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Living in
Rockville Centre.
About
Life in Rockville Centre
Rockville Centre offers a relatively affluent suburban lifestyle with solid schools and good transit access via the Long Island Railroad, though you're paying significantly for it. The median home price hovers near $800,000 and rent averages $1,881 monthly, so this is decidedly an upper-middle to upper-income community. South Side High School has a strong academic reputation, ranking among the best in New York State, and the school district generally performs well, which is a major draw for families with kids.
Rockville Centre at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Foreign-Born
9.9%
Broadband Internet
92.9%
of households
Population Growth
-0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.9% foreign-born, most often from Dominican Republic
Who lives in Rockville Centre: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Rockville Centre, the largest foreign-born group is from Dominican Republic (14.0%), and 6.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.2%
of residents
65 and Older
20.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.2%
of households
Married Couples
57.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.55
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 16% above NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Rockville Centre
In Rockville Centre, rent runs 16% above the NY average, and home values are 93% above the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
75.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1945
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $979,151 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below NY average
Unemployment in Rockville Centre and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Rockville Centre is 1.2 percentage points lower than the NY average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Rockville Centre 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
Commute37.3 min avg
How Rockville Centre residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Rockville Centre, most residents drive alone to work (52%), and 39% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 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 95% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Rockville Centre runs 95% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
15.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
303.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Rockville Centre Village Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Nassau County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Nassau County, which includes Rockville Centre, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | High Wind | $22,000 |
| 2024 | 17 | High Wind | $16,000 |
| 2023 | 7 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 14 | Winter Weather | $8,000 |
| 2021 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8.3M |
| 2020 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $379,000 |
| 2019 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $325,000 |
| 2018 | 28 | Coastal Flood | $829,000 |
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
Nassau County, county-wide
Rockville Centre is about 2% of Nassau County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality29 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Nassau County, which includes Rockville Centre, is typically good — 287 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
29
Good Days
287
per year
Moderate Days
77
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nassau County, county-wide
Rockville Centre is about 2% of Nassau County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Rockville Centre has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.6"
Annual Snowfall
25.5"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
89
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
152
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 26°F | 3.81" |
| Feb | 42°F | 27°F | 3.01" |
| Mar | 48°F | 33°F | 4.64" |
| Apr | 59°F | 41°F | 4.16" |
| May | 67°F | 51°F | 4.31" |
| Jun | 76°F | 61°F | 4.57" |
| Jul | 82°F | 67°F | 4.25" |
| Aug | 82°F | 67°F | 4.16" |
| Sep | 75°F | 60°F | 3.76" |
| Oct | 64°F | 48°F | 4.30" |
| Nov | 54°F | 39°F | 3.57" |
| Dec | 44°F | 31°F | 4.10" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Rockville Centre
Rockville Centre has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
1.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Mercy Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Mount Sinai South Nassau
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 0.9 mi away · Oceanside
Nassau University Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6 mi away · East Meadow
Creedmoor Psychiatric Center
Psychiatric · 7 mi away · Queens Village
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.
Education10.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Rockville Centre
Rockville Centre's student/teacher ratio is 10.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 63.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
63.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Rockville Centre
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,162 students · in-state tuition $41,380 · 75% graduate · median earnings $86,212 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 12,550 students · in-state tuition $7,538 · 57% graduate · median earnings $68,324 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,630 students · in-state tuition $6,545 · 34% graduate · median earnings $53,866 (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)
St. John's University-New York
9.2 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 9,477 students · in-state tuition $55,640 · 71% graduate · median earnings $77,281 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY Queensborough Community College
8.8 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 8,940 students · in-state tuition $5,210 · 34% graduate · median earnings $50,546 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,488 students · in-state tuition $59,960 · 66% graduate · median earnings $76,540 (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: Gateway National Recreation Area, 16 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Rockville Centre
Rockville Centre has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Gateway National Recreation Area (16 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gateway National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
16 mi awaySagamore Hill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
17 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
19 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
19 mi awayLower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
National Historic Site
19 mi awaySaint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
19 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
19 mi awayCastle Clinton National Monument
National Monument
20 mi awayPublic Libraries in Rockville Centre
Rockville Centre Public Library
221 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre
Cities Near Rockville Centre
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Rockville Centre?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Rockville Centre FAQ
Is Rockville Centre, New York affordable?⌄
Rockville Centre's median rent is $1,881/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $151,938/year. Median home value is $818,700.
Is Rockville Centre, New York safe?⌄
Rockville Centre's violent crime rate was 16 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 304 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Rockville Centre, New York?⌄
Rockville Centre has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Rockville Centre, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Rockville Centre is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,881/month and median household income is $151,938/year. The median home value is $818,700. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Rockville Centre, New York?⌄
The average commute in Rockville Centre is 37 minutes, which is 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