Census-designated place · New York
Bay Shore, New York
Bay Shore, census-designated place, in Suffolk County, New York. Bay Shore had 31,683 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±2,135). GEOID 3604935.
Residents, 2020-2024
31,683
±2,135 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 29,244
Median household income
$105,618
±$12,523 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$492,200
±$19,074 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$2,063
±$114 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is Bay Shore and what county is it in?
Bay Shore is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Suffolk County, New York. It covers 5.7 square miles of land, 5,150 residents per square mile in 2020.
Bay Shore is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Bay Shore lies entirely within the Town of Islip, a town with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bay Shore, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Bay Shore's population at 31,683 (±2,135). The 2020 Census counted 29,244 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Bay Shore is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 31,683 ±2,135 | 1,530,146 | no clear change |
| Households | 9,846 ±557 | 512,565 | +931 |
| Average household size | 3.18 ±0.21 | 2.93 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 10,300 ±589 | 580,772 | +699 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bay Shore?
The median resident of Bay Shore is 34.6 years old; 27.3% are under 18 and 12.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 39.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 32.0%. 32.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 ±1.9 | 41.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.3% ±2.8 pts | 20.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.7% ±1.5 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Male | 49.4% ±2.3 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 39.2% ±5.5 pts | 22.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 32.0% ±4.2 pts | 62.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 13.4% ±2.5 pts | 6.9% | −6.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 10.1% ±4.9 pts | 4.4% | +6.0 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.4% ±2.8 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 32.9% ±4.1 pts | 16.8% | +9.0 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 45.3% ±4.3 pts | 24.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.3% ±1.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| With a disability | 11.3% ±1.6 pts | 10.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.6% ±2.9 pts | 4.7% | +5.1 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.0% ±2.7 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.1% ±3.5 pts | 40.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.7% ±2.6 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.4% ±3.3 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3% ±0.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bay Shore earn?
Half of Bay Shore's 9,846 households earn less than $105,618 a year (±$12,523), against $130,686 in Suffolk County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 it was $98,875 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $105,618 ±$12,523 | $130,686 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $131,136 ±$9,586 | $166,220 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,341 ±$3,287 | $57,164 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.2% ±2.2 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 10.3% ±4.0 pts | 7.1% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.7% ±3.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.4% ±1.2 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.1% ±3.8 pts | 93.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bay Shore?
Owners occupy 62.5% of Bay Shore's occupied homes and renters 37.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $492,200 by its owner (±$19,074). The median renter pays $2,063 a month including utilities, and 50.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $492,200 ±$19,074 | $578,400 | +$79,548 |
| Median gross rent | $2,063 ±$114 | $2,255 | +$288 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 50.8% ±8.3 pts | 49.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,265 ±$155 | $3,320 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.5% ±4.0 pts | 82.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 37.5% ±4.0 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Housing units | 10,300 ±589 | 580,772 | +699 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.4% ±2.3 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 54.2% ±4.2 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.0% ±1.1 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.4% ±1.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.0% ±2.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.3% ±3.3 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.2% ±3.9 pts | 5.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Bay Shore work and get to work?
71.0% of Bay Shore's workers drive alone and 9.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.7%.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.0% ±2.8 pts | 65.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% ±1.6 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 71.0% ±4.1 pts | 72.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.5% ±2.1 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 4.2% ±2.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Walked | 1.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.9% ±2.6 pts | 12.0% | +6.7 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.4 min ±2.4 | 31.1 min | −9.7 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bay Shore?
7 census tracts lie mostly in Bay Shore, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $46,760 (Tract 1473.01) to $172,264 (Tract 1459.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1460.05Suffolk County | 8,786 | $114,983 |
| Tract 1459.03Suffolk County | 6,848 | $172,264 |
| Tract 1473.02Suffolk County | 5,029 | $81,094 |
| Tract 1472.01Suffolk County | 3,934 | $110,694 |
| Tract 1473.01Suffolk County | 2,581 | $46,760 |
| Tract 1472.02Suffolk County | 2,549 | $79,600 |
| Tract 1460.04Suffolk County | 1,588 | $79,750 |
| Tract 1467.06Suffolk County | 2,508 | $160,795 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bay Shore) · Census block assignment files
How does Bay Shore compare with other places in New York?
Bay Shore ranks 461st of 1,623 places in New York with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 86th | 1,657 |
| Residents per square mile | 134th | 1,657 |
| Median household income | 461st | 1,623 |
| Per capita income | 862nd | 1,653 |
| Median home value | 344th | 1,637 |
| Median gross rent | 260th | 1,515 |
| Poverty rate | 647th | 1,331 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 893rd | 1,640 |
| Median age | 1,515th | 1,654 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,357th | 1,639 |
| Work from home | 925th | 1,350 |
| Travel time to work | 787th | 1,652 |
Bay Shore's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare Bay Shore with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bay Shore?
6 of the 57 figures for Bay Shore on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bay Shore are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.