The Town FilesBrightwaters, New York
Village in Suffolk County · population 3,181 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $768,600
- Household income
- $218,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 41.8
Brightwaters is a village of 3,181 people in Suffolk County, New York. The median home is worth $768,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of New York towns, more seaside character than 99% of New York towns, better for families than 96% of New York towns.
How Brightwaters ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brightwaters is worth $768,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $218,000, which is more affordable than 35% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,728 a month. 96.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brightwaters | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $768,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,728 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $218,000 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 96.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brightwaters
| People | Brightwaters | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 27.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.6% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 19.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Brightwaters
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 25.1°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 88 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brightwaters since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 18, 2007 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 13, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 24, 2004.
Severe weather in Suffolk County since 1996
Suffolk County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4839: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| August 25, 2024 | Severe Storm | EM-3613: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Suffolk County
Suffolk County had 679,594 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,121 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Brightwaters itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Towns near Brightwaters
- West Bay Shore, NY1.0 mi · 4,625 people · home $584,400
- Bay Shore, NY1.1 mi · 29,244 people · home $492,200
- West Islip, NY2.0 mi · 27,048 people · home $614,300
- Islip, NY2.6 mi · 18,418 people · home $542,200
- Baywood, NY3.0 mi · 7,726 people · home $456,500
- North Bay Shore, NY3.0 mi · 19,619 people · home $497,600
- Islip, NY3.5 mi · 339,938 people · home $535,300
- North Babylon, NY3.5 mi · 17,927 people · home $520,500
Brightwaters questions
Is Brightwaters, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brightwaters scores better for retirees than 25% of New York towns and quieter than 12%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.8).
How much does a house cost in Brightwaters?
The median owner-occupied home in Brightwaters is valued at $768,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $218,000, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,728 a month.
What is the weather like in Brightwaters?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 25.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 28.3 inches of snow.
Does Brightwaters get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brightwaters since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 18, 2007. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)