Census-designated place · New York
Central Islip, New York
Central Islip, census-designated place, in Suffolk County, New York. Central Islip had 38,373 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±2,622). GEOID 3613552.
Residents, 2020-2024
38,373
±2,622 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 36,714
Median household income
$113,707
±$6,569 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$436,400
±$12,914 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$2,071
±$247 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is Central Islip and what county is it in?
Central Islip 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 7.2 square miles of land, 5,131 residents per square mile in 2020.
Central Islip is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Central Islip 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 Central Islip, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Central Islip's population at 38,373 (±2,622). The 2020 Census counted 36,714 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Central Islip is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Central Islip | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 38,373 ±2,622 | 1,530,146 | +7,168 |
| Households | 9,545 ±570 | 512,565 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.99 ±0.22 | 2.93 | +0.60 |
| Housing units | 10,660 ±504 | 580,772 | +556 |
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 Central Islip?
The median resident of Central Islip is 34.6 years old; 26.0% are under 18 and 11.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 63.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 16.9%. 37.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Central Islip | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 ±2.2 | 41.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.0% ±1.9 pts | 20.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.5% ±1.4 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Male | 50.6% ±1.9 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 63.1% ±4.0 pts | 22.8% | +15.6 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 14.2% ±2.5 pts | 62.0% | −8.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 16.9% ±2.7 pts | 6.9% | −6.7 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±0.7 pts | 4.4% | −1.8 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 | 2.9% ±1.3 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 37.4% ±3.0 pts | 16.8% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 61.8% ±3.7 pts | 24.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.4% ±0.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
| With a disability | 9.5% ±1.4 pts | 10.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.3% ±2.1 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 76.1% ±2.6 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.3% ±2.2 pts | 40.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.1% ±1.5 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.9% ±2.4 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±1.0 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 Central Islip earn?
Half of Central Islip's 9,545 households earn less than $113,707 a year (±$6,569), against $130,686 in Suffolk County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 the median was $91,635 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $22,072 after inflation. 9.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Central Islip | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $113,707 ±$6,569 | $130,686 | +$22,072 |
| Mean household income | $130,740 ±$8,247 | $166,220 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,523 ±$2,228 | $57,164 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.2% ±2.3 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.3% ±3.8 pts | 7.1% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 18.2% ±3.0 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.1% ±2.2 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.3% ±2.7 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 Central Islip?
Owners occupy 78.2% of Central Islip's occupied homes and renters 21.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $436,400 by its owner (±$12,914). The median renter pays $2,071 a month including utilities, and 54.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Central Islip | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $436,400 ±$12,914 | $578,400 | +$96,975 |
| Median gross rent | $2,071 ±$247 | $2,255 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.5% ±10.0 pts | 49.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,873 ±$79 | $3,320 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.2% ±3.7 pts | 82.2% | +9.5 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.8% ±3.7 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Housing units | 10,660 ±504 | 580,772 | +556 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 12.4% ±6.4 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 64.5% ±3.1 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5% ±1.0 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.3% ±1.2 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.1% ±1.3 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.0% ±3.0 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 Central Islip work and get to work?
71.1% of Central Islip's workers drive alone and 6.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.1%.
| Measure | Central Islip | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.8% ±2.4 pts | 65.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±1.5 pts | 4.7% | +2.6 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 71.1% ±3.6 pts | 72.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.9% ±3.0 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 4.2% ±1.4 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Walked | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.7% ±1.8 pts | 12.0% | +4.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.3 min ±1.3 | 31.1 min | −2.6 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 Central Islip?
8 census tracts lie mostly in Central Islip, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $72,547 (Tract 1457.05) to $136,813 (Tract 1462.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1464.03Suffolk County | 7,128 | $115,089 |
| Tract 1457.03Suffolk County | 6,335 | $107,250 |
| Tract 1462.02Suffolk County | 5,849 | $136,813 |
| Tract 1457.06Suffolk County | 5,210 | $136,685 |
| Tract 1462.03Suffolk County | 5,113 | $102,054 |
| Tract 1457.05Suffolk County | 3,244 | $72,547 |
| Tract 1464.04Suffolk County | 2,866 | $131,938 |
| Tract 1463Suffolk County | 2,560 | $104,722 |
| Tract 1464.02Suffolk County | 3,977 | $147,411 |
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 Central Islip) · Census block assignment files
How does Central Islip compare with other places in New York?
Central Islip ranks 378th 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) | 59th | 1,657 |
| Residents per square mile | 135th | 1,657 |
| Median household income | 378th | 1,623 |
| Per capita income | 1,304th | 1,653 |
| Median home value | 412th | 1,637 |
| Median gross rent | 256th | 1,515 |
| Poverty rate | 714th | 1,331 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,388th | 1,640 |
| Median age | 1,515th | 1,654 |
| Owner-occupied share | 893rd | 1,639 |
| Work from home | 1,201st | 1,350 |
| Travel time to work | 712th | 1,652 |
Central Islip's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare Central Islip 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 Central Islip?
7 of the 57 figures for Central Islip 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 Central Islip 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.