The Town FilesEast Setauket, New York
Community in Suffolk County · population 10,998 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $637,800
- Household income
- $151,603
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 43.8
East Setauket is a community of 10,998 people in Suffolk County, New York. The median home is worth $637,800, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 94% of New York towns, more upscale than 93% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of New York towns.
How East Setauket 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 East Setauket is worth $637,800, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $151,603, which is more affordable than 21% of New York towns. Median rent is $2,178 a month. 88.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | East Setauket | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $637,800 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $2,178 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $151,603 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in East Setauket
| People | East Setauket | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.9% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.4% | — |
| Work from home | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.0% | 91.1% |
Weather in East Setauket
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 26.3°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 79 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Setauket since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 30, 1998 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 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 East Setauket itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in East Setauket
4 public schools with 3,227 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WARD MELVILLE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,492 | 10.7 |
| MINNESAUKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 633 | 14.1 |
| ARROWHEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 565 | 11.1 |
| NASSAKEAG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 537 | 13.1 |
Towns near East Setauket
- Port Jefferson Station, NY1.5 mi · 7,950 people · home $507,900
- Stony Brook University, NY1.7 mi · 10,409 people · home —
- Stony Brook, NY2.0 mi · 13,467 people · home $623,300
- Setauket, NY2.2 mi · 3,986 people · home $755,600
- Terryville, NY2.5 mi · 11,472 people · home $481,200
- Port Jefferson, NY2.6 mi · 7,962 people · home $655,800
- Centereach, NY3.7 mi · 30,980 people · home $514,800
- Mount Sinai, NY4.1 mi · 11,623 people · home $661,200
East Setauket questions
Is East Setauket, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, East Setauket scores better for retirees than 66% of New York towns and quieter than 25%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in East Setauket?
The median owner-occupied home in East Setauket is valued at $637,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $151,603, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $2,178 a month.
What is the weather like in East Setauket?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 26.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 31.8 inches of snow.
Does East Setauket get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Setauket 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)