The Town FilesWantagh, New York
Community in Nassau County · population 18,613 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $706,600
- Household income
- $179,362
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 41.2
Wantagh is a community of 18,613 people in Nassau County, New York. The median home is worth $706,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better transit than 97% of New York towns, better for families than 95% of New York towns, more vibrant than 94% of New York towns.
How Wantagh 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 Wantagh is worth $706,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $179,362, which is more affordable than 27% of New York towns. Median rent is $2,270 a month. 95.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wantagh | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $706,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $2,270 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $179,362 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 95.3% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Wantagh
| People | Wantagh | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.2% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.2% | — |
| Work from home | 17.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 34.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Wantagh
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 27.5°F. About 42.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 77 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wantagh since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 7, 1998 about 9.0 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 26 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Nassau County since 1996
Nassau County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Flood | DR-4755: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| October 2, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4567: Tropical Storm Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Nassau County
Nassau County had 631,563 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,454 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Wantagh itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Wantagh
6 public schools with 3,154 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WANTAGH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 833 | 11.3 |
| WANTAGH SCHOOL | PK-5 | 682 | 12.9 |
| WANTAGH MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 648 | 10.5 |
| FOREST LAKE SCHOOL | PK-5 | 389 | 13.0 |
| MANDALAY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 305 | 11.7 |
| LEE ROAD SCHOOL | K-5 | 297 | 10.6 |
Towns near Wantagh
- Seaford, NY0.9 mi · 15,251 people · home $658,300
- Bellmore, NY1.0 mi · 16,297 people · home $681,800
- North Wantagh, NY1.8 mi · 11,931 people · home $624,400
- Massapequa, NY2.0 mi · 21,355 people · home $693,200
- North Bellmore, NY2.2 mi · 20,583 people · home $659,200
- Merrick, NY2.4 mi · 22,040 people · home $771,900
- North Merrick, NY3.0 mi · 12,238 people · home $675,800
- North Massapequa, NY3.3 mi · 17,829 people · home $634,900
Wantagh questions
Is Wantagh, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wantagh scores better for retirees than 8% of New York towns and quieter than 11%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Wantagh?
The median owner-occupied home in Wantagh is valued at $706,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $179,362, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $2,270 a month.
What is the weather like in Wantagh?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 27.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.8 inches of precipitation a year and 25.5 inches of snow.
Does Wantagh get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wantagh since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 7, 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)