Census-designated place · New York
Brookhaven, New York
Brookhaven, census-designated place, in Suffolk County, New York. Brookhaven had 3,330 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,858 (±415). GEOID 3609000.
Residents, 2020 Census
3,330
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,858 ±415
Median household income
$114,839
±$30,409 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$692,800
±$83,316 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$2,346
±$1,224 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is Brookhaven and what county is it in?
Brookhaven 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 5.8 square miles of land, 574 residents per square mile in 2020.
Brookhaven is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Brookhaven lies entirely within the Town of Brookhaven, 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 Brookhaven, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 3,330 residents in Brookhaven, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,858 (±415).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Brookhaven is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Brookhaven | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,858 ±415 | 1,530,146 | −597 |
| Households | 886 ±132 | 512,565 | −285 |
| Average household size | 2.67 ±0.36 | 2.93 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 943 ±127 | 580,772 | −337 |
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 Brookhaven?
The median resident of Brookhaven is 49.4 years old; 18.1% are under 18 and 26.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 74.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.9%. 5.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Brookhaven | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.4 ±8.4 | 41.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.1% ±5.3 pts | 20.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.4% ±5.2 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Male | 43.7% ±4.6 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.9% ±6.3 pts | 22.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 74.9% ±7.1 pts | 62.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 10.0% ±5.6 pts | 6.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±2.3 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.9% ±2.9 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 13.6% ±6.1 pts | 24.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.3% ±4.0 pts | 4.0% | – |
| With a disability | 11.1% ±3.2 pts | 10.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.4% ±2.7 pts | 4.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.2% ±3.1 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 43.0% ±6.0 pts | 40.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.7% ±4.9 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.6% ±2.5 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.5 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 Brookhaven earn?
Half of Brookhaven's 886 households earn less than $114,839 a year (±$30,409), against $130,686 in Suffolk County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 it was $84,775 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Brookhaven | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $114,839 ±$30,409 | $130,686 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $160,246 ±$31,517 | $166,220 | – |
| Per capita income | $53,366 ±$8,342 | $57,164 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.1% ±4.9 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.8% ±14.3 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.1% ±2.0 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±4.7 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.8% ±4.3 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 Brookhaven?
Owners occupy 88.7% of Brookhaven's occupied homes and renters 11.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $692,800 by its owner (±$83,316). The median renter pays $2,346 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Brookhaven | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $692,800 ±$83,316 | $578,400 | +$179,478 |
| Median gross rent | $2,346 ±$1,224 | $2,255 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.6% ±28.7 pts | 49.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,722 ±$422 | $3,320 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 88.7% ±6.6 pts | 82.2% | +15.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 11.3% ±6.6 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Housing units | 943 ±127 | 580,772 | −337 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.2% ±5.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±33.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 96.5% ±4.1 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.8% ±7.0 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±4.7 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 Brookhaven work and get to work?
77.9% of Brookhaven's workers drive alone and 10.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.8 minutes.
| Measure | Brookhaven | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.9% ±6.8 pts | 65.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.8% ±5.3 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.9% ±8.0 pts | 72.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.2% ±6.8 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.1% ±2.6 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.5% ±6.0 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.8 min ±4.2 | 31.1 min | −8.9 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 Brookhaven?
1 census tract lies mostly in Brookhaven, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1592.04Suffolk County | 3,914 | $108,036 |
| Tract 1591.03Suffolk County | 6,010 | $94,022 |
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 Brookhaven) · Census block assignment files
How does Brookhaven compare with other places in New York?
Brookhaven ranks 371st 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) | 957th | 1,657 |
| Residents per square mile | 818th | 1,657 |
| Median household income | 371st | 1,623 |
| Per capita income | 454th | 1,653 |
| Median home value | 180th | 1,637 |
| Median gross rent | 143rd | 1,515 |
| Poverty rate | 497th | 1,331 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 498th | 1,640 |
| Median age | 311th | 1,654 |
| Owner-occupied share | 334th | 1,639 |
| Work from home | 855th | 1,350 |
| Travel time to work | 671st | 1,652 |
Brookhaven's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare Brookhaven 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 Brookhaven?
20 of the 57 figures for Brookhaven 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 Brookhaven 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.