Long Island has changed dramatically since our community foundation was established in 1978 by the New York Community Trust. Over four decades, Long Island has changed in density, demographics and populations in need with at-risk communities growing and diversifying. In the last decade, the rise in suburban poverty has surpassed the rise in urban poverty.
Nassau County
Nassau County is a predominantly suburban county on Long Island, bordering New York City to the west. As of the 2020 census, the county’s population was 1,395,774, estimated to have increased slightly from 1,356,924 in 2019, making it the sixth-most populous county in New York. Its county seat is Mineola, and its largest town is Hempstead. The county was named after the German town of Nassau.
POPULATION
1.396M
MEDIAN AGE
41.9
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$120,036
POVERTY RATE
5.41%
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS
450K
MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE
$524,400
Learn more at https://datausa.io/profile/geo/nassau-county-ny
POPULATION
1.396M
MEDIAN AGE
41.9
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$120,036
POVERTY RATE
5.41%
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS
450K
MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE
$524,400
Learn more at https://datausa.io/profile/geo/nassau-county-ny
2 Counties
13 Towns
2 Cities
96 Incorporated Villages
125 School Districts
13 Towns
2 Cities
96 Incorporated Villages
125 School Districts
Suffolk County
Suffolk County is a predominantly suburban county on Long Island and the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the county’s population was 1,525,920, estimated to have decreased slightly from 1,476,601 in 2019, making it the fourth-most populous county in New York. Its county seat is Riverhead, though most county offices are in Hauppauge. The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, from where its earliest European settlers came.
POPULATION
1.526M
MEDIAN AGE
41.7
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$105,362
POVERTY RATE
6.46%
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS
496K
MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE
$413,900
Learn more at https://datausa.io/profile/geo/suffolk-county-ny
POPULATION
1.526M
MEDIAN AGE
41.7
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$105,362
POVERTY RATE
6.46%
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS
496K
MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE
$413,900
Learn more at https://datausa.io/profile/geo/suffolk-county-ny
The poverty rate on Long Island is approximately 5.9% an average of 5.41% poverty rate in Nassau County and 6.5% poverty rate in Suffolk County. This means that approximately 166,000 people are living below the national poverty line. Even this staggering statistic does not tell the whole story.
Often perceived as an affluent region, the poverty here is a complex, nuanced issue affecting more of our neighbors than meets the eye. There are additional households on Long Island with incomes above the national poverty level that fall below the budget calculated to account for basic needs here.
Often perceived as an affluent region, the poverty here is a complex, nuanced issue affecting more of our neighbors than meets the eye. There are additional households on Long Island with incomes above the national poverty level that fall below the budget calculated to account for basic needs here.
124, 213 INDIVIDUALS DO NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE
230,000 PEOPLE
including
68,000 CHILDREN
HAVE FACED NUTRITIONAL INSECURITY IN THE LAST YEAR
54,471 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVE SNAP BENEFITS
166.2K INDIVIDUALS ARE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE