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Living in
Elwood.
Elwood is an unincorporated community in Suffolk County, NY. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Elwood
Elwood is a community of 11,140 people in New York. The median household income is $177,003, median rent runs about $2,064 per month, and median home values are around $689,500. Unemployment is low at 3.4%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Elwood at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.5%
Foreign-Born
10.0%
Broadband Internet
97.8%
of households
Population Growth
-3.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.0% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Elwood: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Elwood, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (15.8%), and 5.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.3%
of residents
65 and Older
17.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.5%
of households
Married Couples
64.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.92
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 27% above NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Elwood
In Elwood, rent runs 27% above the NY average, and home values are 63% above the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
12.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
6.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
94.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1964
median year built
Vacant Homes
0.2%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below NY average
Unemployment in Elwood and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Suffolk County, which includes Elwood, is 0.8 percentage points lower than the NY average.
Unemployment rate
Elwood: Suffolk County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Suffolk County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Elwood is less than 1% of Suffolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Elwood Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metro area
Commute42.3 min avg
How Elwood residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Elwood, most residents drive alone to work (61%), and 39% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP)
Small hub790k passengers boarded in 2025
- 27 mi
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Major hub30.8M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 88% below national average
Crime rates for 2023
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2023. It's compared with the national rate for 2023.
Violent crime in the area policed by the Suffolk County Police Department, which covers Elwood, runs 88% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
47.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (386 national, 2023)
Property Crime Rate
566.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,951 national, 2023)
Policed by Suffolk County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Suffolk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Suffolk County, which includes Elwood, the most common type is high wind, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | High Wind | $17,500 |
| 2024 | 21 | High Wind | $10.7M |
| 2023 | 8 | Flash Flood | $51,000 |
| 2022 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $205,800 |
| 2021 | 25 | High Wind | $5.4M |
| 2020 | 28 | High Wind | $2.6M |
| 2019 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.8M |
| 2018 | 42 | Winter Weather | $932,750 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Suffolk County, county-wide
Elwood is less than 1% of Suffolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Suffolk County, which includes Elwood, is typically good — 265 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
265
per year
Moderate Days
95
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Suffolk County, county-wide
Elwood is less than 1% of Suffolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate81°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Elwood has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
40°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.5"
Annual Snowfall
31.8"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
88
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 25°F | 3.72" |
| Feb | 40°F | 25°F | 3.09" |
| Mar | 47°F | 31°F | 4.24" |
| Apr | 60°F | 41°F | 4.09" |
| May | 70°F | 51°F | 3.88" |
| Jun | 78°F | 60°F | 4.29" |
| Jul | 83°F | 66°F | 3.83" |
| Aug | 81°F | 65°F | 4.32" |
| Sep | 74°F | 59°F | 4.67" |
| Oct | 63°F | 49°F | 4.26" |
| Nov | 52°F | 39°F | 3.48" |
| Dec | 43°F | 31°F | 4.64" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Elwood
Uninsured
1.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Elwood's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northport VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Northport
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
Psychiatric · 4.2 mi away · West Brentwood
Ns/lij Hs Huntington Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Huntington
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education11.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Elwood
Elwood's student/teacher ratio is 11.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 56.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
56.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Elwood (within 15 miles)
Suffolk County Community College
14.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 14,218 students · in-state tuition $7,340 · 36% graduate · median earnings $54,024 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 9,552 students · in-state tuition $8,626 · 62% graduate · median earnings $75,278 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 547 students · in-state tuition $31,100 · 44% graduate · median earnings $46,311 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, 9 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Elwood
Elwood has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (9 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
9 mi awayFire Island National Seashore
National Seashore
20 mi awaySaint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
26 mi awayWeir Farm National Historical Park
National Historical Park
29 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
32 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
33 mi awayLower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
National Historic Site
35 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
35 mi awayPublic Libraries in Elwood
Elwood Public Library
1929 Jericho Turnpike, Elwood
Cities Near Elwood
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Elwood?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Elwood FAQ
Is Elwood, New York affordable?⌄
Elwood's median rent is $2,064/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $177,003/year. Median home value is $689,500.
Is Elwood, New York safe?⌄
Elwood is policed by the Suffolk County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 48 per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 386/100k that year. Property crime rate is 567 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Elwood, New York?⌄
Suffolk County, which includes Elwood, has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Elwood, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Elwood is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,064/month and median household income is $177,003/year. The median home value is $689,500. About 12% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Elwood, New York?⌄
The average commute in Elwood is 42 minutes, which is significantly longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from