the Family Court with the filing of a petition. The Suffolk County Family Court is in the Cohalan Court Complex in Central Islip and maintains a facility in Riverhead. Case assignment is dependent upon the geographical location of the parties.
Local courts
The District Court and the Town and Village Courts are the local courts of Suffolk County. There are more than 30 local courts, each with limited criminal and civil subject matter and geographic jurisdictions. The local criminal courts have trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors, violations and infractions; preliminary jurisdiction over felonies; and traffic tickets charging a crime. The local civil courts calendar small claims, evictions, and civil actions.
Suffolk County District Court has geographic jurisdiction over the 5 western towns of Suffolk County (Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip & Smithtown). The Criminal division of the Suffolk District Court is in the Cohalan Court Complex, Central Islip, and includes Domestic Violence Courts, Drug Court, and a Mental Health Court. The Civil division is divided up in the 5 "outlying" courthouses in Lindenhurst, Huntington Station, Hauppauge, Ronkonkoma, and Patchogue. Civil actions may be filed up to $15,000, and small claims actions up to $5000. Actions are commenced by filing with the court. Summary proceedings under the RPAPL are filed in the district where the property is located.
The Town Courts of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Southold have geographic jurisdiction over the 5 eastern towns of Suffolk County. Each town maintains a courthouse where judges hear criminal cases (including a regional Drug Court) and civil actions. Civil actions are commenced by serving a summons and complaint for claims up to $3,000, and small claims actions are heard up to $3000. Summary proceedings under the RPAPL are filed in the town where the property is located.
The Village Courts of Amityville, Asharoken, Babylon, Belle Terre, Bellport, Brightwaters, Head of the Harbor, Huntington Bay, Islandia, Lake Grove, Lindenhurst, Lloyd Harbor, Nissequogue, Northport, Ocean Beach, Old Field, Patchogue, Poquott, Port Jefferson, Quogue, Sag Harbor, Saltaire, Shoreham, Southampton, Village of the Branch, West Hampton Dunes, and Westhampton Beach have geographic jurisdiction within each incorporated village. Criminal and civil subject matter jurisdiction varies in each court.
Most non-criminal moving violation tickets issued in the 5 west towns are handled by the Traffic Violations Bureau, which is part of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, not the court system.
Economy
Education
Colleges and universities
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:
Amagansett Union Free School District
Amityville Union Free School District
Babylon Union Free School District
Bay Shore Union Free School District
Bayport-Blue Point Union Free School District
Brentwood Union Free School District
Bridgehampton Union Free School District
Brookhaven-Comsewogue Union Free School District
Center Moriches Union Free School District
Central Islip Union Free School District
Cold Spring Harbor Central School District
Commack Union Free School District
Connetquot Central School District
Copiague Union Free School District
Deer Park Union Free School District
East Hampton Union Free School District
East Islip Union Free School District
East Moriches Union Free School District
East Quogue Union Free School District
Eastport-South Manor Central School District
Elwood Union Free School District
Farmingdale Union Free School District
Fire Island Union Free School District (Only operates elementary school)
Fishers Island Union Free School District
William Floyd Union Free School District
Greenport Union Free School District
Half Hollow Hills Central School District
Hampton Bays Union Free School District
Harborfields Central School District
Hauppauge Union Free School District
Huntington Union Free School District
Islip Union Free School District
Kings Park Central School District
Lindenhurst Union Free School District
Middle Country Central School District
Longwood Central School District
Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District
Miller Place Union Free School District
Montauk Union Free School District
Mount Sinai Union Free School District
New Suffolk Common School District
North Babylon Union Free School District
Northport-East Northport Union Free School District
Oysterponds Union Free School District
Patchogue-Medford Union Free School District
Port Jefferson Union Free School District
Quogue Union Free School District
Remsenburg-Speonk Union Free School District
Riverhead Central School District
Rocky Point Union Free School District
Sachem Central School District
Sag Harbor Union Free School District
Sagaponack Common School District
Sayville Union Free School District
Shelter Island Union Free School District
Shoreham-Wading River Central School District
Smithtown Central School District
South Country Central School District
South Huntington Union Free School District
Southampton Union Free School District
Southold Union Free School District
Springs Union Free School District
Three Village Central School District
Tuckahoe Common School District
Wainscott Common School District
West Babylon Union Free School District
West Islip Union Free School District
Westhampton Beach Union Free School District
Wyandanch Union Free School District
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
WBZO, Bay Shore
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
WXBA, Brentwood
Television stations
WFTY-DT, Smithtown
WLNY-TV, Riverhead
WVVH-CD, Southampton
Suffolk 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 across Great South Bay to Captree Island features a main span of , with a clearance for boats of .
After crossing the State Boat Channel over its -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%
Health
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic first affected the county. As of December 12, 2020, there are a total of 73,281 cases and 2,153 deaths.
Communities
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
Babylon (217,656)
Brookhaven (488,497)
East Hampton (28,607)
Huntington (203,243)
Islip (337,922)
Riverhead (35,834)
Shelter Island (3,276)
Smithtown (115,768)
Southampton (69,490)
Southold (23,912)
Villages (incorporated)
Amityville (9,573)
Asharoken (603)
Babylon (12,146)
Belle Terre (782)
Bellport (2,197)
Brightwaters (3,170)
Dering Harbor (36)
East Hampton (1,531)
Greenport (2,583)
Head of the Harbor (1,481)
Huntington Bay (1,427)
Islandia (3,568)
Lake Grove (11,041)
Lindenhurst (27,064)
Lloyd Harbor (3,551)
Nissequogue (1,603)
North Haven (1,161)
Northport (7,300)
Ocean Beach (171)
Old Field (906)
Patchogue (12,344)
Poquott (925)
Port Jefferson (8,059)
Quogue (1,687)
Sag Harbor (2,785)
Sagaponack (736)
Saltaire (110)
Shoreham (521)
Southampton (4,615)
Village of the Branch (1,759)
Westhampton Beach (2,183)
West Hampton Dunes (115)
Census-designated places (unincorporated)
Amagansett
Aquebogue
Baiting Hollow
Bay Shore
Bayport
Baywood
Blue Point
Bohemia
Brentwood
Bridgehampton
Brookhaven
Calverton
Captree
Center Moriches
Centereach
Centerport
Central Islip
Cold Spring Harbor
Commack
Copiague
Coram
Cutchogue
Deer Park
Dix Hills
East Farmingdale
East Hampton North
East Islip
East Marion
East Moriches
East Northport
East Patchogue
East Quogue
East Setauket
East Shoreham
Eastport
Eatons Neck
Elwood
Farmingville
Fire Island
Fishers Island
Flanders
Fort Salonga
Gilgo
Gordon Heights
Great River
Greenlawn
Greenport West
Halesite
Hampton Bays
Hauppauge
Holbrook
Holtsville
Huntington
Huntington Station
Islip
Islip Terrace
Jamesport
Kings Park
Lake Ronkonkoma
Laurel
Manorville
Mastic
Mastic Beach
Mattituck
Medford
Melville
Middle Island
Miller Place
Montauk
Moriches
Mount Sinai
Napeague
Nesconset
New Suffolk
North Amityville
North Babylon
North Bay Shore
North Bellport
North Great River
North Lindenhurst
North Patchogue
North Sea
Northampton
Northville
Northwest Harbor
Noyack
Oak Beach
Oakdale
Orient
Peconic
Port Jefferson Station
Quiogue
Remsenburg-Speonk
Ridge
Riverhead
Riverside
Rocky Point
Ronkonkoma
Sayville
Selden
Setauket
Shelter Island
Shelter Island Heights
Shinnecock
Shirley
Smithtown
Sound Beach
South Huntington
Southold
Springs
St. James
Stony Brook
Stony Brook University
Terryville
Tuckahoe
Wading River
Wainscott
Water Mill
West Babylon
West Bay Shore
West Hills
West Islip
West Sayville
Westhampton
Wheatley Heights
Wyandanch
Yaphank
Gardiners Island
Gardiners Island is an island off eastern Suffolk County. The Island is long, and wide and has 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 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 MacArther 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.
Notable people
Craig Biggio
Mick Foley
Kevin James
Loudon Wainwright III
Carl Yastrzemski
See also
List of counties in New York
National Register of Historic Places listings in Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County, Farmland Development Rights
USS Suffolk County (LST-1173)
References
Bibliography
Retrieved October 10, 2021. ; .
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External links
Long Island History: Suffolk County
Suffolk County Police
Suffolk Historical Newspapers
Map of Suffolk County CDPs in 2010
Map of Suffolk County CDPs in 2000
1683 establishments in the Province of New York
Counties in the New York metropolitan area
Long Island Sound
Populated places established in 1683