The Town FilesSt. James, New York
Community in Suffolk County · population 13,487 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $652,700
- Household income
- $142,368
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 47.4
St. James is a community of 13,487 people in Suffolk County, New York. The median home is worth $652,700, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 95% of New York towns, more vibrant than 91% of New York towns, better for families than 90% of New York towns.
How St. James 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 St. James is worth $652,700, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $142,368, which is more affordable than 16% of New York towns. Median rent is $2,218 a month. 87.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. James | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $652,700 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $2,218 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $142,368 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 87.7% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in St. James
| People | St. James | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.8% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in St. James
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 24.6°F. About 46.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. James since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 18, 2007 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 4, 2015.
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 St. James itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in St. James
3 public schools with 2,249 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMITHTOWN HIGH SCHOOL EAST | 9-12 | 1,428 | 11.7 |
| SAINT JAMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 464 | 11.6 |
| MILLS POND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 357 | 11.5 |
Towns near St. James
- Nesconset, NY2.0 mi · 13,207 people · home $639,500
- Lake Grove, NY2.2 mi · 11,072 people · home $598,900
- Stony Brook, NY2.5 mi · 13,467 people · home $623,300
- Stony Brook University, NY2.8 mi · 10,409 people · home —
- Smithtown, NY3.2 mi · 116,296 people · home $669,900
- Smithtown, NY3.6 mi · 25,629 people · home $704,700
- Centereach, NY3.7 mi · 30,980 people · home $514,800
- Lake Ronkonkoma, NY3.8 mi · 18,619 people · home $525,000
St. James questions
Is St. James, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. James scores better for retirees than 44% of New York towns and quieter than 19%. 22.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.4).
How much does a house cost in St. James?
The median owner-occupied home in St. James is valued at $652,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $142,368, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $2,218 a month.
What is the weather like in St. James?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 24.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.0 inches of precipitation a year and 31.8 inches of snow.
Does St. James get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. James 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)