The Town FilesOyster Bay, New York
Community in Nassau County · population 7,049 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $695,500
- Household income
- $111,264
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 38.0
Oyster Bay is a community of 7,049 people in Nassau County, New York. The median home is worth $695,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of New York towns, more seaside character than 99% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 98% of New York towns.
- #6 in The 25 Best Seaside Small Towns in New York
- #12 in The 50 Best Seaside Small Towns in America
- #19 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Professionals in New York
- #20 in The 50 Best Seaside Places in America
- #20 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in New York
- #20 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in New York With Little Snow
How Oyster Bay 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 Oyster Bay is worth $695,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $111,264, which is more affordable than 7% of New York towns. Median rent is $2,225 a month. 58.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oyster Bay | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $695,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $2,225 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $111,264 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 58.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Oyster Bay
| People | Oyster Bay | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Oyster Bay
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.6 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 88 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oyster Bay since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 12, 2005 about 5.3 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 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 23, 2015.
Severe weather in Nassau County since 1996
Nassau County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Flood | DR-4755: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| October 2, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4567: Tropical Storm Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Nassau County
Nassau County had 631,563 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,454 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Oyster Bay itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Oyster Bay
- East Norwich, NY1.3 mi · 2,792 people · home $828,100
- Muttontown, NY3.0 mi · 3,512 people · home $1,914,800
- Locust Valley, NY3.1 mi · 3,571 people · home $846,500
- Bayville, NY3.1 mi · 6,748 people · home $710,000
- Cold Spring Harbor, NY3.9 mi · 3,064 people · home $1,587,900
- Syosset, NY3.9 mi · 19,259 people · home $874,300
- Woodbury, NY4.5 mi · 9,335 people · home $1,003,400
- Brookville, NY4.6 mi · 2,939 people · home $2,000,001
Oyster Bay questions
Is Oyster Bay, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oyster Bay scores better for retirees than 44% of New York towns and quieter than 1%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.0).
How much does a house cost in Oyster Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Oyster Bay is valued at $695,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,264, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $2,225 a month.
What is the weather like in Oyster Bay?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 24.6 inches of snow.
Does Oyster Bay get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oyster Bay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 12, 2005. 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)