The Town FilesSound Beach, New York
Community in Suffolk County · population 7,416 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $428,700
- Household income
- $132,008
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 43.5
Sound Beach is a community of 7,416 people in Suffolk County, New York. The median home is worth $428,700, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 97% of New York towns, more seaside character than 94% of New York towns.
How Sound Beach 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 Sound Beach is worth $428,700, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $132,008, which is more affordable than 40% of New York towns. Median rent is $3,343 a month. 86.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sound Beach | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $428,700 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $3,343 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $132,008 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Sound Beach
| People | Sound Beach | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.7% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.3% | — |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 91.1% |
Weather in Sound Beach
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 32.6 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
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sound Beach since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 30, 1998 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 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 Sound Beach itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near Sound Beach
- Miller Place, NY1.8 mi · 11,723 people · home $614,400
- Rocky Point, NY2.4 mi · 13,633 people · home $461,400
- Mount Sinai, NY3.0 mi · 11,623 people · home $661,200
- Port Jefferson, NY4.5 mi · 7,962 people · home $655,800
- Middle Island, NY5.0 mi · 10,546 people · home $383,500
- East Shoreham, NY5.1 mi · 6,841 people · home $604,100
- Terryville, NY5.5 mi · 11,472 people · home $481,200
- Port Jefferson Station, NY5.5 mi · 7,950 people · home $507,900
Sound Beach questions
Is Sound Beach, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sound Beach scores better for retirees than 8% of New York towns and quieter than 8%. 11.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).
How much does a house cost in Sound Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Sound Beach is valued at $428,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $132,008, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $3,343 a month.
What is the weather like in Sound Beach?
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 32.6 inches of snow.
Does Sound Beach get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sound Beach 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)