Long Island has changed dramatically since The New York Community Trust opened an office there in 1978 (originally known as the Long Island Community Foundation). Over four decades, Long Island has changed in density, demographics, and populations in need, with at-risk communities growing and diversifying. In the last decade, the rise in suburban poverty has surpassed the rise in urban poverty.
The poverty rate on Long Island is approximately 5.9 percent—with an average poverty rate of 5.41 percent in Nassau County and 6.5 percent in Suffolk County. This means that approximately 166,000 people are living below the national poverty line. Yet even this staggering statistic does not tell the whole story.
Nassau County
Nassau County is a predominantly suburban county on Long Island, bordering New York City to the west. As of the 2020 census, the county’s population was 1,395,774, estimated to have increased slightly from 1,356,924 in 2019, making it the sixth most populous county in New York. Its county seat is Mineola, and its largest town is Hempstead. The county was named after the German town of Nassau.
- POPULATION: 1.396M
- MEDIAN AGE: 41.9
- MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $120,036
- POVERTY RATE: 5.41%
- NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS: 450K
- MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE: $524,400
Learn more at: https://datausa.io/profile/geo/nassau-county-ny
Suffolk County
Suffolk County is a predominantly suburban county on Long Island and the easternmost county in New York State. As of the 2020 census, the county’s population was 1,525,920, making it the fourth most populous county in New York. Its county seat is Riverhead, though most county offices are in Hauppauge. The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest European settlers arrived.
- POPULATION: 1.526M
- MEDIAN AGE: 41.7
- MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $105,362
- POVERTY RATE: 6.46%
- NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS: 496K
- MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE: $413,900
Learn more at: https://datausa.io/profile/geo/suffolk-county-ny