When it comes to expert water damage cleanup in Franklin Square (11010), folks in the area know theres no better team than the skilled pros at 1800 Water Damage of Nassau County. Now, you might be wondering why this company stands out among the rest, especially when dealing with such a crucial issue like water damage.
First off, water damage is not something you want to take lightly. Its not just about a few wet carpets or some soggy drywall. Trusted Water Extraction & Drying Services in Alden Manor (11003) – Safe & Effective Service by 1800 Water Damage of Nassau County . Left untreated, water damage can lead to mold growth, structural issues, and a whole host of other problems. Thats why its crucial to have experts who know what theyre doing. (And boy, do they know what theyre doing!) At 1800 Water Damage of Nassau County, their team is trained to handle all sorts of water damage scenarios, from minor leaks to major floods.

But expertise isnt the only thing that sets them apart. The team at 1800 Water Damage also understands the emotional toll that water damage can take on a family. Its not just about fixing the problem; its about helping people get their lives back to normal as quickly as possible. Theyre not just skilled professionals; theyre compassionate folks who care about their community.

Now, you might think that hiring pros like these would break the bank. But surprisingly, their services are pretty affordable. They believe that everyone should have access to quality water damage cleanup, regardless of their budget. And lets face it, not many companies can say that these days!

Oh, and did I mention their rapid response time?
In conclusion, if youre in Franklin Square and find yourself dealing with water damage, dont hesitate to call the skilled pros at 1800 Water Damage of Nassau County. Theyre not just experts in their field; theyre neighbors who genuinely care about helping their community. So, give them a call and see for yourself why theyre the best around!
This is a list of places in Nassau County, New York.[1] Nassau County, on Long Island, became a county in the U.S. state of New York in 1899 after separating from Queens County. Included in the list are two cities, three towns, 64 incorporated villages, and 63 unincorporated hamlets whose names are used for overlapping Census-designated places (CDPs). Also included in the list are five CDPs not generally included as hamlets, and two non-CDP hamlets (East Garden City and North Woodmere). The U.S. Postal Service has organized Nassau County into 111 different five-digit ZIP Codes served by 63 different post offices.[2] Each post office has the same name as a city, hamlet or village, but the boundaries are seldom the same.
| Name | Status | Population
(2010 census) |
Population
(2020 census)[a] |
Year incorporated |
Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Cove | city | 26,964 | 28,365 | 1917 | formerly Oyster Bay |
| Long Beach | city | 33,275 | 35,029 | 1922 | formerly Hempstead |
| Town of Hempstead | town | 759,757 | 793,409 | 1644 | |
| Town of North Hempstead | town | 226,322 | 301,332 | 1784 | formerly Hempstead |
| Town of Oyster Bay | town | 293,214 | 237,639 | 1667 | |
| Atlantic Beach | village | 1,891 | - | 1962 | Hempstead |
| Bellerose | village | 1,193 | - | 1924 | |
| Cedarhurst | village | 6,592 | 7,374 | 1910 | |
| East Rockaway | village | 9,818 | 10,159 | 1910 | |
| Floral Park | village | 15,863 | 16,172 | 1908 | Hempstead, North Hempstead |
| Freeport | village | 43,713 | 44,472 | 1892 | Hempstead |
| Garden City | village | 22,371 | 23,272 | 1919 | Hempstead, North Hempstead |
| Hempstead | village | 53,891 | 59,169 | 1853 | Hempstead |
| Hewlett Bay Park | village | 404 | - | 1928 | |
| Hewlett Harbor | village | 1,263 | - | 1925 | |
| Hewlett Neck | village | 445 | - | 1927 | |
| Island Park | village | 4,655 | - | 1926 | |
| Lawrence | village | 6,483 | 6,809 | 1897 | |
| Lynbrook | village | 19,427 | 20,438 | 1911 | |
| Malverne | village | 8,514 | 8,560 | 1921 | |
| Rockville Centre | village | 24,023 | 26,016 | 1893 | |
| South Floral Park | village | 1,764 | - | 1925 | |
| Stewart Manor | village | 1,896 | - | 1927 | |
| Valley Stream | village | 37,511 | 40,634 | 1925 | |
| Woodsburgh | village | 778 | - | 1912 | |
| Baldwin | hamlet | 24,033 | 33,919 | - | |
| Barnum Island | hamlet | 2,414 | - | - | |
| Bay Park | hamlet | 2,212 | - | - | |
| Bellerose Terrace | hamlet | 2,198 | - | - | |
| Bellmore | hamlet | 16,218 | 16,297 | - | |
| East Atlantic Beach | hamlet | 2,049 | - | - | |
| East Meadow | hamlet | 38,132 | 37,796 | - | |
| Elmont | hamlet | 33,198 | 35,265 | - | |
| Franklin Square | hamlet | 29,320 | 30,903 | - | |
| Garden City South | hamlet | 4,024 | - | - | |
| Harbor Isle | hamlet | 1,301 | - | - | |
| Hewlett | hamlet | 6,819 | 7,262 | - | |
| Inwood | hamlet | 9,792 | 11,340 | - | |
| Levittown | hamlet | 51,881 | 51,758 | - | |
| Lido Beach | hamlet | 2,897 | - | - | |
| Merrick | hamlet | 20,130 | 22,040 | - | |
| North Bellmore | hamlet | 19,941 | 20,583 | - | |
| North Merrick | hamlet | 12,272 | 12,238 | - | |
| North Valley Stream | hamlet | 16,628 | 18,197 | - | |
| Oceanside | hamlet | 32,109 | 32,637 | - | |
| Point Lookout | hamlet | 1,219 | - | - | |
| Roosevelt | hamlet | 16,258 | 18,066 | - | |
| Salisbury | hamlet | 12,093 | 12,618 | - | |
| Seaford | hamlet | 15,294 | 15,251 | - | |
| South Hempstead | hamlet | 3,243 | - | - | |
| South Valley Stream | hamlet | 5,962 | 6,386 | - | |
| Uniondale | hamlet | 24,759 | 32,473 | - | |
| Wantagh | hamlet | 18,871 | 18,613 | - | |
| West Hempstead | hamlet | 18,862 | 19,835 | - | |
| Woodmere | hamlet | 17,554 | 18,669 | - | |
| East Garden City | non-CDP hamlet |
6,208 | - | - | |
| North Woodmere | non-CDP hamlet |
- | - | - | |
| Baldwin Harbor | CDP | 8,102 | - | - | |
| Lakeview | CDP | 5,615 | 6,077 | - | |
| Malverne Park Oaks | CDP | 505 | - | - | |
| North Lynbrook | CDP | 793 | - | - | |
| North Wantagh | CDP | 11,960 | 11,931 | - | |
| Strathmore | non-CDP
hamlet |
- | - | - | North Hempstead |
| Baxter Estates | village | 999 | 1931 | North Hempstead | |
| East Hills | village | 6,955 | 7,284 | 1931 | North Hempstead, Oyster Bay |
| East Williston | village | 2,556 | - | 1926 | North Hempstead |
| Flower Hill | village | 4,665 | - | 1931 | |
| Great Neck | village | 9,989 | 11,145 | 1922 | |
| Great Neck Estates | village | 2,761 | - | 1911 | |
| Great Neck Plaza | village | 6,707 | 7,482 | 1930 | |
| Kensington | village | 1,161 | - | 1921 | |
| Kings Point | village | 5,005 | 5,619 | 1924 | |
| Lake Success | village | 2,897 | - | 1927 | |
| Manorhaven | village | 6,556 | 6,956 | 1930 | |
| Mineola | village | 18,799 | 20,800 | 1906 | North Hempstead, Hempstead |
| Munsey Park | village | 2,693 | - | 1930 | North Hempstead |
| New Hyde Park | village | 9,712 | 10,257 | 1927 | North Hempstead, Hempstead |
| North Hills | village | 5,075 | 5,464 | 1929 | North Hempstead |
| Old Westbury | village | 4,671 | - | 1924 | North Hempstead, Oyster Bay |
| Plandome | village | 1,349 | - | 1911 | North Hempstead |
| Plandome Heights | village | 1,005 | - | 1929 | |
| Plandome Manor | village | 872 | - | 1931 | |
| Port Washington North | village | 3,154 | - | 1932 | |
| Roslyn | village | 2,770 | - | 1932 | |
| Roslyn Estates | village | 1,251 | - | 1931 | |
| Roslyn Harbor | village | 1,051 | - | 1931 | North Hempstead, Oyster Bay |
| Russell Gardens | village | 945 | - | 1931 | North Hempstead |
| Saddle Rock | village | 830 | - | 1911 | |
| Sands Point | village | 2,675 | - | 1910 | |
| Thomaston | village | 2,617 | - | 1931 | |
| Westbury | village | 15,404 | 15,864 | 1932 | |
| Williston Park | village | 7,287 | 7,591 | 1926 | |
| Albertson | hamlet | 5,182 | 5,220 | - | |
| Carle Place | hamlet | 4,981 | 5,005 | - | |
| Garden City Park | hamlet | 7,806 | 7,985 | - | |
| Great Neck Gardens | hamlet | 1,186 | - | - | |
| Greenvale | hamlet | 1,904 | - | - | North Hempstead, Oyster Bay |
| Harbor Hills | hamlet | 575 | - | - | North Hempstead |
| Herricks | hamlet | 4,295 | - | - | |
| Manhasset | hamlet | 8,080 | 8,176 | - | |
| Manhasset Hills | hamlet | 3,592 | - | - | |
| New Cassel | hamlet | 14,059 | 14,199 | - | |
| North New Hyde Park | hamlet | 14,899 | 15,657 | - | |
| Port Washington | hamlet | 15,846 | 16,753 | - | |
| Roslyn Heights | hamlet | 6,577 | 6,747 | - | |
| Saddle Rock Estates | hamlet | 466 | - | - | |
| Searingtown | hamlet | 4,915 | 5,044 | - | |
| University Gardens | hamlet | 4,226 | - | - | |
| Bayville | village | 6,669 | 6,748 | 1919 | Oyster Bay |
| Brookville | village | 3,465 | - | 1931 | |
| Centre Island | village | 410 | - | 1926 | |
| Cove Neck | village | 286 | - | 1927 | |
| Farmingdale | village | 8,189 | 8,466 | 1904 | |
| Lattingtown | village | 1,739 | - | 1931 | |
| Laurel Hollow | village | 1,952 | - | 1926 | |
| Massapequa Park | village | 17,008 | 17,109 | 1931 | |
| Matinecock | village | 810 | - | 1928 | |
| Mill Neck | village | 997 | - | 1925 | |
| Muttontown | village | 3,497 | - | 1931 | |
| Old Brookville | village | 2,134 | 6,403 | 1929 | |
| Oyster Bay Cove | village | 2,197 | - | 1931 | |
| Sea Cliff | village | 4,995 | 5,062 | 1883 | |
| Upper Brookville | village | 1,698 | - | 1932 | |
| Bethpage | hamlet | 16,429 | 16,658 | - | |
| East Massapequa | hamlet | 19,069 | 19,854 | - | |
| East Norwich | hamlet | 2,709 | - | - | |
| Glen Head | hamlet | 4,697 | - | - | |
| Glenwood Landing | hamlet | 3,779 | - | - | Oyster Bay, North Hempsead |
| Hicksville | hamlet | 41,547 | 43,869 | - | Oyster Bay |
| Jericho | hamlet | 13,567 | 14,808 | - | |
| Locust Valley | hamlet | 3,406 | - | ||
| Massapequa | hamlet | 21,685 | 21,355 | - | |
| North Massapequa | hamlet | 17,886 | 17,829 | - | |
| Old Bethpage | hamlet | 5,523 | - | - | |
| Oyster Bay | hamlet | 6,707 | 7,049 | - | |
| Plainedge | hamlet | 8,817 | 9,517 | - | |
| Plainview | hamlet | 26,217 | 27,100 | - | |
| South Farmingdale | hamlet | 14,486 | 14,345 | - | |
| Syosset | hamlet | 18,829 | 19,259 | - | |
| Woodbury | hamlet | 8,907 | 9,335 | - |
| Counties of New York | |
|---|---|
| Location | State of New York |
| Number | 62 |
| Populations | 5,082 (Hamilton) – 2,617,631 (Kings) |
| Areas | 33.77 square miles (87.5 km2) (New York) – 2,821 square miles (7,310 km2) (St. Lawrence) |
| Government | |
| Subdivisions | |
| Part of a series on |
| Regions of New York |
|---|
There are 62 counties in the U.S. state of New York.
The first 12 counties were created in 1683 soon after the British took over the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam; two of these counties were later abolished, their land going to Massachusetts.[1] These counties were carried over after independence in 1783, but most of the counties were created by the state in the 19th century. The newest county is the Bronx, created in 1914 from the portions of New York County that had been annexed from Westchester County in the late 19th century.[2] New York's counties are named for various Native American words; British provinces, counties, cities, and royalty; early American statesmen and military personnel; and New York State politicians.[3]
Excepting the five boroughs of New York City, New York counties are governed by New York County Law and have governments run by either a Board of Supervisors or a County Legislature, and either an elected County Executive or appointed county manager. Counties without charters are run by a Board of Supervisors, in which Town Supervisors from towns within the county also sit on the county Board of Supervisors. For counties with a charter, the executives generally have powers to veto acts of the county legislature. The legislatures have powers of setting policies, levying taxes and distributing funds.
Throughout the state, including NYC, the court system and public prosecution is primarily a matter of state law but is generally organized along county lines, chosen by county voters.
Five of New York's counties are each coextensive with New York City's five boroughs. They are New York County (Manhattan), Kings County (Brooklyn), Bronx County (The Bronx), Richmond County (Staten Island), and Queens County (Queens). They are the smallest counties in New York by area.
In contrast to other counties of New York, the powers of the five boroughs of New York City are very limited and in nearly all respects are governed by the city government.[4] Some officials are elected on a borough-wide basis, the five borough presidents deal with Borough matters, while the district attorneys, and all county and state supreme court judges are generally concerned with the administration of state criminal and civil law and local ordinances in the county. There are no official county seats, but the locations of borough halls and courthouses bestow certain neighborhoods an informal designation as county seats within their boroughs:
| County | FIPS Code [5] |
County seat [6] |
Est. [6][7] |
Formed from[2] | Named for[3] | Density (Pop./mi2) |
Pop. (2024) [8] |
Area [6] |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany County | 001 | Albany | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | James II of England (James VII of Scotland) (1633–1701), who was Duke of York (English title) and Duke of Albany (Scottish title) before becoming King of England, Ireland, and Scotland. | 600.31 | 319,964 | 533 sq mi (1,380 km2) |
|
| Allegany County | 003 | Belmont | Apr 7, 1806 | Genesee County | A variant spelling of the Allegheny River | 45.74 | 47,299 | 1,034 sq mi (2,678 km2) |
|
| Bronx County | 005 | none (sui generis) | Jan 1, 1914[9] | New York County | The Bronx River | 24,111.51 | 1,384,724 | 57.43 sq mi (149 km2) |
|
| Broome County | 007 | Binghamton | Mar 28, 1806 | Tioga County | John Broome (1738–1810), fourth Lieutenant Governor of New York | 274.68 | 196,397 | 715 sq mi (1,852 km2) |
|
| Cattaraugus County | 009 | Little Valley | Mar 11, 1808 | Genesee County | A word from an uncertain Iroquoian language meaning "bad smelling banks", referring to the odor of natural gas which leaked from Cattaraugus Creek | 57.61 | 75,475 | 1,310 sq mi (3,393 km2) |
|
| Cayuga County | 011 | Auburn | Mar 8, 1799 | Onondaga County | The Cayuga tribe of Native Americans | 86.30 | 74,567 | 864 sq mi (2,238 km2) |
|
| Chautauqua County | 013 | Mayville | Mar 11, 1808 | Genesee County | Loanword from the Erie language describing Chautauqua Lake; language now lost and cannot be translated | 82.74 | 124,105 | 1,500 sq mi (3,885 km2) |
|
| Chemung County | 015 | Elmira | Mar 20, 1836 | Tioga County | A Lenape word meaning "big horn", which was the name of a local Native American village | 197.45 | 81,115 | 410.81 sq mi (1,064 km2) |
|
| Chenango County | 017 | Norwich | Mar 15, 1798 | Tioga County and Herkimer County | An Onondaga word meaning "large bull-thistle" | 50.93 | 45,776 | 898.85 sq mi (2,328 km2) |
|
| Clinton County | 019 | Plattsburgh | Mar 4, 1788 | Washington County | George Clinton (1739–1812), fourth Vice President of the United States and first and third Governor of New York | 69.65 | 77,871 | 1,118 sq mi (2,896 km2) |
|
| Columbia County | 021 | Hudson | Apr 1, 1786 | Albany County | Christopher Columbus (1451–1506), the European explorer | 93.05 | 60,299 | 648 sq mi (1,678 km2) |
|
| Cortland County | 023 | Cortland | Apr 8, 1808 | Onondaga County | Pierre Van Cortlandt (1721–1814), first Lieutenant Governor of New York | 91.52 | 45,945 | 502 sq mi (1,300 km2) |
|
| Delaware County | 025 | Delhi | Mar 10, 1797 | Otsego County and Ulster County | Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618), an early colonial leader in Virginia. Name applied to the bay, river, and Lenape Native Americans | 30.10 | 44,191 | 1,468 sq mi (3,802 km2) |
|
| Dutchess County | 027 | Poughkeepsie | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | Mary of Modena (1658–1718), Duchess of York and wife of King James II of England | 363.59 | 299,963 | 825 sq mi (2,137 km2) |
|
| Erie County | 029 | Buffalo | Apr 2, 1821 | Niagara County | The Erie tribe of Native Americans | 774.74 | 950,602 | 1,227 sq mi (3,178 km2) |
|
| Essex County | 031 | Elizabethtown | Mar 1, 1799 | Clinton County | The county of Essex in England | 19.18 | 36,744 | 1,916 sq mi (4,962 km2) |
|
| Franklin County | 033 | Malone | Mar 11, 1808 | Clinton County | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), the early American printer, scientist, and statesman | 27.75 | 47,086 | 1,697 sq mi (4,395 km2) |
|
| Fulton County | 035 | Johnstown | Apr 18, 1838 | Montgomery County | Robert Fulton (1765–1815), inventor of the steamship | 97.70 | 52,073 | 533 sq mi (1,380 km2) |
|
| Genesee County | 037 | Batavia | Mar 30, 1802 | Ontario County and land acquired in the Holland Purchase | A Seneca phrase meaning "good valley" | 116.37 | 57,604 | 495 sq mi (1,282 km2) |
|
| Greene County | 039 | Catskill | Mar 25, 1800 | Albany County and Ulster County | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), the American Revolutionary War general | 71.28 | 46,903 | 658 sq mi (1,704 km2) |
|
| Hamilton County | 041 | Lake Pleasant | Apr 12, 1816 | Montgomery County | Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804), the early American political theorist and first Secretary of the Treasury | 2.81 | 5,082 | 1,808 sq mi (4,683 km2) |
|
| Herkimer County | 043 | Herkimer | Feb 16, 1791 | Montgomery County | Nicholas Herkimer (1728–1777), the American Revolutionary War general | 40.87 | 59,585 | 1,458 sq mi (3,776 km2) |
|
| Jefferson County | 045 | Watertown | Mar 28, 1805 | Oneida County | Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the early American statesman, author of the Declaration of Independence, and third President of the United States | 60.93 | 113,140 | 1,857 sq mi (4,810 km2) |
|
| Kings County | 047 | none (sui generis) | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | King Charles II of England (1630–1685) | 27,013.74 | 2,617,631 | 96.9 sq mi (251 km2) |
|
| Lewis County | 049 | Lowville | Mar 28, 1805 | Oneida County | Morgan Lewis (1754–1844), the fourth Governor of New York | 20.60 | 26,570 | 1,290 sq mi (3,341 km2) |
|
| Livingston County | 051 | Geneseo | Feb 23, 1821 | Genesee County and Ontario County | Robert Livingston (1746–1813), the early American statesman and New York delegate to the Continental Congress | 96.19 | 61,561 | 640 sq mi (1,658 km2) |
|
| Madison County | 053 | Wampsville | Mar 21, 1806 | Chenango County | James Madison (1751–1836), the early American statesman, principal author of the Constitution of the United States, and fourth President of the United States | 101.32 | 67,072 | 662 sq mi (1,715 km2) |
|
| Monroe County | 055 | Rochester | Feb 23, 1821 | Genesee County and Ontario County | James Monroe (1758–1831), the early American statesman and fifth President of the United States | 550.66 | 752,202 | 1,366 sq mi (3,538 km2) |
|
| Montgomery County | 057 | Fonda | Mar 12, 1772 | Albany County | Originally Tryon County after colonial governor William Tryon (1729–1788), renamed after the American Revolutionary War general Richard Montgomery (1738–1775) in 1784 | 121.09 | 49,648 | 410 sq mi (1,062 km2) |
|
| Nassau County | 059 | Mineola | Jan 1, 1899 | Queens County | The Princes of Orange-Nassau ruled the Netherlands when Long Island was a Dutch colony | 3,073.81 | 1,392,438 | 453 sq mi (1,173 km2) |
|
| New York County | 061 | none (sui generis) | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | King James II of England (1633–1701), who was Duke of York and Albany before he ascended the throne of England, Duke of York being his English title | 49,175.72 | 1,660,664 | 33.77 sq mi (87 km2) |
|
| Niagara County | 063 | Lockport | Mar 11, 1808 | Genesee County | The Iroquoian name of a tribe within the Neutral Nation, the exact translation of which remains disputed | 183.83 | 209,570 | 1,140 sq mi (2,953 km2) |
|
| Oneida County | 065 | Utica | Mar 15, 1798 | Herkimer County | The Oneida tribe of Native Americans | 188.25 | 228,347 | 1,213 sq mi (3,142 km2) |
|
| Onondaga County | 067 | Syracuse | Mar 5, 1794 | Herkimer County | The Onondaga tribe of Native Americans | 582.89 | 469,812 | 806 sq mi (2,088 km2) |
|
| Ontario County | 069 | Canandaigua | Jan 27, 1789 | Land acquired in the Phelps and Gorham Purchase | An Iroquoian word meaning "beautiful lake" | 170.71 | 113,012 | 662 sq mi (1,715 km2) |
|
| Orange County | 071 | Goshen | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | William of Orange-Nassau (1650–1702), who became King William III of England | 490.78 | 411,767 | 839 sq mi (2,173 km2) |
|
| Orleans County | 073 | Albion | Nov 12, 1824 | Genesee County | The French Royal House of Orléans | 48.58 | 39,686 | 817 sq mi (2,116 km2) |
|
| Oswego County | 075 | Oswego | Mar 1, 1816 | Oneida County and Onondaga County | The Oswego River, from an Iroquoian word meaning "the outpouring", referring to the mouth of the river | 90.17 | 118,305 | 1,312 sq mi (3,398 km2) |
|
| Otsego County | 077 | Cooperstown | Feb 16, 1791 | Montgomery County | A Native American word meaning "place of the rock" | 60.34 | 60,524 | 1,003 sq mi (2,598 km2) |
|
| Putnam County | 079 | Carmel Hamlet | Jun 12, 1812 | Dutchess County | Israel Putnam (1718–1790), an American Revolutionary War general | 400.04 | 98,409 | 246 sq mi (637 km2) |
|
| Queens County | 081 | none (sui generis) | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705), Queen of England and wife of King Charles II of England | 12,995.52 | 2,316,841 | 178.28 sq mi (462 km2) |
|
| Rensselaer County | 083 | Troy | Feb 7, 1791 | Albany County | In honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer (before 1596 – after 1643), the early landholder in the Dutch New Netherland colony | 241.73 | 160,749 | 665 sq mi (1,722 km2) |
|
| Richmond County | 085 | none (sui generis) | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond (1672–1723), the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England | 4,860.60 | 498,212 | 102.5 sq mi (265 km2) |
|
| Rockland County | 087 | New City | Feb 23, 1798 | Orange County | Early settlers' description of terrain as "rocky land" | 1,749.47 | 348,144 | 199 sq mi (515 km2) |
|
| St. Lawrence County | 089 | Canton | Mar 3, 1802 | Clinton County, Herkimer County, and Montgomery County | The St Lawrence River, which forms the northern border of the county and New York State | 37.65 | 106,198 | 2,821 sq mi (7,306 km2) |
|
| Saratoga County | 091 | Ballston Spa | Feb 7, 1791 | Albany County | A corruption of a Native American word meaning "the hill beside the river" | 284.79 | 240,360 | 844 sq mi (2,186 km2) |
|
| Schenectady County | 093 | Schenectady | Mar 27, 1809 | Albany County | A Mohawk word meaning "on the other side of the pine lands" | 772.67 | 162,261 | 210 sq mi (544 km2) |
|
| Schoharie County | 095 | Schoharie | Apr 6, 1795 | Albany County and Otsego County | A Mohawk word meaning "floating driftwood" | 48.16 | 30,151 | 626 sq mi (1,621 km2) |
|
| Schuyler County | 097 | Watkins Glen | Apr 17, 1854 | Chemung County, Steuben County, and Tompkins County | Philip Schuyler (1733–1804), the American Revolutionary War general and Senator from New York | 50.06 | 17,121 | 342 sq mi (886 km2) |
|
| Seneca County | 099 | Waterloo | Mar 24, 1804 | Cayuga County | The Seneca tribe of Native Americans | 100.46 | 32,650 | 325 sq mi (842 km2) |
|
| Steuben County | 101 | Bath | Mar 18, 1796 | Ontario County | Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben (1730–1794), the Prussian general who assisted the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War | 65.54 | 92,015 | 1,404 sq mi (3,636 km2) |
|
| Suffolk County | 103 | Riverhead | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | The county of Suffolk in England | 647.24 | 1,535,909 | 2,373 sq mi (6,146 km2) |
|
| Sullivan County | 105 | Monticello | Mar 27, 1809 | Ulster County | John Sullivan (1740–1795), an American Revolutionary War general | 80.69 | 80,450 | 997 sq mi (2,582 km2) |
|
| Tioga County | 107 | Owego | Feb 16, 1791 | Montgomery County | A Native American word meaning "at the forks", describing a meeting place | 90.96 | 47,574 | 523 sq mi (1,355 km2) |
|
| Tompkins County | 109 | Ithaca | Apr 7, 1817 | Cayuga County and Seneca County | Daniel D. Tompkins (1774–1825), the 6th Vice President of the United States | 221.85 | 105,602 | 476 sq mi (1,233 km2) |
|
| Ulster County | 111 | Kingston | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | The Irish province of Ulster, then an earldom of the Duke of York, later King James II of England | 157.60 | 182,977 | 1,161 sq mi (3,007 km2) |
|
| Warren County | 113 | Queensbury | Mar 12, 1813 | Washington County | Joseph Warren (1741–1775), the early American patriot and American Revolutionary War general | 75.04 | 65,288 | 870 sq mi (2,253 km2) |
|
| Washington County | 115 | Fort Edward | Mar 12, 1772 | Albany County | Originally Charlotte County, renamed in 1784 after George Washington (1732–1799), the American Revolutionary War general and first President of the United States | 70.73 | 59,839 | 846 sq mi (2,191 km2) |
|
| Wayne County | 117 | Lyons | Apr 11, 1823 | Ontario County and Seneca County | General Anthony Wayne (1745–1796), the American Revolutionary War general | 65.58 | 90,757 | 1,384 sq mi (3,585 km2) |
|
| Westchester County | 119 | White Plains | Nov 1, 1683 | One of 12 original counties created in the New York colony | The city of Chester in England | 2,012.89 | 1,006,447 | 500 sq mi (1,295 km2) |
|
| Wyoming County | 121 | Warsaw | May 14, 1841 | Genesee County | A modification of a word from the Lenape language meaning "broad bottom lands" | 66.42 | 39,588 | 596 sq mi (1,544 km2) |
|
| Yates County | 123 | Penn Yan | Feb 5, 1823 | Ontario County and Steuben County | Joseph C. Yates (1768–1837), eighth Governor of New York | 64.86 | 24,387 | 376 sq mi (974 km2) |
| County | Created [2] |
Abolished [2] |
Fate[2] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte County | 1772 | 1784 | Partitioned. Western part renamed as Washington County and eastern part transferred to Vermont. |
| Cornwall County | 1665 | 1686 | Transferred to the part of Massachusetts that later became the state of Maine and partitioned; one of the 12 original counties created in the New York colony |
| Cumberland County | 1766 | 1777 | Transferred to Vermont and partitioned |
| Dukes County | November 1, 1683 | 1692 | Transferred to Massachusetts; one of 12 original counties created in the New York colony |
| Gloucester County | 1770 | 1777 | Transferred to Vermont and partitioned |
| Mexico County | 1792 | 1796 | Never settled or incorporated, reallocated to Oneida, Oswego and Jefferson Counties. |
| Tryon County | 1772 | 1784 | Renamed as Montgomery County |
| County | Note |
|---|---|
| Adirondack County | Would hypothetically consist of portions of northern Essex County and southern Franklin County[10] |
| Peconic County | Would hypothetically consist of the five easternmost towns in Suffolk County on Long Island.[11] |
|
Albany County, New York
|
|
|---|---|
Location within the U.S. state of New York
|
|
New York's location within the U.S.
|
|
| Coordinates: 42°39′44″N 73°50′57″W / 42.662094°N 73.849075°W | |
| Country | |
| State | |
| Founded | November 1, 1683[a] |
| Named after | Prince James, Duke of York and of Albany |
| Seat | Albany |
| Largest city | Albany |
| Area
|
|
|
• Total
|
533 sq mi (1,380 km2) |
| • Land | 523 sq mi (1,350 km2) |
| • Water | 10 sq mi (26 km2) 2.0% |
| Population
|
|
|
• Estimate
(2020[1])
|
314,848 |
| • Density | 602.13/sq mi (232.48/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 20th |
| Website | albanycountyny.gov |
Albany County (/ˈɔːlbəni/ ⓘ AWL-bə-nee) is a county in the state of New York, United States. Its northern border is formed by the Mohawk River, at its confluence with the Hudson River, which is to the east. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 314,848.[2] The county seat and largest city is Albany,[3] which is also the state capital of New York. As originally established by the English government in the colonial era, Albany County had an indefinite amount of land, but has had an area of 530 square miles (1,400 km2) since March 3, 1888. The county is named for the Duke of York and of Albany, who became James II of England (James VII of Scotland). The county is part of the Capital District region of the state.
After England took control of the colony of New Netherland from the Dutch, Albany County was created on November 1, 1683,[a] by New York Governor Thomas Dongan, and confirmed on October 1, 1691.[4] The act creating the county vaguely defined its territory "to containe the Towns of Albany, the Collony Rensselaerwyck, Schonecteda, and all the villages, neighborhoods, and Christian Plantaçons on the east side of Hudson River from Roelef's Creek, and on the west side from Sawyer's Creek (Saugerties) to the Sarraghtoga."[5] The confirmation declared in 1691 was similar but omitted the Town of Albany, substituted "Mannor of Ranselaerswyck" for "Collony Rensselaerwyck", and stated "to the uttermost end of Sarraghtoga" instead of just "to Sarraghtoga". Livingston Manor was annexed to Albany County from Dutchess County in 1717.[5]
Albany's boundaries were defined more closely as state statutes would add land to the county, or more commonly subtract land for the formation of new counties.[6] In 1772 with the creation of Tryon and Charlotte counties, Albany gained definitive boundaries and included what are now Albany, Columbia, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties; large parts of Greene and Washington counties; and the disputed southwest corner of Vermont.[7][a]
The city of Albany was the first municipality within this large county,[6] founded as the village (dorp in Dutch) of Beverwyck by the Director-General of New Amsterdam, Pieter Stuyvesant, who also established the first court in Albany.[8] Albany was established as a city in 1686 by Governor Dongan through the Dongan Charter after the English took over the colony.[6] Schenectady to the west was given a patent with some municipal rights in 1684 and became a borough in 1765.[7]
The Manor of Rensselaerswyck was created as a district within the county in 1772, and later divided into two districts, one on each side of the Hudson River in 1779. The west district included all of what is now Albany County other than lands were in the city of Albany at the time.[9] Though the Manor of Rensselaerswyck was the only district (along with the city of Albany) in what is today Albany County, it was not the only district in what was Albany County at the time. Pittstown in 1761, and Duanesburgh in 1764, were created as townships. But when districts were created in 1772, those townships were incorporated into new districts, Pittstown in Schaghticoke and Duanesburgh into the United Districts of Duanesburgh and Schoharie.[7] Schenectady was also made from a borough to a district in 1772.[10] Other districts established in 1772 were Hoosick, Coxsackie, Cambridge, Saratoga, Halfmoon, Kinderhook, Kings, Claverack, Great Imboght, and the Manor of Livingston.
In a census of 1697, there were 1,452 individuals living in Albany County; two years later it would be counted as 2,016 at the beginning of King William's War. By the end of the war in 1698, the population had dropped to 1,482, but rebounded quickly and was at 2,273 by 1703. By 1723, it had increased to 6,501 and in 1731 to 8,573, which was slightly less than the population of the city of New York in the same year. In 1737, the inhabitants of Albany County would outnumber those of New York County by 17 people. In 1774, Albany County, with 42,706 people, was the largest county in colonial New York. According to the first Federal Census in 1790, Albany County reached 75,921 inhabitants and was still the state's largest county.[11]
On March 7, 1788, the state of New York divided the entire state into towns eliminating districts as administrative units by passing New York Laws of 1788, Chapters 63 and 64.[12]
Albany County was one of the original twelve counties created by the Province of New York on November 1, 1683.[13] At the time, it included all of New York state north of Dutchess and Ulster counties, all of what is now Bennington County in Vermont.[14]
On May 27, 1717, Albany County was adjusted to gain an indefinite amount of land from Dutchess County and other non-county lands.[15]
On October 7, 1763, King George III, as part of his Proclamation of 1763, created the new province of Quebec, implicitly setting the northern limit of New York at the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude from the Atlantic-St. Lawrence watershed westward to the St. Lawrence River, implicitly setting the northern limit of Albany County, but it was never mapped.[16]
On July 20, 1764, King George III established the boundary between New Hampshire and New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River, north of Massachusetts and south of the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude. Albany County implicitly gained present-day Vermont. Although disputes occasionally broke out later, this line became the boundary between New Hampshire and Vermont, and has remained unchanged to the present. When New York refused to recognize land titles through the New Hampshire Grants (towns created earlier by New Hampshire in present Vermont), dissatisfied colonists organized in opposition, which led to the creation of independent Vermont in 1777.[17]
On July 3, 1766, Cumberland County was partitioned from Albany County to cover all territory to the northern and eastern limits of the colony, including Windsor County, most of Windham County, and parts of Bennington and Rutland counties in present-day Vermont.[18]
On June 26, 1767, Albany County regained all of Cumberland County.[19]
On March 19, 1768, Albany County was re-partitioned, and Cumberland County restored.[20]
On March 16, 1770, Albany County was again partitioned. Gloucester County was created to include all of Orange, Caledonia and Essex counties, most of Washington County, and parts of Orleans, Lamoille, Addison and Chittenden counties in present-day Vermont.[21]
On March 12, 1772, Albany County was partitioned again, this time into the counties of Albany, Tryon (now Montgomery), and Charlotte (now Washington). This established a definite area for Albany County of 5,470 sq mi (14,200 km2).[22]
On March 24, 1772, Albany County was partitioned again, with an additional 50 square miles (130 km2) handed over to Cumberland County.[23]
On March 9, 1774, Albany County was partitioned again, this time passing 1,090 square miles (2,800 km2) to Ulster County.[24]
On April 1, 1775, Albany was again partitioned, this time giving up 60 square miles (160 km2) to Charlotte County, who then exchanged this land with a like parcel in Cumberland County.[25]
On January 15, 1777, Albany County was again partitioned, this time on account of the independence of Vermont from New York, reducing Albany County by an additional 300 square miles (780 km2).[26]
On June 26, 1781, Bennington County, Vermont, attempted to annex a portion of Albany County that today includes portions of Washington and Rensselaer counties to form what they called "The West Union".[27] The fledgling United States – under the Articles of Confederation – arbitrated this annexation, and condemned it, resulting in Vermont ceasing the annexation on 1782-02-23.[28]
On April 4, 1786, Columbia County was created from 650 square miles (1,700 km2) of Albany County land.[29]
On March 7, 1788, New York, refusing to recognize the independence of Vermont, and the attendant elimination of Cumberland County, attempted to adjust the line that separated Cumberland from Albany County in present-day Vermont, but to no effect.[30]
On February 7, 1791, Albany County was partitioned again, this time to form Rensselaer and Saratoga counties. Rensselaer received 660 square miles (1,700 km2), while Saratoga received 850 square miles (2,200 km2). Also the town of Cambridge was transferred to Washington County. A total of 1,680 square miles (4,400 km2) changed hands.[31]
On June 1, 1795, Albany County was once again partitioned, this time losing 460 sq mi (1,200 km2) to Schoharie County.[32]
On April 5, 1798, another partition took place, with 90 square miles (230 km2) passing to Ulster County.[33]
On March 25, 1800, once again Albany County was partitioned, with 360 square miles (930 km2) being used to create Greene County.[34]
On April 3, 1801, all New York counties were redefined, with Albany County gaining 10 sq mi (26 km2).[35]
On March 7, 1809, Schenectady County was created from 230 square miles (600 km2) of Albany County land,[36] reducing Albany County to its current size.[14]
On March 3, 1888, Albany County ceded Havre Island to Saratoga County.[37]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 533 square miles (1,380 km2), of which 523 square miles (1,350 km2) is land and 10 square miles (26 km2) (2.0%) is water.[38]
Albany County is in east central New York, extending southward and westward from where the Mohawk River joins the Hudson River. Its eastern boundary is the Hudson; a portion of its northern boundary is the Mohawk.
The terrain of the county ranges from flat near the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers to high and hilly to the southwest, of the Helderberg Escarpment and the Helderberg Mountains. The highest point is one of several summits near Henry Hill at approximately 2,160 feet (660 m) above sea level; The lowest point is 62 feet (19 m) above sea level at the Hudson River's southernmost extent in the county.
| Albany | |||
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| Climate chart (explanation) | |||
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M
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M
J
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F█ Precipitation totals in inchesSource: ustravelweather.com[39]
| Metric conversion | |||||||||||
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70
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| █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C | |||||||||||
| █ Precipitation totals in mm | |||||||||||
The Capital District has a humid continental climate, with cold, snowy winters, and hot, wet summers. Albany receives around 36.2 inches (920 mm) of rain per year, with 135 days of at least 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) of precipitation. Snowfall is significant, totaling about 63 inches (1,600 mm) annually,[40] but with less accumulation than the lake-effect areas to the north and west, being far enough from Lake Ontario. Albany County is however, close enough to the coast to receive heavy snow from Nor'easters, and the region gets the bulk of its yearly snowfall from these types of storms. The county also occasionally receives Alberta clippers. Winters are often very cold with fluctuating conditions, temperatures often drop to below 0 °F (−18 °C) at night. Summers in the Albany can contain stretches of excessive heat and humidity, with temperatures above 90 °F (32 °C) and dew points near 70. Severe thunderstorms are common but tornadoes are rare. Albany receives on average per year 69 sunny days, 111 partly cloudy days, and 185 cloudy days;[41] and an average, over the course of a year, of less than four hours of sunshine per day, with just over an average of 2.5 hours per day over the course of the winter.[42] The chance during daylight hours of sunshine is 53%, with the highest percentage of sunny daylight hours being in July with 64%, and the lowest month is November with 37%.[40]
Albany County is bordered by six counties. Listed clockwise, they are:
Albany County has myriad different architectural styles spanning centuries of development.[43] Within the city of Albany alone there is Dutch Colonial (the Quackenbush House), French Renaissance (the New York State Capitol), Federal style (the original Albany Academy in Academy Park), Romanesque Revival (Albany City Hall), Art deco (the Alfred E. Smith Building), and Modern (Empire State Plaza). The cities of Albany, Cohoes, and Watervliet and the village of Green Island are more urban in architecture; while the towns of Colonie, Guilderland, New Scotland, and Bethlehem more suburban and the remaining Hilltowns (Berne, Knox, Westerlo, and Rensselaerville) very rural.
Albany County is home to the Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center, which opened in July 2001 and is near the shore of Thompson's Lake between the two state parks that are in Albany County- Thompson's Lake State Park and John Boyd Thacher State Park. There are also state-owned nature preserves with interactive educational programs such as the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and the Albany Pine Bush. The cities, towns, and villages of Albany County have many municipal parks, playgrounds, and protected green areas. Washington Park in the city of Albany and The Crossing in the town of Colonie are two of the largest. There are many small hiking and biking trails and longer distance bike-hike trails such the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail which goes from the city of Albany north to Cohoes and then west along the Mohawk River to Schenectady County.
One of the largest events in Albany County is the Tulip Fest held in the city of Albany every spring at Washington Park. The tradition stems from when Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd had a city ordinance passed declaring the tulip as Albany's official flower on July 1, 1948.[44] The African-American tradition of Pinksterfest, whose origins are traced back even further to Dutch festivities, was later incorporated into the Tulip Fest. The Albany LatinFest has been held since 1996 and drew 10,000 to Washington Park in 2008.[45] PolishFest is a three-day celebration of Polish culture in the Capital District, held in the town of Colonie for the past eight years.[46]
Albany County has two shopping malls classified as super-regional malls (malls with over 800,000 sq ft),[47] Crossgates Mall in Guilderland and Colonie Center in Colonie with over one million square feet of rentable space in each. Huck Finn's Playland is a children's amusement park open during the summer, which started operations in the Summer of 2015—after purchasing the rides from the former Hoffman's Playland in Newtonville, which was in operation from 1951 to the Fall of 2014. During the winter there are over 18 miles (29 km) of official trails for snowshoeing at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, in the city of Albany and towns of Colonie and Guilderland.[48]
Albany County has many historical sites and museums covering a wide range of topics and time periods. The Albany Institute of History and Art, founded in 1791, is one of the oldest museums in the United States,[49] and the New York State Museum is the country's oldest and largest state museum.[50] Many of the museums are historical sites themselves, such as Cherry Hill, the Ten Broeck Mansion, and the Schuyler Mansion in the city of Albany and the Pruyn House in Colonie. The Quackenbush House is the second oldest house in Albany and part of the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, which includes a planetarium. The Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center in Albany includes hands-on activities to learn about the unique Pine Bush Barrens of the Albany, Guilderland, and Colonie. Covering the history of pharmacy is the Throop Drug Store Museum at the Albany College of Pharmacy. The USS Slater, DE-766 is a World War II Destroyer Escort, the last floating Destroyer Escort, owned by the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum is moored from Spring to Fall at the foot of Quay Street in the Hudson River. The ship is open for tours each week and has a well-maintained collection of World War II US Naval artifacts.
There are several art museums in Albany County: the Albany Center Gallery, in downtown Albany, which exhibits works by local artists within a 100-mile (160 km) radius of that city;[51] the University Art Museum, at the University at Albany, SUNY; and the Opalka Gallery, at the Sage College of Albany. The Empire State Plaza in Albany has one of the most important state collections of modern art in the U.S.[52]
Albany County itself owns the largest venue for performing arts in the county, the Times Union Center, which was originally built as the Knickerbocker Arena; it opened on January 30, 1990, with a performance by Frank Sinatra.[53] In 1996, The Grateful Dead released a concert album from their March 1990 performances titled Dozin' at the Knick.[54]
Many athletes and coaches in major sports have begun their careers in Albany County. Phil Jackson, former NBA head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers won his first championship ring as a coach when he guided the Albany Patroons to the 1984 CBA championship. Three years later, the Patroons completed a 50–6 regular season, including winning all 28 of their home games; at that time, Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl was the Patroons' head coach. Future NBA stars Mario Elie and Vincent Askew were part of that season's squad. Mike Tyson received his early training in the Capital District and his first professional fight was in Albany in 1985 and Tyson's first televised fight was in Troy in 1986. He fought professionally four times in Albany and twice each in Troy and Glens Falls between 1985 and 1986.
Since 1988, the Siena College men's basketball team (the Siena Saints) have appeared in six NCAA Tournaments (1989, 1999, 2002, 2008, 2009, and 2010).
Albany County was originally settled primarily by Protestants from northern Europe: the Netherlands, British Isles, and Germany. In the 19th century it was a destination for many Catholic immigrants, first from Ireland—fleeing the Great Famine—and later from southern Germany and central and southern Europe. Late 19th- and early 20th-century immigrants included Jews from eastern Europe. In addition to other Jewish congregations, the county has one of the few Karaite Jewish communities outside Israel.[55] This community is active and has its own synagogue.[56] The Albany Metro Area has consistently been found to be among the highest ranking postchristian cities in the US.[57]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 75,980 | — | |
| 1800 | 34,043 | −55.2% | |
| 1810 | 34,661 | 1.8% | |
| 1820 | 38,116 | 10.0% | |
| 1830 | 53,520 | 40.4% | |
| 1840 | 68,593 | 28.2% | |
| 1850 | 93,279 | 36.0% | |
| 1860 | 113,917 | 22.1% | |
| 1870 | 133,052 | 16.8% | |
| 1880 | 154,890 | 16.4% | |
| 1890 | 164,555 | 6.2% | |
| 1900 | 165,571 | 0.6% | |
| 1910 | 173,666 | 4.9% | |
| 1920 | 186,106 | 7.2% | |
| 1930 | 211,953 | 13.9% | |
| 1940 | 221,315 | 4.4% | |
| 1950 | 239,386 | 8.2% | |
| 1960 | 272,926 | 14.0% | |
| 1970 | 286,742 | 5.1% | |
| 1980 | 285,909 | −0.3% | |
| 1990 | 292,594 | 2.3% | |
| 2000 | 294,565 | 0.7% | |
| 2010 | 304,204 | 3.3% | |
| 2020 | 314,848 | 3.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2] 1790–1960[58] 1900–1990[59] 1990–2000[60] 2010–2019[61] |
|||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[62] | Pop 1990[63] | Pop 2000[64] | Pop 2010[65] | Pop 2020[66] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 260,859 | 257,512 | 240,913 | 231,152 | 210,895 | 91.24% | 88.01% | 81.79% | 75.99% | 66.98% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 18,540 | 24,068 | 31,514 | 36,396 | 40,667 | 6.48% | 8.23% | 10.70% | 11.96% | 12.92% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 327 | 504 | 487 | 453 | 494 | 0.11% | 0.17% | 0.17% | 0.15% | 0.16% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 2,407 | 4,869 | 8,022 | 14,500 | 24,363 | 0.84% | 1.66% | 2.72% | 4.77% | 7.74% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [67] | x [68] | 72 | 88 | 166 | x | x | 0.02% | 0.03% | 0.05% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 751 | 330 | 434 | 569 | 1,821 | 0.26% | 0.11% | 0.15% | 0.19% | 0.58% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [69] | x [70] | 4,044 | 6,129 | 14,847 | x | x | 1.37% | 2.01% | 4.72% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3,025 | 5,311 | 9,079 | 14,917 | 21,595 | 1.06% | 1.82% | 3.08% | 4.90% | 6.86% |
| Total | 285,909 | 292,594 | 294,565 | 304,204 | 314,848 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 US Census, there were 314,848 people in 126,540 households residing in the county.[2] The population density was 563 inhabitants per square mile (217/km2). There were 134,072 housing units at an average density of 248 units per square mile (96/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.2% White, 12.7% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 4.8% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. 4.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 19.2% were of Irish, 16.0% Italian, 11.0% German, 6.1% English and 5.1% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000.[71] 90.4% spoke English, 2.7% Spanish and 1.0% Italian as their first language.
There were 124,682 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 22.6% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,935, and the median income for a family was $56,724. Males had a median income of $39,838 versus $30,127 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,345. About 7.2% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Since the 2000s, the economy of Albany County and the surrounding Capital District has been redirected toward high technology. Tech Valley is a marketing name for the eastern part of New York State, encompassing Albany County, the Capital District, and the Hudson Valley.[72] Originated in 1998 to promote the greater Albany area as a high-tech competitor to regions such as Silicon Valley and Boston, it has since grown to represent the counties in the Capital District and extending to IBM's Westchester County plants in the south and the Canada–US border to the north. The area's high technology ecosystem is supported by technologically focused academic institutions including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute.[73] Tech Valley encompasses 19 counties straddling both sides of the Adirondack Northway and the New York Thruway,[72] and with heavy state taxpayer subsidy, has experienced significant growth in the computer hardware side of the high-technology industry, with great strides in the nanotechnology sector, digital electronics design, and water- and electricity-dependent integrated microchip circuit manufacturing.[74]
For most of its history, Albany County has predominantly backed Democratic Party presidential candidates. In only three elections since 1924 has a Republican Party candidate carried the county in a presidential election, the most recent being Richard Nixon in 1972. The Democratic Party dominance has become more pronounced in recent years, with George H. W. Bush in 1988 the most recent Republican candidate to win even forty percent of the county's vote.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1884 | 17,698 | 47.40% | 18,343 | 49.13% | 1,295 | 3.47% |
| 1888 | 19,362 | 47.39% | 21,037 | 51.49% | 454 | 1.11% |
| 1892 | 18,398 | 47.46% | 18,994 | 48.99% | 1,376 | 3.55% |
| 1896 | 22,263 | 54.52% | 17,818 | 43.64% | 753 | 1.84% |
| 1900 | 23,495 | 54.96% | 18,752 | 43.86% | 505 | 1.18% |
| 1904 | 24,964 | 56.13% | 18,768 | 42.20% | 746 | 1.68% |
| 1908 | 24,763 | 55.93% | 18,732 | 42.31% | 782 | 1.77% |
| 1912 | 20,418 | 47.47% | 17,235 | 40.07% | 5,362 | 12.47% |
| 1916 | 26,628 | 58.00% | 18,799 | 40.95% | 485 | 1.06% |
| 1920 | 48,750 | 61.72% | 28,376 | 35.92% | 1,863 | 2.36% |
| 1924 | 48,253 | 52.01% | 38,671 | 41.68% | 5,848 | 6.30% |
| 1928 | 48,762 | 42.99% | 62,380 | 54.99% | 2,295 | 2.02% |
| 1932 | 46,244 | 38.29% | 73,194 | 60.61% | 1,321 | 1.09% |
| 1936 | 52,962 | 41.54% | 71,631 | 56.18% | 2,918 | 2.29% |
| 1940 | 58,912 | 43.26% | 77,052 | 56.58% | 210 | 0.15% |
| 1944 | 60,543 | 45.88% | 71,128 | 53.90% | 289 | 0.22% |
| 1948 | 59,965 | 42.61% | 75,419 | 53.59% | 5,350 | 3.80% |
| 1952 | 79,871 | 52.28% | 72,633 | 47.54% | 266 | 0.17% |
| 1956 | 86,202 | 56.64% | 65,982 | 43.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 61,600 | 40.08% | 91,973 | 59.84% | 119 | 0.08% |
| 1964 | 32,224 | 21.90% | 114,827 | 78.03% | 101 | 0.07% |
| 1968 | 52,948 | 38.00% | 80,724 | 57.93% | 5,679 | 4.08% |
| 1972 | 81,848 | 54.76% | 67,297 | 45.02% | 330 | 0.22% |
| 1976 | 69,592 | 48.87% | 71,616 | 50.29% | 1,201 | 0.84% |
| 1980 | 52,354 | 36.27% | 74,429 | 51.56% | 17,581 | 12.18% |
| 1984 | 74,542 | 49.50% | 75,447 | 50.10% | 603 | 0.40% |
| 1988 | 59,534 | 40.37% | 86,564 | 58.70% | 1,363 | 0.92% |
| 1992 | 49,452 | 31.83% | 80,641 | 51.90% | 25,270 | 16.27% |
| 1996 | 39,785 | 28.22% | 85,993 | 60.99% | 15,213 | 10.79% |
| 2000 | 47,624 | 33.53% | 85,644 | 60.30% | 8,765 | 6.17% |
| 2004 | 54,872 | 37.28% | 89,323 | 60.68% | 3,004 | 2.04% |
| 2008 | 50,586 | 34.35% | 93,937 | 63.79% | 2,743 | 1.86% |
| 2012 | 45,064 | 33.19% | 87,556 | 64.49% | 3,147 | 2.32% |
| 2016 | 47,808 | 34.19% | 83,071 | 59.41% | 8,939 | 6.39% |
| 2020 | 51,081 | 33.15% | 99,474 | 64.55% | 3,547 | 2.30% |
| 2024 | 54,560 | 36.45% | 92,589 | 61.86% | 2,528 | 1.69% |
Albany County was governed by a board of supervisors until 1968.[76] The board consisted of the town supervisors of each town in the county, as well as county supervisors elected from the wards of each city in the county.[77] In the later years of its existence, the board used a system of weighted voting to comply with recently enacted federal and state proportional representation requirements.[78] On January 1, 1976, Albany County government was changed by a new charter establishing a county executive elected at-large, in addition to the 39-seat county legislature.[79] In the first election for county executive, Democratic nominee James J. Coyne Jr., who was then serving as county clerk, defeated Liberal nominee Theresa Cooke, county treasurer and a critic of the county and city Democratic machine run by Daniel P. O'Connell, and Republican nominee Almerin C. O'Hara, former state Commissioner of the Office of General Services.[80] Each of the 39 legislators are elected from single-member districts. As of 2023, the county legislature has 29 Democrats, 10 Republicans.[81]
The County Executive is Daniel P. McCoy. Other officials elected countywide include District Attorney Lee Kindlon, Clerk Bruce A. Hidley, Comptroller Susan A. Rizzo, and Sheriff Craig D. Apple. All county officials are Democrats. Other elected officials with districts in the county include:
| District | Legislator | Party | Residence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolyn McLaughlin | Democratic | Albany |
| 2 | Merton Simpson | Democratic | Albany |
| 3 | Wanda Willingham, Deputy Chair | Democratic | Albany |
| 4 | Mark Robinson | Democratic | Albany |
| 5 | Susan Pedo | Democratic | Albany |
| 6 | Samuel I. Fein | Democratic | Albany |
| 7 | Beroro T. Efekoro | Democratic | Albany |
| 8 | Lynne Lekakis | Democratic | Albany |
| 9 | Andrew Joyce | Democratic | Albany |
| 10 | Gary Domalewicz | Democratic | Albany |
| 11 | Frank Commisso | Democratic | Albany |
| 12 | William M. Clay | Democratic | Albany |
| 13 | Raymond Joyce | Democratic | Albany |
| 14 | Alison McLean-Lane | Democratic | Loudonville |
| 15 | Robert Beston | Democratic | Watervliet |
| 16 | Sean E. Ward | Democratic | Green Island |
| 17 | Bill Ricard | Democratic | Cohoes |
| 18 | Gilbert Ethier | Democratic | Cohoes |
| 19 | Todd Drake | Republican | Latham |
| 20 | David Mayo | Democratic | Latham |
| 21 | Jennifer A. Whalen | Republican | Latham |
| 22 | Susan Quine-Laurilliard | Democratic | Colonie |
| 23 | Paul Burgdorf | Republican | Colonie |
| 24 | Ellen Rosano | Democratic | Loudonville |
| 25 | Ryan Conway | Republican | Loudonville |
| 26 | Patrice Lockart | Republican | Colonie |
| 27 | Frank Mauriello, Minority Leader | Republican | Colonie |
| 28 | Mark Grimm | Republican | Guilderland |
| 29 | Dennis Feeney, Majority Leader | Democratic | Guilderland |
| 30 | Dustin M. Reidy | Democratic | Westmere |
| 31 | Jeff S. Perlee | Republican | Knox |
| 32 | Mickey Cleary | Democratic | Guilderland |
| 33 | William Reinhardt | Democratic | Slingerlands |
| 34 | Joanne Cunningham, Chair | Democratic | Delmar |
| 35 | Jeffrey D. Kuhn | Democratic | Glenmont |
| 36 | Matthew J. Miller | Democratic | Selkirk |
| 37 | Zachary Collins | Republican | Coeymans |
| 38 | Victoria Plotsky | Democratic | Clarksville |
| 39 | Christopher H. Smith | Republican | Berne |
| Name | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|
| James J. Coyne Jr. | Democratic | January 1, 1976 – December 31, 1991 |
| Michael J. Hoblock Jr. | Republican | January 1, 1992 – December 31, 1994 |
| Michael G. Breslin | Democratic | January 1, 1995 – December 31, 2011 |
| Daniel P. McCoy | Democratic | January 1, 2012 – present |
The Albany County Sheriff's Office is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States, having been established in the 1660s.[84] Sheriff Craig Apple was first elected in 2011.[85]
The sheriff is also responsible for the county jail, which was built in 1931,[86] and renamed from the Albany County Correctional Facility to the Albany County Corrections and Rehabilitative Services Center in 2019.[87] It has a contract with New York City to accept prisoners from its facilities. The New York Times has reported that juveniles sent to Albany were beaten and placed in isolation, which is forbidden in New York City.[88]
The department investigated a criminal complaint against Governor Andrew Cuomo during the Andrew Cuomo sexual harassment allegations, and filed a misdemeanor criminal complaint on its own authority to bring charges.[89]
Public school districts include:[90]
Albany County has long been at the forefront of transportation technology from the days of turnpikes and plank roads to the Erie Canal, from the first passenger railroad in the state to the oldest municipal airport in the United States. Today, Interstates, Amtrak, and the Albany International Airport continue to make the Albany County a major crossroads of the Northeastern United States.
The Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Every metropolitan area in the United States with a population of over 50,000 must have a MPO in order to get any federal transportation funding. The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) uses an MPO to make decisions on what projects are most important to a metro area for immediate versus long term funding. The USDOT will not approve federal funds for transportation projects unless they are on an MPO's list.[91]
Albany County is at a major crossroads of the Northeastern United States, first formed by the Mohawk and Hudson rivers. Even before the Interstate Highway System and the U.S. Highway system, Albany County was the hub of many turnpikes and plank roads that connected the region, as well as the Erie Canal reaching the Great Lakes.
Today, Interstate 87 and Interstate 90 meet in Albany County. The Thomas E. Dewey New York State Thruway is a toll-road that from Exit 24 in the city of Albany is I-87 and travels south to connect the county with downstate New York. West from Exit 24, the Thruway is I-90 and connects the county with Schenectady, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo.
North of Exit 24, I-87 is the Adirondack Northway and connects the city and county of Albany with their suburbs in Saratoga County and provides long-distance travel to Montreal. East of Exit 24, I-90 travels along the northern boundary of the city of Albany and exits the county on the Patroon Island Bridge into Rensselaer County to access Albany's eastern suburbs. Interstate 787 connects the Thruway (I-87) to Downtown Albany, Menands, Watervliet, and Cohoes. U.S. Route 9 enters the county on the Dunn Memorial Bridge and travels through the city of Albany north, connecting it with the suburbs in the Colonie and Saratoga County. U.S. Route 20 also enters the county on the Dunn Memorial Bridge and travels west through Albany (city) and the Town of Guilderland. New York State Route 5 and New York State Route 7 are two important highways that bisect the county and are developed as important shopping strips.
Albany County is served by the Capital District Transportation Authority, a five-county bus service that also serves Rensselaer, Schenectady, Montgomery and Saratoga counties. Greyhound Lines, Trailways, and Peter Pan Bus Lines buses all serve a downtown terminal. Chinatown bus lines leaves from Central Avenue and provide service to Chinatown, Manhattan.
Albany International Airport is the only commercial airport in the county. Destinations for flights out of Albany include Atlanta; Las Vegas; Chicago; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Orlando, Florida, among many others.
Since 1968 when Union Station in the city of Albany was abandoned for a new station across the Hudson in the city of Rensselaer, Albany County has been without a train station. Amtrak has several routes serving the Albany-Rensselaer Station. The Adirondack (north to Montreal, Quebec and south to the city of New York), Empire Service (west to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, south to New York), Ethan Allen Express (northeast to Rutland, Vermont and south to New York), Maple Leaf (west to Toronto and south to New York), and the Lake Shore Limited (at Albany-Rensselaer separate routes from Boston and New York merge to one train west to Chicago, on way east one train splits to two, one east to Boston and another south to New York).
Albany County is composed of three cities and 10 towns.
42°36′N 73°58′W / 42.600°N 73.967°W
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County of Nassau
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|---|---|
Hempstead House, part of Sands Point Preserve, on Nassau County's Gold Coast, home to some of the world's most expensive real estate
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Location within the U.S. state of New York
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New York's location within the U.S.
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| Coordinates: 40°44′50″N 73°38′17″W / 40.7472°N 73.6381°W | |
| Country | |
| State | |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Named after | House of Nassau |
| Seat | Mineola |
| Largest town | Hempstead |
| Government
|
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| • Executive | Bruce Blakeman (R) |
| Area
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• Total
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453 sq mi (1,170 km2) |
| • Land | 285 sq mi (740 km2) |
| • Water | 169 sq mi (440 km2) 37% |
| Population
(2020)
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• Total
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1,395,774 |
| • Density | 4,900/sq mi (1,890/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Area code | 516, 363 |
| Congressional districts | 2nd, 3rd, 4th |
| Website | nassaucountyny.gov |
| Population is 2020 official census | |
| Part of a series on |
| Long Island |
|---|
| Topics |
| Regions |
Nassau County (/ˈnæsɔː/ NASS-aw) is a suburban county located on Long Island, immediately to the east of New York City, bordering the Long Island Sound on the north and the open Atlantic Ocean to the south. As of the 2020 United States census, Nassau County's population was 1,395,774, making it the sixth-most populous county in the State of New York,[1] and reflecting an increase of 56,242 (+4.2%) from the 1,339,532 residents enumerated at the 2010 census.[2] Its county seat is Mineola, while the county's largest and most populous town is Hempstead.[3][4][5]
Situated on western Long Island, the County of Nassau borders New York City's borough of Queens to its west, and Long Island's Suffolk County to its east. It is the most densely populated and second-most populous county in the State of New York outside of New York City, with which it maintains extensive rail and highway connectivity, and is considered one of the central counties within the New York metropolitan area.
Nassau County comprises two cities, three towns, 64 incorporated villages, and more than 60 unincorporated hamlets. Nassau County has a designated police department,[6] fire commission,[7] and elected executive and legislative bodies.[8]
A 2012 Forbes article based on the American Community Survey reported Nassau County as the most expensive county and one of the highest income counties in the U.S., and the most affluent in New York state, with four of the nation's top ten towns by median income located in the county.[9] As of 2024, the median home price overall in Nassau County is approximately US$800,000, while the Gold Coast of Nassau County features some of the world's most expensive real estate.
Nassau County high school students often feature prominently as winners of the International Science and Engineering Fair and similar STEM-based academic awards as well as top U.S. schools lists.[10] Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the Town of Oyster Bay; the Old Westbury campus of New York Institute of Technology; the second campus of the New York University Grossman School of Medicine in Mineola, Zucker School of Medicine in the Village of Hempstead; and the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, are prominent life sciences research and academic institutions in Nassau County. The presence of numerous prominent health care systems has made Nassau County a central hub for advanced medical care and technology. Eight cricket matches of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup were played at a temporary cricket stadium in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow in June 2024.
The name of Nassau County originated from an old name for Long Island, which was at one time named Nassau, after the Dutch family of King William III of England, the House of Nassau,[11] itself named after the German town of Nassau. The county colors (orange and blue) are also the colors of the House of Orange-Nassau.
Several alternate names had been considered for the county, including "Bryant", "Matinecock" (a village within the county currently has that name), "Norfolk" (presumably because of the proximity to Suffolk County), and "Sagamore".[12] However, "Nassau" had the historical advantage of having at one time been the name of Long Island itself,[13] and was the name most mentioned after the new county was proposed in 1875.[14][15][16]
The area now designated as Nassau County was originally the eastern 70% of Queens County, one of the original twelve counties formed in 1683, and was then contained within two towns: Hempstead and Oyster Bay. In 1784, the Town of North Hempstead, was formed through secession by the northern portions of the Town of Hempstead. Nassau County was formed in 1899 by the division of Queens County, after the western portion of Queens had become a borough of New York City in 1898, as the three easternmost towns seceded from the county.
When the first European settlers arrived, among the Native Americans to occupy the present area of Nassau County were the Marsapeque, Matinecoc, and Sacatogue. Dutch settlers in New Netherland predominated in the western portion of Long Island, while English settlers from Connecticut occupied the eastern portion. Until 1664, Long Island was split, roughly at the present border between Nassau and Suffolk counties, between the Dutch in the west and Connecticut claiming the east. The Dutch did grant an English settlement in Hempstead (now in western Nassau), but drove settlers from the present-day eastern Nassau hamlet of Oyster Bay as part of a boundary dispute. In 1664, all of Long Island became part of the English Province of New York within the Shire of York. Present-day Queens and Nassau were then just part of a larger North Riding. In 1683, the colonial territory of Yorkshire was dissolved, Suffolk County and Queens County were established, and the local seat of government was moved west from Hempstead to Jamaica (now in New York City).[17]
By 1700, virtually none of Long Island's area remained unpurchased from the Native Americans by the English colonists, and townships controlled whatever land had not already been distributed.[18] The courthouse in Jamaica was torn down by the British during the American Revolution to use the materials to build barracks.[19]
In 1784, following the American Revolutionary War, the Town of Hempstead was split in two, when Patriots in the northern part formed the new Town of North Hempstead, leaving Loyalist majorities in the Town of Hempstead. About 1787, a new Queens County Courthouse was erected (and later completed) in the new Town of North Hempstead, near present-day Mineola (now in Nassau County), known then as Clowesville.[20][21][23][24]
The Long Island Rail Road reached as far east as Hicksville in 1837, but did not proceed to Farmingdale until 1841 due to the Panic of 1837. The 1850 census was the first in which the combined population of the three western towns (Flushing, Jamaica, and Newtown) exceeded that of the three eastern towns that are now part of Nassau County. Concerns were raised about the condition of the old courthouse and the inconvenience of travel and accommodations, with the three eastern and three western towns divided on the location for the construction of a new one.[25] Around 1874, the seat of county government was moved to Long Island City from Mineola.[24][26][27] As early as 1875, representatives of the three eastern towns began advocating the separation of the three eastern towns from Queens, with some proposals also including the towns of Huntington and Babylon (in Suffolk County).[14][15][16]
In 1898, the western portion of Queens County became a borough of the City of Greater New York, leaving the eastern portion a part of Queens County but not part of the Borough of Queens. As part of the city consolidation plan, all town, village, and city (other than NYC) governments within the borough were dissolved, as well as the county government with its seat in Jamaica. The areas excluded from the consolidation included all of the Town of North Hempstead, all of the Town of Oyster Bay, and most of the Town of Hempstead (excluding the Rockaway Peninsula, which was separated from the Town of Hempstead and became part of the city borough).
In 1899, following approval from the New York State Legislature, the three towns were separated from Queens County, and the new county of Nassau was constituted.
In preparation for the new county, in November 1898, voters had selected Mineola to become the county seat for the new county[28] (before Mineola incorporated as a village in 1906 and set its boundaries almost entirely within the Town of North Hempstead), winning out over Hicksville and Hempstead.[29]
The Garden City Company (founded in 1893 by the heirs of Alexander Turney Stewart)[30] donated four acres of land for the county buildings in the Town of Hempstead, just south of the Mineola train station and the present day village of Mineola.[31] The land and the buildings have a Mineola postal address, but are within the present day Village of Garden City,[32] which did not incorporate, nor set its boundaries, until 1919.
In 1917,[33] the hamlet of Glen Cove was granted a city charter, making it independent from the Town of Oyster Bay. In 1918, the village of Long Beach was incorporated in the Town of Hempstead. In 1922, it became a city, making it independent of the town. These are the only two administrative divisions in Nassau County identified as cities.
From the early 1900s until the Depression and the early 1930s, many hilly farmlands on the North Shore were transformed into luxurious country estates for wealthy New Yorkers, with the area receiving the "Gold Coast" moniker and becoming the setting of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby. One summer resident of the Gold Coast was President Theodore Roosevelt, at Sagamore Hill. In 1908, William Kissam Vanderbilt constructed the Long Island Motor Parkway as a toll road through Nassau County. With overpasses and bridges to remove intersections, it was among the first limited access motor highways in the world, and was also used as a racecourse to test the capabilities of the fledgling automobile industry.
Nassau County, with its extensive flat land, was the site of many aviation firsts.[34] Military aviators for both World Wars were trained on the Hempstead Plains at installations such as Mitchel Air Force Base, and a number of successful aircraft companies were established. Charles Lindbergh took off for Paris from Roosevelt Field in 1927, completing the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight from the United States. Grumman (which in 1986 employed 23,000 people on Long Island[35]) built many planes for World War II, and later contributed the Apollo Lunar Module to the Space program.[34]
The United Nations Security Council was temporarily located in Nassau County, from 1946 till 1951. Council meetings were held at the Sperry Gyroscope headquarters in the village of Lake Success, near the border with Queens County. It was here that on June 27, 1950, the Security Council voted to back U.S. President Harry S Truman and send a coalition of forces to the Korean Peninsula, leading to the Korean War.
Until World War II, most of Nassau County was still farmland, particularly in the eastern portion. Following the war, the county saw an influx of people from the five boroughs of New York City, especially from Brooklyn and Queens, who left their urban dwellings for a more suburban setting. This led to a massive population boom in the county. In 1947, William Levitt built his first planned community in Nassau County, in the Island Trees section (later renamed Levittown; this should not be confused with the county's first planned community, which in general is Garden City). In the 1930s, Robert Moses had engineered curving parkways and parks such as Jones Beach State Park and Bethpage State Park for the enjoyment of city-dwellers; in the 1950s and 1960s the focus turned to alleviating commuter traffic.
In 1994, Federal Judge Arthur Spatt declared the Nassau County Board of Supervisors unconstitutional and directed that a 19-member legislature be formed.[36] Republicans won 13 seats in the election and chose Bruce Blakeman as the first Presiding Officer (Speaker).[37]
According to a Forbes magazine 2012 survey, residents of Nassau County have the 12th highest median household annual income in the country and the highest in the state.[9] In the 1990s, however, Nassau County experienced substantial budget problems, forcing the county to near bankruptcy. Thus, the county government increased taxes to prevent a takeover by the state of New York, leading to the county having high property taxes. Nevertheless, on January 27, 2011, a State of New York oversight board seized control of Nassau County's finances, saying the wealthy and heavily taxed county had failed to balance its $2.6 billion budgets.[38]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 453.2 square miles (1,174 km2), of which 284.7 square miles (737 km2) is land and 168.5 square miles (436 km2) (37%) is water.[39]
Nassau County borders the Long Island Sound on the north and the open Atlantic Ocean on the south. The highest point in the county is Harbor Hill on the north shore. The county occupies a portion of Long Island immediately east of the New York City borough of Queens. It is divided into two cities and three towns, the latter of which contain 64 villages and numerous hamlets. The county borders Connecticut across the Long Island Sound.
Between the 1990 U.S. census and the 2000 U.S. census, the Nassau County exchanged territory with Suffolk County and lost territory to Queens County.[40] Dozens of CDPs had boundaries changed, and 12 new CDPs were listed.[40]
Nassau County has a climate similar to other coastal areas of the Northeastern United States; it has warm, humid summers and cool, wet winters. The county's climate is classified as humid subtropical (Cfa) according to the Köppen climate classification. According to the Trewartha climate classification the climate is oceanic (Do) since six to seven months average above 50″F (10″C). The Atlantic Ocean helps bring afternoon sea breezes that temper the heat in the warmer months and limit the frequency and severity of thunderstorms. Nassau County has a moderately sunny climate, averaging between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine annually.[41] The hardiness zone is 7b.[42]
| Climate data for Mineola, New York | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 71 (22) |
73 (23) |
85 (29) |
94 (34) |
97 (36) |
101 (38) |
105 (41) |
104 (40) |
100 (38) |
90 (32) |
83 (28) |
76 (24) |
105 (41) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 39 (4) |
43 (6) |
50 (10) |
61 (16) |
70 (21) |
80 (27) |
85 (29) |
83 (28) |
76 (24) |
65 (18) |
55 (13) |
45 (7) |
63 (17) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26 (−3) |
28 (−2) |
34 (1) |
42 (6) |
51 (11) |
61 (16) |
66 (19) |
65 (18) |
58 (14) |
48 (9) |
40 (4) |
31 (−1) |
46 (8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −10 (−23) |
−7 (−22) |
3 (−16) |
13 (−11) |
32 (0) |
43 (6) |
50 (10) |
48 (9) |
38 (3) |
27 (−3) |
10 (−12) |
−1 (−18) |
−10 (−23) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.62 (92) |
3.17 (81) |
4.35 (110) |
4.15 (105) |
3.90 (99) |
3.85 (98) |
4.40 (112) |
3.72 (94) |
3.91 (99) |
4.08 (104) |
3.73 (95) |
3.82 (97) |
46.7 (1,186) |
| Source: The Weather Channel[43] | |||||||||||||
Nassau County borders the following counties:[44]
In July 2017, the approval was granted by state legislators to the plan proposed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to add a third railroad track to the Long Island Rail Road corridor between the communities of Floral Park and Hicksville in Nassau County. The nearly US$2 billion transportation infrastructure enhancement project was expected to accommodate anticipated growth in rail ridership and facilitate commutes between New York City and Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island.[45]
The Long Island Expressway, Northern State Parkway, and Southern State Parkway are the primary east–west controlled-access highways in Nassau County. Northern Boulevard (New York State Route 25A), Hillside Avenue (New York State Route 25B), Jericho Turnpike (New York State Route 25), New York State Route 24, and Sunrise Highway (New York State Route 27) are also major east–west commercial thoroughfares across the county. The Meadowbrook State Parkway, Wantagh State Parkway, and Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway (New York State Route 135) are the major north–south controlled-access highways traversing Nassau County.
Nassau County also has a public bus network known as NICE (Nassau Inter-County Express, formerly MTA Long Island Bus) that operates routes throughout the county into Queens and Suffolk counties. 24 hour service is provided on the n4, n6, and most recently the n40/41 lines.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 55,448 | — | |
| 1910 | 83,930 | 51.4% | |
| 1920 | 126,120 | 50.3% | |
| 1930 | 303,053 | 140.3% | |
| 1940 | 406,748 | 34.2% | |
| 1950 | 672,765 | 65.4% | |
| 1960 | 1,300,171 | 93.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,428,080 | 9.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,321,582 | −7.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,287,348 | −2.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,334,544 | 3.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,339,532 | 0.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,395,774 | 4.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[47] 1790–1960[48] 1900–1990[49] 1990–2000[50] 2010–2020[1] |
|||
At the 2019 American Community Survey, the population of Nassau County stood at 1,356,924, an increase of 17,392 since the 2010 census.[51] At the 2010 U.S. census, there were 1,339,532 people, 448,528 households, and 340,523 families residing in the county. The population of Nassau County was estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau to have increased by 2.2% to 1,369,514 in 2017, representing 6.9% of the census-estimated State of New York population of 19,849,399[52] and 17.4% of the census-estimated Long Island population of 7,869,820.[53][54][55][56] At the 2000 United States census, there were 1,334,544 people, 447,387 households, and 347,172 families residing in the county.
In 2010, there were 340,523 family households. 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 60.0% were married couples living together. 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present. 24.1% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals. 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94. The average family size was 3.38.[57]
In 2010, the population was 23.3% under the age of 18. 18.7% were 62 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.[57] In 2019, there were 474,165 housing units and 446,977 family households.[58] From 2015 to 2019, there was an average of 2.99 persons per household, and 21.4% of the population was under 18 years of age.
At the 2019 American Community Survey, Nassau had a median household income of $116,100. The per capita income was $51,422. About 5.6% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.[58] The median income for a household in the county in 2010 was $72,030. and the median income for a family was $81,246. These figures had risen to $87,658 and $101,661 respectively according to a 2007 estimate.[59] Males had a median income of $52,340 versus $37,446 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,151. About 3.50% of families and 5.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.80% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over.
The population density in 2010 was 4,700 people per square mile (1,800 people/km2). In 2000, the population density was 4,655 inhabitants per square mile (1,797/km2). In the 2010 census, there were 468,346 housing units at an average density of 1,598 per square mile (617/km2).
| Place | Population 2010 census |
% white |
% black or African American |
% Asian |
% Other† |
% mixed race |
% Hispanic/ Latino of any race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race | Ethnicity | ||||||
| Nassau County | 1,339,532 | 71.0 | 11.1 | 7.6 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 14.6 |
| Suffolk County | 1,493,350 | 81.0 | 7.3 | 3.4 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 16.5 |
| Long Island Total (including Brooklyn and Queens) |
7,568,304 | 54.7 | 20.4 | 12.3 | 9.3 | 3.2 | 20.5 |
| NY State | 19,378,102 | 65.7 | 15.9 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 17.6 |
| USA | 308,745,538 | 72.4 | 12.6 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 16.3 |
| †American Indian, Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander make up just 0.5% of the population of Long Island, and have been included with "Other". | |||||||
In 2010, the racial makeup of the county was 73.0% White (65.5% non-Hispanic white), 10.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 7.6% Asian (3.0% Indian, 1.8% Chinese, 1.0% Korean, 0.7% Filipino, 0.1% Japanese, 0.1% Vietnamese, 0.9% Other Asian), 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.6% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 15.6% of the population.[57] In 2019, Nassau County's racial and ethnic makeup was 58.2% non-Hispanic white, 11.3% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian or Alaska Native, 10.3% Asian, 0.7% some other race, and 1.9% two or more races. The Hispanic and Latin American population increased to 17.5% of the population.[61]
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[62] | Pop 1990[63] | Pop 2000[64] | Pop 2010[65] | Pop 2020[66] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 1,171,317 | 1,063,903 | 986,947 | 877,309 | 779,454 | 88.63% | 82.64% | 73.95% | 65.49% | 55.84% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 88,414 | 105,315 | 129,860 | 141,305 | 147,216 | 6.69% | 8.18% | 9.73% | 10.55% | 10.55% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 892 | 1,262 | 1,311 | 1,379 | 1,714 | 0.07% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.12% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 14,472 | 38,434 | 62,744 | 101,558 | 163,165 | 1.10% | 2.99% | 4.70% | 7.58% | 11.69% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [67] | x [68] | 272 | 197 | 292 | x | x | 0.02% | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 3,201 | 1,048 | 3,014 | 4,740 | 11,780 | 0.24% | 0.08% | 0.23% | 0.35% | 0.84% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [69] | x [70] | 17,114 | 17,689 | 35,728 | x | x | 1.28% | 1.32% | 2.56% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 43,286 | 77,386 | 133,282 | 195,355 | 256,425 | 3.28% | 6.01% | 9.99% | 14.58% | 18.37% |
| Total | 1,321,582 | 1,287,348 | 1,334,544 | 1,339,532 | 1,395,774 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2011, there were about 230,000 Jewish people in Nassau County,[71] representing 17.2% of the population, (as compared to 2% of the total U.S. population). Italian Americans also made up a large portion of Nassau's population. The five most reported ancestries were Italian (23%), Irish (14%), German (7%), Indian (5%), and Polish (4%). The county's population was highest at the 1970 U.S. census. More recently, a Little India community has emerged in Hicksville, Nassau County,[72] spreading eastward from the more established Little India enclaves in Queens. Rapidly growing Chinatowns have developed in Brooklyn and Queens,[73][74][75] as did earlier European immigrants, such as the Irish and Italians.
As of 2019, the Asian population in Nassau County had grown by 39% since 2010, to an estimated 145,191 individuals. There were approximately 50,000 Indian Americans and 40,000 Chinese Americans. Nassau County has become the leading suburban destination in the U.S. for Chinese immigrants.[76] Likewise, the Long Island Koreatown originated in Flushing, Queens, and is expanding eastward along Northern Boulevard[77][78][79][80][81] and into Nassau County.[75][78][79] The New York Times cited a 2002 study by the non-profit group ERASE Racism, which determined that Nassau, and its neighboring county, Suffolk, as the most de facto racially segregated suburbs in the United States.[82]
| Place | Population 2010 census[57][60] |
% Catholic |
% not affiliated |
% Jewish |
% Protestant |
Estimate of % not reporting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau County | 1,339,532 | 52 | 9 | 16 | 7 | 15 |
| Suffolk County | 1,493,350 | 52 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 11 |
| Long Island Total (including Brooklyn and Queens) |
7,568,304 | 40 | 18 | 12 | 7 | 20 |
| NY State | 19,378,102 | 42 | 20 | 9 | 10 | 16 |
| USA | 308,745,538 | 22 | 37 | 2 | 23 | 12 |
County police services are provided by the Nassau County Police Department. The cities of Glen Cove and Long Beach, as well as a number of villages, are not members of the county police district and maintain their own police forces. The following village police departments exist in Nassau County: Brookville (Brookville P.D. provides police protection for Brookville, Matinecock, Mill Neck and Cove Neck), Centre Island, Floral Park, Freeport, Garden City, Great Neck Estates, Hempstead, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Lynbrook, Malverne, Muttontown-Upper Brookville, Old Brookville, Old Westbury, Oyster Bay Cove, Rockville Centre and Sands Point.
The Port Washington Police District is not a village department but is authorized by a special district, the only such district in the State of New York. These smaller forces make use of such specialized county police services as the police academy and the aviation unit. All homicides in the county are investigated by the county police, regardless of whether or not they occur within the police district.
In June 2011, the Muttontown Police Department commenced operations. The Old Brookville Police had formerly provided police services to the Village of Muttontown.
On June 1, 2022, the Old Brookville Police Department reverted to serving only the Village of Old Brookville and moved its headquarters to the grounds of the Old Brookville village hall. The Village of Brookville formed a new police department, established headquarters on the grounds of the Brookville Nature Park and assumed policing duties for the villages of Brookville, Matinecock, Mill Neck and Cove Neck, that were formerly served by the Old Brookville Police Department. The Village of Upper Brookville joined the Muttontown Police Department which was subsequently renamed the Muttontown-Upper Brookville (MUB) Police Department. The former Old Brookville Police headquarters is now the Upper Brookville village hall and also a substation for the Muttontown-Upper Brookville Police Department.
In 2006, village leaders in the county seat of Mineola expressed dissatisfaction with the level of police coverage provided by the county force and actively explored seceding from the police district and having the village form its own police force. A referendum in December 2006 decisively defeated the proposal.[85]
Since the Long Island State Parkway Police was disbanded in 1980, all of Nassau County's state parkways have been patrolled by Troop L of the New York State Police. State parks in Nassau are patrolled by the New York State Park Police. In 1996, the Long Island Rail Road Police Department was consolidated into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police. The MTA Police patrol Long Island Rail Road tracks, stations and properties. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police provides enforcement of state environmental laws and regulations. The State University of New York Police provides enforcement for SUNY Old Westbury.
The Nassau County Police Department posts the mug shots of DWI offenders as press releases on their website. This practice has come under the scrutiny of residents, media, and those pictured in these press releases. This practice has been criticized as being able to cost potential employees, students, or public figures their positions.[86]
County correctional services and enforcement of court orders are provided by the Nassau County Sheriff's Department. New York State Court Officers provide security for courthouses.
The Nassau County Auxiliary Police are a unit of the Nassau County Police Department. These volunteer police officers are assigned to 1 of 38 local community units and perform routine patrols of the neighborhood. They provide traffic control for local parades, races and other community events. Auxiliary Police officers are empowered to make arrests for crimes that occur in their presence.
Nassau County Auxiliary Police are required to complete a 42-week training course at the Nassau County Police Academy. Qualified officers are offered Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training. Auxiliary Police officers are certified and registered by the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services as full-time "peace officers". The City of Long Beach has an independent auxiliary police force which is part of its municipal police force. These officers are represented by the Auxiliary Police Benevolent Association of Long Island.
Nassau County is currently protected and served by 71 independent volunteer or combination paid/volunteer fire departments, organized into 9 battalions. The Nassau County Fire Commission also provides logistical support to all 71 departments.[87]
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 100 | Bellerose Village |
| 110 | Bellerose Terrace |
| 120 | Floral Park |
| 130 | Floral Park Centre |
| 140 | Garden City |
| 150 | Garden City Park |
| 160 | Mineola |
| 170 | New Hyde Park |
| 180 | South Floral Park |
| 190 | Stewart Manor |
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 200 | Baldwin |
| 210 | Freeport |
| 220 | Village of Island Park |
| 230 | Long Beach |
| 240 | Oceanside |
| 250 | Point Lookout-Lido |
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 300 | Hewlett |
| 310 | Inwood |
| 320 | Lawrence Cedarhurst |
| 330 | Meadowmere Park |
| 340 | Valley Stream |
| 350 | Woodmere |
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 400 | East Rockaway |
| 410 | Lakeview |
| 420 | Lynbrook |
| 430 | Malverne |
| 440 | Rockville Centre |
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 500 | Bayville |
| 510 | East Norwich |
| 520 | Glen Cove |
| 530 | Glenwood |
| 540 | Locust Valley |
| 550 | Oyster Bay |
| 560 | Roslyn Rescue |
| 570 | Sea Cliff |
| 580 | Syosset |
| 590 | Roslyn Highlands |
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 600 | Bellmore |
| 610 | East Meadow |
| 620 | Levittown |
| 630 | Massapequa |
| 640 | Merrick |
| 650 | North Bellmore |
| 660 | North Massapequa |
| 670 | North Merrick |
| 680 | Seaford |
| 690 | Wantagh |
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 700 | Elmont |
| 710 | Franklin Square and Munson |
| 720 | Hempstead |
| 730 | Roosevelt |
| 740 | South Hempstead |
| 750 | Uniondale |
| 760 | West Hempstead |
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 800 | Albertson |
| 810 | East Williston |
| 820 | Great Neck Alert |
| 830 | Great Neck Vigilant |
| 840 | Plandome |
| 850 | Port Washington |
| 860 | Williston Park |
| 870 | Manhasset-Lakeville |
| Department Number | Department Name |
|---|---|
| 900 | Bethpage |
| 910 | Carle Place |
| 920 | Farmingdale |
| 930 | Hicksville |
| 940 | Jericho |
| 950 | Plainview |
| 960 | Westbury |
| 970 | South Farmingdale |
|
|
This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: August 2024 mask ban. (August 2024)
|
The head of the county's governmental structure is the county executive, a post created in Nassau County in 1938. The current county executive is Bruce Blakeman, a Republican who was elected in 2021. The chief deputy county executive is Republican Arthur Walsh. The district attorney is Republican Anne T. Donnelly, who was elected in 2021, replacing Acting District Attorney Joyce Smith. Smith succeeded Madeline Singas after she was nominated and confirmed as an associate judge on the New York Court of Appeals in June 2021.
The county comptroller is Elaine Phillips, a Republican who formerly served in the New York State Senate. The county clerk is Republican Maureen O'Connell. Former elected offices chairman of the County Board of Assessors, county treasurer, and county sheriff were made appointed and serve at the pleasure of the county executive (county assessor in 2008 via referendum, changing it from a six-year term to appointed).[88]
The current Nassau County executive is Bruce Blakeman, a Republican.
| Name | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|
| J. Russell Sprague | Republican | 1938–1953 |
| A. Holly Patterson | Republican | 1953–1962 |
| Eugene Nickerson | Democratic | 1962–1970 |
| Ralph G. Caso | Republican | 1970–1978 |
| Francis T. Purcell | Republican | 1978–1987 |
| Thomas Gulotta | Republican | 1987–2001 |
| Tom Suozzi | Democratic | 2002–2009 |
| Ed Mangano | Republican | 2010–2017 |
| Laura Curran | Democratic | 2018–2021 |
| Bruce Blakeman | Republican | 2022–present |
The chief deputy county executive[89] is the highest appointed official in the Nassau County government, serving second-in-command under the auspice of the county executive. The Chief Deputy is responsible for managing the activities of all departments of the Nassau County government, which provides services to its 1.36 million residents. The chief deputy also officially serves as the acting county executive in the absence of, or disability of the County Executive. The current chief deputy county executive is Arthur T. Walsh, who was appointed by Executive Bruce Blakeman in 2022.
| Name | Party | Term | Served Under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert McDonald | Republican | 1993–1999 | Thomas Gulotta |
| Judy Schwartz | Republican | 1999–2001 | Thomas Gulotta |
| Anthony Cancillieri | Democrat | 2002–2005 | Thomas Suozzi |
| Christopher Hahn | Democrat | 2006–2009 | Thomas Suozzi |
| Robert Walker | Republican | 2010–2017 | Edward Mangano |
| Helena Williams | Democrat | 2018–2021 | Laura Curran |
| Arthur Walsh | Republican | 2022–present | Bruce Blakeman |
The comptroller of Nassau County is the chief fiscal officer and chief auditing officer of the County who presides over the Nassau County Comptroller's Office. The comptroller is elected countywide to a four-year term and has no term limit.
| Order | Name | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Lyon | January 1, 1911 – December 31, 1913 | Republican |
| 2 | Chas L. Phipps | January 1, 1914 – January 3, 1916 | Republican |
| 3 | Earl J. Bennett | January 14, 1916 – December 31, 1922 | Republican |
| 4 | Philip Wiederson | January 1, 1923 – December 31, 1934 | Republican |
| 5 | Theodore Bedell | January 1, 1935 – December 31, 1964 | Republican |
| 6 | Peter P. Rocchio Sr. | January 1, 1965 – December 31, 1967 | Democratic |
| 7 | Angelo D. Roncallo | January 1, 1968 – January 3, 1973 | Republican |
| 8 | M. Hallstead Christ | January 4, 1973 – August 16, 1981 | Republican |
| 9 | Peter T. King | August 17, 1981 – December 31, 1992 | Republican |
| 10 | Alan Gurein | January 1, 1993 – December 31, 1993 | Republican |
| 11 | Frederick E. Parola | January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2001 | Republican |
| 12 | Howard S. Weitzman | January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2009 | Democratic |
| 13 | George Maragos* | January 1, 2010 – September 29, 2016 | Republican |
| 13 | George Maragos | September 30, 2016 – December 31, 2017 | Democratic |
| 14 | Jack E. Schnirman | January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2021 | Democratic |
| 15 | Elaine Phillips | January 1, 2022 – present | Republican |
* George Maragos was originally elected as a Republican, but became a Democrat in September 2016.
The county legislature has 19 members. There are twelve Republicans and seven Democrats.
| District | Legislator | Party | Residence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevan Abrahams, Minority Leader | Democratic | Roosevelt |
| 2 | Olena Nicks | Democratic | Westbury |
| 3 | Carrié Solages | Democratic | Elmont |
| 4 | Denise Ford, Alt. Deputy Presiding Officer | Republican | Long Beach |
| 5 | Debra Mule | Democratic | Freeport |
| 6 | C. William Gaylor | Republican | Lynbrook |
| 7 | Howard Kopel, Deputy Presiding Officer | Republican | Lawrence |
| 8 | John Giuffre | Republican | Stewart Manor |
| 9 | Richard Nicolello, Presiding Officer | Republican | New Hyde Park |
| 10 | Mazi M. Pilip | Republican | Great Neck |
| 11 | Delia DeRiggi-Whitton | Democratic | Glen Cove |
| 12 | James Kennedy | Republican | Massapequa |
| 13 | Thomas McKevitt | Republican | East Meadow |
| 14 | Laura M. Schaefer | Republican | Westbury |
| 15 | vacant | Levittown | |
| 16 | Arnold W. Drucker | Democratic | Plainview |
| 17 | Rose Marie Walker | Republican | Hicksville |
| 18 | Samantha Goetz | Republican | Locust Valley |
| 19 | Michael J. Giangregorio | Republican | Merrick |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 368,117 | 51.44% | 338,424 | 47.29% | 9,124 | 1.27% |
| 2020 | 326,716 | 44.59% | 396,504 | 54.11% | 9,536 | 1.30% |
| 2016 | 292,025 | 45.13% | 332,154 | 51.33% | 22,943 | 3.55% |
| 2012 | 259,308 | 45.64% | 302,695 | 53.28% | 6,148 | 1.08% |
| 2008 | 288,776 | 45.43% | 342,185 | 53.84% | 4,657 | 0.73% |
| 2004 | 288,355 | 46.63% | 323,070 | 52.25% | 6,918 | 1.12% |
| 2000 | 227,060 | 38.46% | 342,226 | 57.96% | 21,153 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | 196,820 | 36.14% | 303,587 | 55.74% | 44,257 | 8.13% |
| 1992 | 246,881 | 40.52% | 282,593 | 46.38% | 79,852 | 13.10% |
| 1988 | 337,430 | 56.96% | 250,130 | 42.22% | 4,858 | 0.82% |
| 1984 | 392,017 | 61.83% | 240,697 | 37.96% | 1,349 | 0.21% |
| 1980 | 333,567 | 55.97% | 207,602 | 34.83% | 54,851 | 9.20% |
| 1976 | 329,176 | 51.78% | 302,869 | 47.64% | 3,711 | 0.58% |
| 1972 | 438,723 | 63.31% | 252,831 | 36.48% | 1,473 | 0.21% |
| 1968 | 329,792 | 51.27% | 278,599 | 43.31% | 34,804 | 5.41% |
| 1964 | 248,886 | 39.37% | 382,590 | 60.53% | 639 | 0.10% |
| 1960 | 324,255 | 55.12% | 263,303 | 44.76% | 761 | 0.13% |
| 1956 | 372,358 | 69.08% | 166,646 | 30.92% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 305,900 | 69.87% | 130,267 | 29.75% | 1,669 | 0.38% |
| 1948 | 184,284 | 69.48% | 70,492 | 26.58% | 10,462 | 3.94% |
| 1944 | 159,713 | 66.88% | 78,512 | 32.88% | 576 | 0.24% |
| 1940 | 143,672 | 66.12% | 73,171 | 33.67% | 450 | 0.21% |
| 1936 | 94,968 | 54.97% | 74,232 | 42.96% | 3,579 | 2.07% |
| 1932 | 78,544 | 54.51% | 61,752 | 42.85% | 3,804 | 2.64% |
| 1928 | 71,015 | 62.77% | 40,079 | 35.42% | 2,046 | 1.81% |
| 1924 | 45,825 | 70.47% | 14,322 | 22.02% | 4,884 | 7.51% |
| 1920 | 33,099 | 76.39% | 8,595 | 19.84% | 1,637 | 3.78% |
| 1916 | 13,910 | 61.67% | 8,430 | 37.38% | 215 | 0.95% |
| 1912 | 4,608 | 24.85% | 7,073 | 38.14% | 6,865 | 37.02% |
| 1908 | 9,787 | 63.04% | 4,883 | 31.45% | 855 | 5.51% |
| 1904 | 8,222 | 60.02% | 5,282 | 38.56% | 195 | 1.42% |
| 1900 | 6,994 | 61.03% | 4,325 | 37.74% | 141 | 1.23% |
For most of the twentieth century, residents of Nassau County and neighboring Suffolk County primarily supported the Republican Party in national elections. In presidential elections during the first half of the century, the Republican candidate often received more than twice as many votes as the Democratic candidate. Between the county's incorporation in 1899 and the 1980s, Democrats only won Nassau County in the elections of 1912 (where Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party split the Republican vote) and 1964 (where Lyndon B. Johnson won in a landslide).
The county began trending Democratic in the 1990s, like many of New York City's suburbs. From 1992 to 2020, it voted for a Democrat in every presidential election. Bill Clinton carried the county in 1992 and 1996, as did Al Gore in 2000, the latter two times by margins of nearly 20 points. John Kerry's margin in Nassau County was considerably slimmer (5.6 points) in 2004, as he won the towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead but lost the town of Oyster Bay. The county went solidly for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, both times by around 8 points. Hillary Clinton did marginally worse in 2016, winning by 6 points. Joe Biden in 2020 fared better than Obama to win the county by 9.5 percentage points, but still not as well as Bill Clinton and Gore.
The streak Democratic candidates carrying the county ended in 2024, as Donald Trump carried the county by over four percentage points, the first time Nassau was won by a Republican presidential candidate since 1988.[91]
Democratic strength is chiefly concentrated in both the wealthier and lower income sections of the county. Liberal voters dominate many of the wealthy communities of the North Shore, particularly in the Town of North Hempstead where affluent villages such as Sands Point, Old Westbury, Roslyn, Kensington, Thomaston, Great Neck Plaza, and Great Neck Estates as well as the neighboring City of Glen Cove vote consistently Democratic. Democratic strongholds also include several low income municipalities in the central portion of the county, such as the Village of Hempstead, Roosevelt, Uniondale and New Cassel, as well as in a few waterfront communities on the South Shore, such as the City of Long Beach and the Village of Freeport.
Republican voters are primarily concentrated in the middle to upper middle class southeastern portion of the county, which developed during the "post-war boom era". Heavily Republican communities such as Massapequa, Massapequa Park, Seaford, Wantagh, Levittown, Bethpage, and Farmingdale are the political base of many county GOP officials such as former Congressman Peter T. King and former County Executive Edward P. Mangano. In the western portion of the county, wealthy Garden City is solidly Republican, as is the middle-class community of Floral Park. Additionally, some of the more rustic areas of the North Shore, particularly in the Town of Oyster Bay usually vote for the GOP.
Areas of the county containing large numbers of swing voters include East Meadow, Oceanside, and Rockville Centre on the South Shore and Mineola on the North Shore. Several areas have changed in partisan affiliation. Formerly Democratic strongholds such as the Five Towns and parts of Great Neck have trended to the GOP while previously Republican areas such as Elmont, Valley Stream and Baldwin have become Democratic bastions.
| District | Representative | Territory |
|---|---|---|
| NY-02 | Andrew Garbarino | Massapequa, parts of Suffolk County |
| NY-03 | Tom Suozzi | All of North Hempstead and Glen Cove, most of Oyster Bay, parts of Hempstead, parts of Queens and Suffolk County |
| NY-04 | Laura Gillen | All of Long Beach, most of Hempstead |
| District | Representative | Territory |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Steven Rhoads | Wantagh and North Wantagh, Bellmore, Merrick and North Merrick, East Meadow, Levittown, Salisbury, Farmingdale, Hicksville, Bethpage |
| 6 | Siela Bynoe | Baldwin, Freeport, Rockville Centre, Hempstead (village), Uniondale, Garden City, Westbury |
| 7 | Jack Martins | Northern half of county |
| 8 | Alexis Weik | Massapequa and North Massapequa, parts of southwestern Suffolk County |
| 9 | Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick | Valley Stream, Elmont, Floral Park, Malverne, Lynbrook, the Five Towns, East Rockaway, and Long Beach |
Education features strongly in Nassau County's culture.[citation needed]
Nassau County has 58 public school districts,[92] which like post office districts use the same names as a city, hamlet, or village within them, but each sets the boundaries independently.[93] School district and community are not the same, and residences often have postal addresses that differ from the hamlet and/or school district in which they are located. Several of Nassau County's school districts are among the highest ranked public school systems in the country,[citation needed] including the Jericho Union Free School District, Great Neck Public Schools, and the Syosset Central School District.
School districts include:[92]
K-12:
Secondary:
Elementary:
Nassau County is home to the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League, who played at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale from their inception in 1972. However, the Islanders announced in 2012 that starting in the fall of 2015, the team would be moving to Brooklyn and would play at the Barclays Center. Due to issues with Barclays Center being unable to adequately support ice hockey and declining attendance, the Islanders announced that for the 2018–19 season they would split their home games between Barclays Center and the newly renovated Nassau Coliseum. In December 2017, the Islanders won a bid to build a new 18,000-seat arena near Belmont Park in Elmont, returning them to Nassau County; UBS Arena opened in 2021.
The Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association, then known as the New York Nets, formerly played their home games in Nassau County at the now-demolished Island Garden arena in West Hempstead from 1969 to 1972 and then at the Coliseum from 1972 to 1977, before the franchise moved to New Jersey—its original home for several years before coming to Long Island in the late 1960s – and eventually, to Brooklyn.
The New York Cosmos (1970–1985) of the former North American Soccer League (1968–1984) played for two seasons, 1972 and 1973, at Hofstra Stadium at Hofstra University in Hempstead. The team's name was revived in 2010 with the New York Cosmos (2010) of the new North American Soccer League to also play at Hofstra Stadium, which had been renamed James M. Shuart Stadium in 2002. Nassau County is also the home of the New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse, who play at Shuart Stadium. The county also operates several sports events for student-athletes, such as the Nassau County Executive Cup College Showcase.
Belmont Park in Elmont is a major horse racing venue which annually hosts the Belmont Stakes, the third and final leg of the prestigious Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing. The now-demolished Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury hosted auto racing and, from 1940 through 1988, was a popular harness racing track.
Nassau is home to some famous and historic golf courses. Rockaway Hunting Club, founded in 1878, is the oldest country club in the country.[94] The U.S. Open has been held in Nassau five times, once each at Garden City Golf Club, Inwood Country Club, and Fresh Meadow Country Club, and twice at Bethpage Black Course, the first ever municipally owned course. Courses consistently ranked in the top 100 in the U.S. such as Bethpage Black, Garden City Golf Club, Piping Rock Club, and The Creek are located in the county. Nassau County hosted the 1984 Summer Paralympics, marking the first Paralympic Games to be held in the United States.
Nassau County hosted eight cricket matches of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow during June 2024.[95][96]
The first case of COVID-19 was reported in March 2020.[97] As of January 12, 2021, there have been 104,078 cases, 3,044 deaths, 2,102,900 tests conducted, and a 4.9% positivity rate.[98] According to The New York Times' COVID-19 tracker, Nassau County's average daily case count is 1,567 (116 per capita), with 1 in 13 testing positive (the third-worst of any county in the state) and 1 in 545 dying.[99]
In August 2024, Nassau County passed into law a ban on wearing face masks in public, making it a misdemeanor subject to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in prison to wear a facial covering in public, a move that was criticized by the New York Civil Liberties Union as a "dangerous misuse of the law to score political points."[100] The law does not apply to facial coverings "worn to protect the health or safety of the wearer," but does appear to ban wearing a mask in order to protect the health or safety of others, including persons with compromised immune systems.[100]
Public hospitals:
Tertiary care hospitals:
Community hospitals:
Figures in parentheses are 2019 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.[101]
The county's properties all have mailing addresses in Mineola, the official county seat, but are actually within Garden City's boundaries.
When Queens County was created the courts were transferred from Hempstead to Jamaica Village and a County Court was erected. When the building became too small for its purposes and the stone meeting house had been erected, the courts were held for some years in that edifice. Later a new courthouse was erected and used until the seat of justice was removed to North Hempstead.
From the final withdrawal of the British in November, 1783, until the 1830s, Queens continued as an essentially Long Island area of farms and villages. The location of the county government in Mineola (in present-day Nassau County) underscores the island orientation of that era. Population grew hardly at all, increasing only from 5,791 in 1800 to 7,806 in 1830, suggesting that many younger sons moved away, seeking fortunes where land was not yet so fully taken up for farming.
Under the Reorganization Act of March 7, 1788, New York was divided into 120 towns (not townships), many of which were already in existence.
The 1777 New York State Constitution, Article XXXVI, confirmed land grants and municipal charters granted by the English Crown prior to October 14, 1775. Chapter 64 of the Laws of 1788 organized the state into towns and cities...The basic composition of the counties was set in 1788 when the State Legislature divided all of the counties then existing into towns. Towns, of course, were of earlier origin, but in that year they acquired a new legal status as components of the counties.
The building shown below "is one of the most important buildings in the history of Mineola," wrote Jack Hehman, president of the Mineola Historical Society. Built in 1787 and known as the "old brig," it was the first Queens County courthouse and later a home for the mentally ill. The building was at Jericho Turnpike and Herricks Road until 1910, when it burned to the ground.
The investigation of the charges made against the Superintendent and keepers of the Mineola Asylum for the Insane, which was begun last Tuesday, was continued yesterday by the standing Committee on Insane Asylums of the Queens County Board of Supervisors-- Messrs. Whitney, Brinckerhoff, and Powell. The committee were shown through the asylum, which is the old building of the Queens County Court-house over 100 years old
There was only one post office established in present Nassau County when the Long Island post road to Sag Harbor was established September 25, 1794. It appears that the mail from New York went to Jamaica. This was the only post office in the present day Boroughs of Queens or Brooklyn before 1803. From Jamaica the mail went east along the Jericho Turnpike/Middle Country Road route and ended at Sag Harbor. The only post office on this route between Jamaica and Suffolk County was QUEENS established the same date as the others on this route 9/25/1794. This post office was officially Queens, but I have seen the area called "Queens Court House" and was located approximately in the Mineola-Westbury area. The courthouse was used until the 1870s when the county court was moved to Long Island City. Later it served as the Queens County Insane Asylum and still later as an early courthouse for the new Nassau County, during construction of the present "old" Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola. It was demolished shortly after 1900 ... after about 120 years of service of one type or the other.
For forty years the Supervisors of Queens County have been quarreling over a site for a Court-house. The incommodious building used
bottom right by spur road off Jericho Tpk – location is now known as Garden City Park. Clowesville was the name of the nearest station on the LIRR, approximately at the location of the present Merillon Avenue station. The courthouse was north of the station.
That was the year when the "Old Brig" courthouse was vacated after 90 years of housing lawbreakers. The county court moved from Mineola to Long Island City.
1874 – Queens County Courthouse and seat of county government moved from Mineola (in present-day Nassau County) to Long Island City.
North Hempstead, Oyster Bay and the rest of Hempstead were excluded from the vote.
Nassau County will receive around US$2.7 million in direct revenue from the tournament.
40°44′N 73°38′W / 40.733°N 73.633°W
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Suffolk County, New York
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Dawn over Montauk Point Light
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Location within the U.S. state of New York
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New York's location within the U.S.
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| Coordinates: 40°56′N 72°41′W / 40.94°N 72.68°W | |
| Country | |
| State | |
| Founded | 1683 |
| Named after | Suffolk, England |
| Seat | Riverhead |
| Largest town | Brookhaven |
| Government
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| • Executive | Edward P. Romaine (R) |
| Area
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• Total
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2,373 sq mi (6,150 km2) |
| • Land | 912 sq mi (2,360 km2) |
| • Water | 1,461 sq mi (3,780 km2) 62% |
| Population
(2020)
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• Total
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1,525,920 |
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• Estimate
(2024)
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1,535,909 |
| • Density | 1,673.16/sq mi (646.01/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 1st, 2nd, 3rd |
| Website | www |
| [1] | |
| Part of a series on |
| Long Island |
|---|
| Topics |
| Regions |
Suffolk County (/ˈsʌfək/ SUF-ək) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York, constituting the eastern two-thirds of Long Island. It is bordered to its west by Nassau County, to its east by Gardiners Bay and the open Atlantic Ocean, to its north by Long Island Sound, and to its south by the Atlantic Ocean.
As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was 1,525,920,[1] its highest decennial count ever, making Suffolk the fourth-most populous county in the State of New York, and the most populous outside of the boroughs of New York City. Its county seat is Riverhead,[2] though most county offices are in Hauppauge.[3] The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, the origin of its earliest European settlers.
Suffolk County incorporates the easternmost extreme of both the New York City metropolitan area and New York State. The geographically largest of Long Island's four counties and the second-largest of New York's 62 counties, Suffolk County is 86 miles (138 km) in length and 26 miles (42 km) in width at its widest (including water).[4] Most of the island is near sea level, with over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) of coastline.[5]
Like other parts of Long Island, the county's high population density and proximity to New York City has resulted in a diverse economy, including industry, science, agriculture, fishery, and tourism. Major scientific research facilities in Suffolk County include Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton and Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Plum Island. The county is home to Stony Brook University in Stony Brook and Farmingdale State College in East Farmingdale.
Suffolk County was part of the Connecticut Colony before becoming an original county of the Province of New York, one of twelve created in 1683. From 1664 until 1683, it had been the East Riding of Yorkshire. Its boundaries were essentially the same as at present, with only minor changes in the boundary with its western neighbor, which was originally Queens County but has been Nassau County since the separation of Nassau from Queens in 1899.
During the American Revolutionary War, Great Britain occupied Suffolk County after the retreat of George Washington's forces in the Battle of Long Island,[6] and the county remained under occupation until the British evacuation of New York on November 25, 1783.[7]
According to the Suffolk County website, the county is the leading agricultural county in the state of New York, saying that: "The weather is temperate, clean water is abundant, and the soil is so good that Suffolk is the leading agricultural county in New York State. That Suffolk is still number one in farming, even with the development that has taken place, is a tribute to thoughtful planning, along with the excellent soil, favorable weather conditions, and the work of the dedicated farmers in this region."[8]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 2,373 square miles (6,150 km2), of which 912 square miles (2,360 km2) is land and 1,461 square miles (3,780 km2) (62%) is water.[9] It is the second-largest county in New York by total area and occupies 66% of the land area of Long Island.
Suffolk County occupies the central and eastern part of Long Island, in the extreme east of the State of New York. The eastern end of the county splits into two peninsulas, known as the North Fork and the South Fork. The county is surrounded by water on three sides, including the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound, with 980 miles (1,580 km) of coastline. The eastern end contains large bays.
The highest elevation in the county, and on Long Island as a whole, is Jayne's Hill in West Hills, at 401 feet (122 m) above sea level. This low lying-geography means that much of the county is vulnerable to sea level rise.[5]
Suffolk County sits at the convergence of climate zones including the humid continental (Dfa) and humid subtropical (Cfa), bordering closely on an oceanic climate (Cfb). The majority of the county by land area is in the Dfa zone. Summers are cooler at the east end than in the western part of the county. The hardiness zone is 7a, except in Copiague Harbor, Lindenhurst, and Montauk, where it is 7b. Average monthly temperatures in Hauppauge range from 31.0 °F (−0.6 °C) in January to 74.0 °F (23.3 °C) in July, and in the Riverhead town center they range from 30.1 °F (−1.1 °C) in January to 72.8 °F (22.7 °C) in July, which includes both daytime and nighttime temperatures. On February 9, 2013, Suffolk County was besieged with 30 inches of snow, making it the largest day of snowfall on record in Suffolk.[10]
| Climate data for Montauk, New York (1981–2010 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 38.1 (3.4) |
40.1 (4.5) |
45.6 (7.6) |
54.5 (12.5) |
64.2 (17.9) |
73.3 (22.9) |
79.3 (26.3) |
78.9 (26.1) |
71.9 (22.2) |
62.6 (17.0) |
53.0 (11.7) |
43.6 (6.4) |
58.8 (14.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.3 (0.2) |
33.7 (0.9) |
39.0 (3.9) |
47.5 (8.6) |
56.6 (13.7) |
66.4 (19.1) |
72.4 (22.4) |
72.2 (22.3) |
65.7 (18.7) |
56.4 (13.6) |
47.2 (8.4) |
37.9 (3.3) |
52.3 (11.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26.4 (−3.1) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
32.4 (0.2) |
40.4 (4.7) |
48.9 (9.4) |
59.5 (15.3) |
65.5 (18.6) |
65.5 (18.6) |
59.4 (15.2) |
50.3 (10.2) |
41.4 (5.2) |
32.3 (0.2) |
45.8 (7.7) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.87 (73) |
3.38 (86) |
4.75 (121) |
3.45 (88) |
2.21 (56) |
3.80 (97) |
3.81 (97) |
3.92 (100) |
3.93 (100) |
3.66 (93) |
4.22 (107) |
3.58 (91) |
43.58 (1,109) |
| Source: NOAA[11] | |||||||||||||
Suffolk County has maritime boundaries with five other U.S. counties and is connected by land only to Nassau County.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 16,400 | — | |
| 1800 | 19,735 | 20.3% | |
| 1810 | 21,113 | 7.0% | |
| 1820 | 23,936 | 13.4% | |
| 1830 | 26,780 | 11.9% | |
| 1840 | 32,469 | 21.2% | |
| 1850 | 36,922 | 13.7% | |
| 1860 | 43,275 | 17.2% | |
| 1870 | 46,924 | 8.4% | |
| 1880 | 52,888 | 12.7% | |
| 1890 | 62,491 | 18.2% | |
| 1900 | 77,582 | 24.1% | |
| 1910 | 96,138 | 23.9% | |
| 1920 | 110,246 | 14.7% | |
| 1930 | 161,055 | 46.1% | |
| 1940 | 197,355 | 22.5% | |
| 1950 | 276,129 | 39.9% | |
| 1960 | 666,784 | 141.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,124,950 | 68.7% | |
| 1980 | 1,284,231 | 14.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,321,864 | 2.9% | |
| 2000 | 1,419,369 | 7.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,493,350 | 5.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,525,920 | 2.2% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 1,535,909 | 0.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010, 2020, and 2024[1] |
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| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[16] | Pop 1990[17] | Pop 2000[18] | Pop 2010[19] | Pop 2020[20] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 1,141,000 | 1,130,694 | 1,118,405 | 1,068,728 | 967,330 | 88.85% | 85.54% | 78.80% | 71.57% | 63.39% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 69,558 | 77,303 | 93,262 | 102,117 | 107,268 | 5.42% | 5.85% | 6.57% | 6.84% | 7.03% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 1,966 | 2,592 | 2,981 | 2,906 | 3,102 | 0.15% | 0.20% | 0.21% | 0.19% | 0.20% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 10,297 | 22,415 | 34,355 | 50,295 | 65,019 | 0.80% | 1.70% | 2.42% | 3.37% | 4.26% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x[21] | x[22] | 260 | 275 | 241 | x | x | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 2,721 | 1,008 | 2,217 | 3,041 | 9,479 | 0.21% | 0.08% | 0.16% | 0.20% | 0.62% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[23] | x[24] | 18,478 | 19,749 | 40,522 | x | x | 1.30% | 1.32% | 2.66% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 58,689 | 87,852 | 149,411 | 246,239 | 332,959 | 4.57% | 6.65% | 10.53% | 16.49% | 21.82% |
| Total | 1,284,231 | 1,321,864 | 1,419,369 | 1,493,350 | 1,525,920 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
According to the 2010 U.S. census[25] there were 1,493,350 people and 569,985 households residing in the county. The census estimated Suffolk County's population decreased slightly to 1,481,093 in 2018, representing 7.5% of the census-estimated New York State population of 19,745,289[26] and 19.0% of the census-estimated Long Island population of 7,869,820.[27][28][29][30] The population density in 2010 was 1,637 people per square mile (632 people/km2), with 569,985 households at an average density of 625 per square mile (241/km2). However, by 2012, with an estimated total population increasing moderately to 1,499,273 there were 569,359 housing units.[31] As of 2006, Suffolk County was the 21st-most populous county in the United States.[32]
By 2014, the county's racial makeup was estimated at 85.2% White, 8.3% African American, 0.6% Native American, 4.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those identifying as Hispanic or Latino, of any race, were 18.2% of the population. Those who identified as "white alone", not being of Hispanic or Latino origin, represented 69.3% of the population.[33] In 2006, the county's racial or ethnic makeup was 83.6% White (75.4% White Non-Hispanic). African Americans were 7.4% of the population. Asians stood at 3.4% of the population. 5.4% were of other or mixed race. Latinos were 13.0% of the population.[34] In 2007, Suffolk County's most common ethnicities were Italian (29.5%), Irish (24.0%), and German (17.6%).[35]
In 2002, The New York Times cited a study by the non-profit group ERASE Racism, which determined Suffolk and its neighboring county, Nassau, to be the most racially segregated suburbs in the United States.[36]
In 2006, there were 469,299 households, of which 37.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.00% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non-families. 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
In 2008, Forbes magazine released its American Community Survey and named Suffolk County number 4 in its list of the top 25 richest counties in America. In 2016, according to Business Insider, the 11962 zip code encompassing Sagaponack, within Southampton, was listed as the most expensive in the U.S., with a median home sale price of $8.5 million.[37]
The median income for a household in the county was $84,767,[38] and the median income for a family was $72,112. Males had a median income of $50,046 versus $33,281 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,577. Using a weighted average from 2009 to 2014 about 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line[33] In earlier censuses, the population below the poverty line included 2.70% of those under age 18 and 2.30% of those age 65 or over.
| Place | Population 2010 census |
% white |
% black or African American |
% Asian |
% Other |
% mixed race |
% Hispanic/ Latino of any race |
% Catholic |
% not affiliated |
% Jewish |
% Protestant |
Estimate of % not reporting |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race | Ethnicity | Religious groups | |||||||||||
| Nassau County | 1,339,532 | 73.0 | 11.1 | 7.6 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 14.6 | 52 | 9 | 17 | 7 | 15 | |
| Suffolk County | 1,493,350 | 80.8 | 7.4 | 3.4 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 16.5 | 52 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 11 | |
| Long Island Total (including Brooklyn and Queens) |
7,568,304 | 54.7 | 20.4 | 12.3 | 9.3 | 3.2 | 20.5 | 40 | 18 | 15 | 7 | 20 | |
| NY State | 19,378,102 | 65.7 | 15.9 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 17.6 | 42 | 20 | 9 | 10 | 16 | |
| USA | 308,745,538 | 72.4 | 12.6 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 16.3 | 22 | 37 | 2 | 23 | 12 | |
| Source for Race and Ethnicity: 2010 Census[39] American Indian, Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander make up just 0.5% of the population of Long Island, and have been included with "Other". |
|||||||||||||
| Source for religious groups: ARDA2000[40][41] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 417,549 | 54.74% | 341,812 | 44.81% | 3,488 | 0.46% |
| 2020 | 381,253 | 49.30% | 381,021 | 49.27% | 11,013 | 1.42% |
| 2016 | 350,570 | 51.46% | 303,951 | 44.62% | 26,733 | 3.92% |
| 2012 | 282,131 | 47.48% | 304,079 | 51.17% | 8,056 | 1.36% |
| 2008 | 307,021 | 46.53% | 346,549 | 52.53% | 6,209 | 0.94% |
| 2004 | 309,949 | 48.53% | 315,909 | 49.46% | 12,854 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | 240,992 | 41.99% | 306,306 | 53.37% | 26,646 | 4.64% |
| 1996 | 182,510 | 36.13% | 261,828 | 51.83% | 60,875 | 12.05% |
| 1992 | 229,467 | 40.40% | 220,811 | 38.88% | 117,677 | 20.72% |
| 1988 | 311,242 | 60.51% | 199,215 | 38.73% | 3,893 | 0.76% |
| 1984 | 335,485 | 66.03% | 171,295 | 33.72% | 1,276 | 0.25% |
| 1980 | 256,294 | 57.00% | 149,945 | 33.35% | 43,416 | 9.66% |
| 1976 | 248,908 | 54.10% | 208,263 | 45.27% | 2,877 | 0.63% |
| 1972 | 316,452 | 70.34% | 132,441 | 29.44% | 1,005 | 0.22% |
| 1968 | 218,027 | 58.18% | 122,590 | 32.71% | 34,150 | 9.11% |
| 1964 | 144,350 | 44.37% | 180,598 | 55.51% | 385 | 0.12% |
| 1960 | 166,644 | 59.32% | 114,033 | 40.59% | 268 | 0.10% |
| 1956 | 167,805 | 77.64% | 48,323 | 22.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 115,570 | 74.58% | 39,120 | 25.25% | 262 | 0.17% |
| 1948 | 75,519 | 69.75% | 29,104 | 26.88% | 3,642 | 3.36% |
| 1944 | 65,650 | 67.59% | 31,231 | 32.15% | 253 | 0.26% |
| 1940 | 63,712 | 65.12% | 33,853 | 34.60% | 270 | 0.28% |
| 1936 | 48,970 | 58.07% | 33,078 | 39.22% | 2,287 | 2.71% |
| 1932 | 40,247 | 55.49% | 30,799 | 42.46% | 1,482 | 2.04% |
| 1928 | 41,199 | 65.07% | 19,497 | 30.79% | 2,619 | 4.14% |
| 1924 | 31,456 | 69.20% | 10,024 | 22.05% | 3,975 | 8.74% |
| 1920 | 26,737 | 73.10% | 8,852 | 24.20% | 985 | 2.69% |
| 1916 | 12,742 | 59.20% | 8,422 | 39.13% | 358 | 1.66% |
| 1912 | 5,595 | 28.47% | 7,878 | 40.08% | 6,182 | 31.45% |
| 1908 | 10,689 | 60.29% | 5,877 | 33.15% | 1,164 | 6.57% |
| 1904 | 9,937 | 57.19% | 6,795 | 39.11% | 642 | 3.70% |
| 1900 | 9,584 | 60.24% | 5,711 | 35.90% | 615 | 3.87% |
| 1896 | 9,388 | 66.60% | 3,872 | 27.47% | 837 | 5.94% |
| 1892 | 7,001 | 49.29% | 6,274 | 44.17% | 928 | 6.53% |
| 1888 | 7,167 | 50.23% | 6,600 | 46.26% | 500 | 3.50% |
| 1884 | 5,876 | 45.85% | 6,429 | 50.17% | 510 | 3.98% |
| Active Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of February 20, 2025[43] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of voters | Percentage | |||
| Democratic | 360,671 | 33.21% | |||
| Republican | 341,008 | 31.40% | |||
| Unaffiliated | 327,373 | 30.14% | |||
| Conservative | 20,641 | 1.90% | |||
| Working Families | 4,178 | 0.38% | |||
| Other | 32,170 | 2.96% | |||
| Total | 1,086,041 | 100% | |||
| Position | Name | Party | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheriff | Errol D. Toulon Jr. | Dem | 2018–present | |
| District Attorney | Raymond A. Tierney | Rep | 2022–present | |
| County Clerk | Vincent A. Puleo | Rep | 2023–present | |
| Comptroller | John M. Kennedy Jr. | Rep | 2015–present | |
| District | Senator | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony Palumbo | Republican |
| 2 | Mario Mattera | Republican |
| 3 | L. Dean Murray | Republican |
| 4 | Monica Martinez | Democratic |
| 8 | Alexis Weik | Republican |
| District | Representative | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick LaLota | Republican |
| 2 | Andrew Garbarino | Republican |
| 3 | Tom Suozzi | Democratic |
| Senator | Party |
|---|---|
| Chuck Schumer | Democratic |
| Kirsten Gillibrand | Democratic |
In 2003, Democrat Steve Levy was elected county executive, ending longtime Republican control. In 2001, Democrat Thomas Spota was elected District Attorney, and ran unopposed in 2005. Although Suffolk voters gave George H. W. Bush a victory here in 1992, the county voted for Bill Clinton in 1996 and continued the trend by giving Al Gore an 11-percent victory in the county in 2000. 2004 Democratic candidate John Kerry won by a much smaller margin of under one percent, in 2008 Democratic candidate Barack Obama won by a slightly larger 6 percent margin, 52.5%-46.5%. In 2012, he carried the county by a slightly smaller margin 51%-47%. In 2016, Republican candidate Donald Trump won Suffolk County by a 6.9 percent margin, becoming the first Republican to carry the county since 1992. In 2020, Trump again won Suffolk County; this time, however, it was decided by just 232 votes out of nearly 800,000 votes cast, making it the closest county in the nation in terms of percentage margin, and representing nearly a seven-point swing towards the Democratic ticket of former Vice President Joe Biden and junior California senator Kamala Harris. In percentage terms, it was the closest county in the state, although Ontario County and Warren County had narrower raw vote margins of just 33 and 57 votes, respectively. Suffolk was one of five counties in the state that Trump won by less than 500 votes. With Tarrant County, Texas and Maricopa County, Arizona flipping Democratic in 2020, Suffolk County was the most populous county in the nation to vote for Trump in 2020. In 2024, Trump won 54% of the vote in Suffolk county, the highest percentage since 1988.
As a whole, both Suffolk and Nassau counties are considered swing counties. However, until 2016, they tended not to receive significant attention from presidential candidates, as the state of New York has turned reliably Democratic at the national level. In 2008 and 2012, Hofstra University in Nassau County hosted a presidential debate. Hofstra hosted the first debate of the 2016 presidential election season, on September 26, 2016, making Hofstra the first college or university in the United States to host a presidential debate in three consecutive elections. The presence on the 2016 ticket of Westchester County resident Hillary Clinton and Manhattan resident Donald Trump resulted in greater attention by the candidates to the concerns of Long Island. Trump visited Long Island voters and donors at least four times while Clinton made one stop for voters and one additional stop in the Hamptons for donors.
After the 2022 midterm election results were counted, Suffolk appears to have moved further to the right. Republican gubernatorial candidate and Suffolk County native Lee Zeldin won the county by more than 17 points over the Democratic candidate Kathy Hochul.[44] Republicans, as of 2024, hold both congressional districts covering that being New York's 1st congressional district represented by Nick LaLota and New York's 2nd congressional district represented by Andrew Garbarino.
The 2023 election saw this trend continue, with Republican Edward P. Romaine defeating Democrat David Calone by 14 points to become the next County Executive.[45] Republicans also gained a 12-6 supermajority in the County Legislature, seeing a net gain of one seat.
| Name | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|
| H. Lee Dennison | Democratic | 1960–1972 |
| John V.N. Klein | Republican | 1972–1979 |
| Peter F. Cohalan | Republican | 1980–1986 |
| Michael A. LoGrande* | Republican | 1986–1987 |
| Patrick G. Halpin | Democratic | 1988–1991 |
| Robert J. Gaffney | Republican | 1992–2003 |
| Steve Levy** | Democratic | 2004–2010 |
| Steve Levy** | Republican | 2010–2011 |
| Steve Bellone | Democratic | 2012–2023 |
| Edward P. Romaine | Republican | 2024–present |
* Appointed to complete Cohalan's term.
** Levy was originally elected as a Democrat, but became a Republican in 2010.
The county has 18 legislative districts, each represented by a legislator. As of 2024, there are 10 Republicans, 6 Democrats, and 2 Conservative.
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Partisan Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Catherine Stark (R) | Ann Welker (D) | James Mazzarella (R) | Nicholas Caracappa (MajL) (C) | Steven Englebright (D) | Chad Lennon (C) | Dominick Thorne (R) | Anthony Piccirillo (R) | Samuel Gonzalez (D) | Trish Bergin (R) | Steven J. Flotteron (DPO) (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (PO)(R) | Jason Richberg (MinL) (D) | Rebecca Sanin (D) | Tom Donnelly (D) | Stephanie Bontempi (R) | 12-6 Republican |
| 2023 | Al Krupski (D) | Bridget Fleming (D) | James Mazzarella (R) | Nicholas Caracappa (MajL) (C) | Kara Hahn (D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Dominick Thorne (R) | Anthony Piccirillo (R) | Samuel Gonzalez (D) | Trish Bergin (R) | Steven J. Flotteron (DPO) (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (PO)(R) | Jason Richberg (MinL) (D) | Manuel Esteban (R) | Tom Donnelly (D) | Stephanie Bontempi (R) | 11-7 Republican |
| 2022 | Al Krupski (D) | Bridget Fleming (D) | James Mazzarella (R) | Nicholas Caracappa (MajL) (C) | Kara Hahn (D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Dominick Thorne (R) | Anthony Piccirillo (R) | Samuel Gonzalez (D) | Trish Bergin (R) | Steven J. Flotteron (DPO) (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (PO)(R) | Jason Richberg (MinL) (D) | Manuel Esteban (R) | Tom Donnelly (D) | Stephanie Bontempi (R) | 11-7 Republican |
| 2021 | Al Krupski (D) | Bridget Fleming (D) | James Mazzarella (R) | Nicholas Caracappa (C) | Kara Hahn (DPO) (D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (PO) (D) | Anthony Piccirillo (R) | Samuel Gonzalez (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Steven J. Flotteron (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (MinL)(R) | Jason Richberg (D) | Susan A. Berland (MajL)(D) | Tom Donnelly (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 10-8 Democratic |
| 2020 | Al Krupski (D) | Bridget Fleming (D) | Rudy Sunderman (R) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Kara Hahn (DPO) (D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (PO) (D) | Anthony Piccirillo (R) | Samuel Gonzalez (D) | Tom Cilmi (MinL) (R) | Steven J. Flotteron (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (R) | Jason Richberg (D) | Susan A. Berland (MajL)(D) | Tom Donnelly (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 10-8 Democratic |
| 2019 | Al Krupski (D) | Bridget Fleming (D) | Rudy Sunderman (R) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Kara Hahn (MajL)(D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (DPO) (D) | William J. Lindsay III (D) | Samuel Gonzalez (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Steven J. Flotteron (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (MinL) (R) | DuWayne Gregory(PO) (D) | Susan A. Berland (MajL)(D) | Tom Donnelly (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 11-7 Democratic |
| 2018 | Al Krupski (D) | Bridget Fleming (D) | Rudy Sunderman (R) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Kara Hahn (MajL)(D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (DPO) (D) | William J. Lindsay III (D) | Monica R. Martinez (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Steven J. Flotteron (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (MinL) (R) | DuWayne Gregory (PO) (D) | Susan A. Berland (MajL) (D) | Tom Donnelly (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 11-7 Democratic |
| 2017 | Al Krupski (D) | Bridget Fleming (D) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Kara Hahn (MajL)(D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (DPO) (D) | William J. Lindsay III (D) | Monica R. Martinez (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (MinL) (R) | DuWayne Gregory (PO) (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 12-6 Democratic |
| 2016 | Al Krupski (D) | Bridget Fleming (D) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Kara Hahn (MajL)(D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (DPO) (D) | William J. Lindsay III (D) | Monica R. Martinez (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (MinL) (R) | DuWayne Gregory (PO) (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 12-6 Democratic |
| 2015 | Al Krupski (D) | Jay Schneiderman (DPO) (I) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Kara Hahn (MajL)(D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (DPO) (D) | William J. Lindsay III (D) | Monica R. Martinez (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | Leslie Kennedy (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (MinL) (R) | DuWayne Gregory (PO) (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 12-6 Democratic |
| 2014 | Al Krupski (D) | Jay Schneiderman (DPO) (I) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Kara Hahn (MajL)(D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (DPO) (D) | William J. Lindsay III (D) | Monica R. Martinez (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (MinL) (R) | Robert Trotta (R) | Kevin J. McCaffrey (MinL) (R) | DuWayne Gregory (PO) (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 12-6 Democratic |
| 2013 | Al Krupski (D) | Jay Schneiderman (DPO) (I) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Kara Hahn (D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (MajL) (D) | William J. Lindsay III (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (MinL) (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | Wayne R. Horsley (PO) (D) | DuWayne Gregory (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 13-5 Democratic |
| 2012 | Edward P. Romaine (R) | Jay Schneiderman (I) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Robert Calarco (D) | William J. Lindsay(PO) (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (MinL) (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | Wayne R. Horsley (DPO) (D) | DuWayne Gregory (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | William R. Spencer (D) | 12-6 Democratic |
| 2011 | Edward P. Romaine (R) | Jay Schneiderman (I) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D) | Sarah Anker (D) | Jack Eddington (I) | William J. Lindsay (PO) (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (MinL) (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | Wayne R. Horsley (DPO) (D) | DuWayne Gregory (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | Jon Cooper (D) | 12-6 Democratic |
| 2010 | Edward P. Romaine (R) | Jay Schneiderman (I) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Thomas Muratore (R) | Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D) | Daniel P. Losquadro (MinL) (R) | Jack Eddington (I) | William J. Lindsay (PO) (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Tom Cilmi (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | Wayne R. Horsley (DPO) (D) | DuWayne Gregory (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | Jon Cooper (D) | 11-7 Democratic |
| 2009 | Edward P. Romaine (R) | Jay Schneiderman (I) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Brian Beedenbender (D) | Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D) | Daniel P. Losquadro (MinL) (R) | Jack Eddington (I) | William J. Lindsay (PO) (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Cameron Alden (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | Wayne R. Horsley (DPO) (D) | DuWayne Gregory (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | Jon Cooper (D) | 12-6 Democratic |
| 2008 | Edward P. Romaine (R) | Jay Schneiderman (I) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Brian Beedenbender (D) | Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D) | Daniel P. Losquadro (MinL) (R) | Jack Eddington (I) | William J. Lindsay (PO) (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Cameron Alden (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | Wayne R. Horsley (DPO) (D) | DuWayne Gregory (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | Jon Cooper (D) | 12-6 Democratic |
| 2007 | Edward P. Romaine (R) | Jay Schneiderman (R) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Joseph T. Caracappa (R) | Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D) | Daniel P. Losquadro (MinL) (R) | Jack Eddington (I) | William J. Lindsay (PO) (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Cameron Alden (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | Wayne R. Horsley (DPO) (D) | Elie Mystal (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | Jon Cooper (D) | 10-8 Democratic |
| 2006 | Edward P. Romaine (R) | Jay Schneiderman (R) | Kate M. Browning (WF) | Joseph T. Caracappa (R) | Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D) | Daniel P. Losquadro (MinL) (R) | Jack Eddington (I) | William J. Lindsay (PO) (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Cameron Alden (R) | Thomas F. Barraga (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | Wayne R. Horsley (DPO) (D) | Elie Mystal (D) | Steven H. Stern (D) | Louis D'Amaro (D) | Jon Cooper (D) | 10-8 Democratic |
| 2005 | Michael J. Caracciolo (R) | Jay Schneiderman (R) | Peter O'Leary (MajL) (R) | Joseph T. Caracappa (PO) (R) | Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D) | Daniel P. Losquadro (R) | Brian X. Foley (D) | William J. Lindsay (MinL) (D) | Ricardo Montano (D) | Cameron Alden (R) | Angie Carpenter (R) | John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R) | Lynne C. Nowick (R) | David Bishop (D) | Elie Mystal (D) | Allan Binder (R) | Paul J. Tonna (R) | Jon Cooper (D) | 11-7 Republican |
Republicans controlled the county legislature until a landmark election in November 2005 where three Republican seats switched to the Democrats, giving them control. In November 2007, the Democratic Party once again retained control over the Suffolk County Legislature, picking up one seat in the process. In November 2009, the Republican Party regained the seat lost in 2007 but remained in the minority for the 2010-2011 session. In November 2011, the Democratic Party maintained control over the Suffolk County Legislature picking up one seat that had been held by an Independence Party member. In November 2013, the Republican Party gained the 14th district seat, but remained in the minority until 2021, when the GOP flipped the county legislature, picking up three seats with incumbents Robert Calarco (the sitting Presiding Officer) and Susan Berland (the sitting Majority Leader) losing their bids for re-election.[46][47] The Suffolk GOP built on these gains in the 2023 general election, gaining a 12-6 supermajority.
Police services in the five western towns (Babylon, Huntington, Islip, Smithtown and Brookhaven) are provided primarily by the Suffolk County Police Department. The five "East End" towns (Riverhead, Southold, Shelter Island, East Hampton, and Southampton), maintain their own police and other law enforcement agencies. Also, there are a number of villages, such as Amityville, Asharoken, Lloyd Harbor, Northport, and Westhampton Beach that maintain their own police forces. In 1994, the Village of Greenport voted to abolish its police department and turn responsibility for law and order over to the Southold police department.
After the Long Island State Parkway Police was disbanded in 1980, all state parkways in Suffolk County became the responsibility of Troop L of the New York State Police, headquartered at Republic Airport. State parks, such as Robert Moses State Park, are the responsibility of the New York State Park Police, based at Belmont Lake State Park. In 1996, the Long Island Rail Road Police Department was consolidated into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police, which has jurisdiction over all rail lines in the county. Since the New York state legislature created the New York State University Police in 1999, they are in charge of all law enforcement services for State University of New York property and campuses. The State University Police have jurisdiction in Suffolk County at Stony Brook University and Farmingdale State College.
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office is a separate agency. The sheriff, an elected official who serves a four-year term, operates the two Suffolk County correctional facilities (in Yaphank and Riverhead), provides county courthouse security and detention, service and enforcement of civil papers, evictions and warrants. The Sheriff's Office is also responsible for securing all county-owned property, such as county government office buildings, as well as the campuses of the Suffolk County Community College. As of 2008, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office employed 275 Deputy Sheriffs, 850 corrections officers, and about 200 civilian staff.
Suffolk County has a long maritime history with several outer barrier beaches and hundreds of square miles of waterways. The Suffolk Police Marine Bureau patrols the 500 square miles (1,000 km2) of navigable waterways within the police district, from the Connecticut and Rhode Island state line which bisects Long Island Sound[48] to the New York state line 3 miles (5 km) south of Fire Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Some Suffolk County towns (Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, East Hampton, Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown) also employ various bay constables and other local marine patrol, which are sworn armed peace officers with full arrest powers, providing back up to the Suffolk Police Marine Bureau as well as the United States Coast Guard.
This includes Fire Island and parts of Jones Island barrier beaches and the islands of the Great South Bay. Marine units also respond to water and ice rescues on the inland lakes, ponds, and streams of the District.
In February 2019, legislator Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) put forward a resolution to recover salary and benefits from James Burke, the county's former police chief.[49][50] Burke had pled guilty to beating a man while in police custody and attempting to conceal it, and the county had paid the victim $1.5 million in a settlement; it had also paid Burke more than $500,000 in benefits and salary while Burke was concealing his conduct.[50][49] Trotta said that the faithless servant doctrine in New York common law gave him the power to claw back the compensation.[50] The Suffolk County Legislature supported the suit unanimously.[51] The following month Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone signed the bill.
Also in February 2019, a court ruled against the Suffolk County jail in the case of a former inmate who was denied hormone replacement therapy by the jail's doctors. Documents introduced in the trial indicate 11 other inmates were also denied treatment.[52]
Suffolk County is part of the 10th Judicial District of the New York State Unified Court System; is home to the Alfonse M. D'Amato Courthouse of the Federal U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York;[53] and has various local municipal courts. The State Courts are divided into Supreme Court, which has general jurisdiction over all cases, and lower courts that either hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or of a specific nature.[54][55] Similarly, the local courts hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or hear specific types of cases. The Federal Court has jurisdiction over Federal Claims, State Law claims that are joined with Federal claims, and claims where there is a diversity of citizenship.[56]
The District Court and the Town and Village Courts are the local courts of Suffolk County. There are more than 30 local courts, each with limited criminal and civil subject matter and geographic jurisdictions. The local criminal courts have trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors, violations and infractions; preliminary jurisdiction over felonies; and traffic tickets charging a crime. The local civil courts calendar small claims, evictions, and civil actions.
Most non-criminal moving violation tickets issued in the five west towns are handled by the Traffic Violations Bureau, which is part of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, not the court system.
School districts (all officially designated for grades K-12) include:[65]
Fire Island Lighthouse was an important landmark for many trans-Atlantic ships coming into New York Harbor in the early 20th century. For many European immigrants, the Fire Island Light was their first sight of land upon arrival in America.
The Fire Island Inlet span of the Robert Moses Causeway connects to Robert Moses State Park on the western tip of Fire Island.
The Great South Bay Bridge, the first causeway bridge, had only one northbound and one southbound lane, was opened to traffic in April 1954. The span of 2 miles (3 km) across Great South Bay to Captree Island features a main span of 600 feet (200 m), with a clearance for boats of 60 feet (20 m).
After crossing the State Boat Channel over its 665-foot-long (203 m) bascule bridge, the causeway meets the Ocean Parkway at a cloverleaf interchange. This interchange provides access to Captree State Park, Gilgo State Park and Jones Beach State Park.
The Fire Island Inlet Bridge continues the two-lane road, one lane in each direction, across Fire Island Inlet to its terminus at Robert Moses State Park and The Fire Island Lighthouse. Robert Moses Causeway opened in 1964.
Suffolk County has the most lighthouses of any United States county, with 15 of its original 26 lighthouses still standing. Of these 15, eight are in Southold township alone, giving it more lighthouses than any other township in the United States.
At various times, there have been proposals for a division of Suffolk County into two counties. The western portion would be called Suffolk County, while the eastern portion of the current Suffolk County would comprise a new county to be called Peconic County. Peconic County would consist of the five easternmost towns of Suffolk County: East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold, plus the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.
The proposed Peconic County flag showed the two forks at the east end of Long Island separated by Peconic Bay. The star on the north represents Southold. The stars on the South Fork represent Southampton and East Hampton. Riverhead is at the fork mouth and Shelter Island is between the forks.
The secessionist movement has not been active since 1998.
The End of the Hamptons: Scenes from the Class Struggle in America's Paradise, by Corey Dolgon (New York University Press, 2005[66]) examined the class roots of the secessionist movement in the Hamptons. In his review, Howard Zinn wrote that the book "[t]akes us beyond the much-romanticized beaches of Long Island to the rich entrepreneurs and their McMansions, the Latino workers, and the stubborn indigenous residents refusing to disappear. The book is important because it is in so many ways a microcosm of the nation."[67] The book won the Association for Humanist Sociology's 2005 Book Prize and the American Sociological Association's Marxist Section Book Award in 2007.
Matt DeSimone, a young adult from Southold, and his partner Jake Dominy unsuccessfully started a similar movement in the late 2010s.
Suffolk County has an 8.625% sales tax, compared to an overall New York State sales tax of 4%, consisting of an additional 4.25% on top of the state and MTA assessment of .375%[68]
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic first affected the county. As of December 12, 2020, there have been a total of 73,281 cases and 2,153 deaths from the virus.[69]
Tertiary care hospitals:
Community hospitals:
Specialty care hospitals:
In the State of New York, a town is the major subdivision of each county. Towns provide or arrange for most municipal services for residents of hamlets and selected services for residents of villages. All residents of New York who do not live in a city or on an Indian reservation live in a town. A village is an incorporated area which is usually, but not always, within a single town. A village is a clearly defined municipality that provides the services closest to the residents, such as garbage collection, street and highway maintenance, street lighting and building codes. Some villages provide their own police and other optional services. A hamlet is an informally defined populated area within a town that is not part of a village.
Figures in parentheses are 2022 population estimates from the Census Bureau.[70]
Gardiners Island is an island off eastern Suffolk County. The Island is 6 miles (10 km) long, and 3 miles (5 km) wide and has 27 miles (43 km) of coastline. The same family has owned the Island for nearly 400 years; one of the largest privately owned islands in America or the world. In addition, it is the only American real estate still intact as part of an original royal grant from the English Crown.
Robins Island is an Island in the Peconic Bay between the North and South folks of eastern Suffolk County. It is within the jurisdiction of Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York. The Island is 435 acres (1.8 km2) and presently undeveloped. The island is privately owned and not accessible to the public.
Two Indian reservations are within the borders of Suffolk County:
The county includes a lot of roadways and other public transportation infrastructure. The local Suffolk County Legislature oversees funding and regulations for the infrastructure.[5] In 2019, the legislature required all new projects to account for future climate change caused sea level rise.[5]
Commercial airport:
General aviation airports:
Suffolk County is served by Suffolk County Transit. Long Island Rail Road, the Hampton Jitney, and Hampton Luxury Liner connect Suffolk County to New York City. Some parts of Suffolk County are also served by NICE bus.