The Town FilesRiverside, New York
Community in Suffolk County · population 2,882 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $59,318
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 34.3
Riverside is a community of 2,882 people in Suffolk County, New York. It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 97% of New York towns, more of a college town than 74% of New York towns.
How Riverside 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
Median rent is $2,846 a month. 71.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Riverside | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $2,846 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $59,318 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.7% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Riverside
| People | Riverside | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.9% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.3% | — |
| Work from home | 1.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Riverside
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Riverside since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 10, 1989 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 25, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 10, 1989.
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 Riverside itself the ACS puts it at 8.9%.
Towns near Riverside
- Riverhead, NY3.2 mi · 14,993 people · home $457,400
- Flanders, NY3.7 mi · 5,098 people · home $419,600
- Aquebogue, NY4.0 mi · 2,547 people · home $613,200
- Westhampton, NY4.1 mi · 3,621 people · home $1,018,200
- Riverhead, NY5.3 mi · 35,902 people · home $486,600
- Calverton, NY5.4 mi · 5,934 people · home $229,200
- Baiting Hollow, NY5.5 mi · 2,763 people · home $586,300
- Remsenburg-Speonk, NY6.4 mi · 3,110 people · home $998,000
Riverside questions
Is Riverside, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Riverside scores better for retirees than 20% of New York towns and quieter than 27%. 10.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.3).
What is the weather like in Riverside?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 28.8 inches of snow.
Does Riverside get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Riverside since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 10, 1989. 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)