Moving to
West Islip.

$2,765/mo median rent

Rent is expensive here, at $2,765 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $614,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.

3.5% county unemployment

Unemployment in Suffolk County is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

48 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction

West Islip doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Suffolk County Police Department jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.

30 min average commute

Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.2 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

50% bachelor's degree or higher

The population is well-educated, with 50% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.

7 public schools inside the boundary

There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

The nearest national park or historic site is Fire Island National Seashore (16 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.