The Town FilesCentereach, New York
Community in Suffolk County · population 30,980 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $514,800
- Household income
- $132,240
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 38.4
Centereach is a community of 30,980 people in Suffolk County, New York. The median home is worth $514,800, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of New York towns, better for families than 92% of New York towns, more of a college town than 92% of New York towns.
How Centereach ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Centereach is worth $514,800, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $132,240, which is more affordable than 27% of New York towns. Median rent is $2,420 a month. 86.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Centereach | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $514,800 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $2,420 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $132,240 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Centereach
| People | Centereach | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.5% | — |
| Work from home | 11.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Centereach
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 24.6°F. About 46.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Centereach since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 30, 1998 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 13, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 4, 2015.
Severe weather in Suffolk County since 1996
Suffolk County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4839: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| August 25, 2024 | Severe Storm | EM-3613: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Suffolk County
Suffolk County had 679,594 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,121 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Centereach itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Centereach
8 public schools with 5,574 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CENTEREACH HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,464 | 12.6 |
| SELDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,053 | 14.4 |
| DAWNWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,020 | 13.8 |
| UNITY DRIVE KINDERGARTEN-PRE K CENTER | PK-K | 538 | 28.3 |
| JERICHO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-8 | 421 | 17.5 |
| HOLBROOK ROAD SCHOOL | 1-5 | 380 | 18.1 |
| OXHEAD ROAD SCHOOL | 1-5 | 359 | 15.6 |
| NORTH COLEMAN ROAD SCHOOL | PK-5 | 339 | 21.2 |
Towns near Centereach
- Selden, NY1.9 mi · 21,262 people · home $462,000
- Lake Grove, NY1.9 mi · 11,072 people · home $598,900
- Farmingville, NY3.0 mi · 14,983 people · home $472,100
- Lake Ronkonkoma, NY3.1 mi · 18,619 people · home $525,000
- Terryville, NY3.3 mi · 11,472 people · home $481,200
- Stony Brook University, NY3.5 mi · 10,409 people · home —
- Stony Brook, NY3.6 mi · 13,467 people · home $623,300
- St. James, NY3.7 mi · 13,487 people · home $652,700
Centereach questions
Is Centereach, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Centereach scores better for retirees than 13% of New York towns and quieter than 12%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Centereach?
The median owner-occupied home in Centereach is valued at $514,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $132,240, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $2,420 a month.
What is the weather like in Centereach?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 24.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.0 inches of precipitation a year and 31.8 inches of snow.
Does Centereach get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Centereach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 30, 1998. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)