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Living in
Ronkonkoma.
Ronkonkoma 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 Ronkonkoma
This hamlet on Long Island offers a genuinely solid middle-class existence if you're willing to embrace suburban density and don't mind a car-dependent lifestyle. The median household income sits around $122,000, with a median home value hovering near $489,000 and median rent around $2,345 a month—reasonable by Long Island standards, though you're still paying a regional premium for proximity to New York City. The job market is stable with a 3.4% unemployment rate, anchored partly by aerospace manufacturing (Northrop Grumman operates a hypersonic facility here) and the vitamin company The Bountiful Company, along with the usual suburban mix of service and retail work; your 32-minute average commute gives you realistic flexibility for reaching better-paying jobs across the region.
Ronkonkoma at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Foreign-Born
14.5%
Broadband Internet
96.8%
of households
Population Growth
+0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.5% foreign-born, most often from Pakistan
Who lives in Ronkonkoma: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ronkonkoma, the largest foreign-born group is from Pakistan (15.1%), and 11.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
13.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
19.3%
of households
Married Couples
55.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.04
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 45% above NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Ronkonkoma
In Ronkonkoma, rent runs 45% above the NY average, and home values are 15% above the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
34.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
81.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1970
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $651,077 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below NY average
Unemployment in Ronkonkoma and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Suffolk County, which includes Ronkonkoma, is 0.8 percentage points lower than the NY average.
Unemployment rate
Ronkonkoma: Suffolk County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Suffolk County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Ronkonkoma is about 1% of Suffolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Ronkonkoma 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
Commute32.1 min avg
How Ronkonkoma residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ronkonkoma, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 56% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 1 mi
Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP)
Small hub790k passengers boarded in 2025
- 36 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 Ronkonkoma, 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 Ronkonkoma, 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
Ronkonkoma is about 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 Ronkonkoma, 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
Ronkonkoma is about 1% of Suffolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ronkonkoma has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.0"
Annual Snowfall
31.8"
Hot Days/Year
8
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
98
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 25°F | 3.66" |
| Feb | 41°F | 26°F | 3.29" |
| Mar | 48°F | 32°F | 4.51" |
| Apr | 58°F | 41°F | 4.06" |
| May | 68°F | 51°F | 3.28" |
| Jun | 77°F | 61°F | 4.00" |
| Jul | 83°F | 67°F | 3.26" |
| Aug | 81°F | 66°F | 4.24" |
| Sep | 75°F | 59°F | 3.60" |
| Oct | 64°F | 47°F | 3.97" |
| Nov | 54°F | 38°F | 3.41" |
| Dec | 44°F | 30°F | 4.71" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ronkonkoma
Uninsured
2.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Ronkonkoma's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
St Catherine of Siena Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.6 mi away · Smithtown
Long Island Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.8 mi away · Patchogue
Ns/lij Hs Southside Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.2 mi away · Bay Shore
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.
Education10.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ronkonkoma
Ronkonkoma's student/teacher ratio is 10.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 33.5% 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
33.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Ronkonkoma (within 15 miles)
Suffolk County Community College
4.8 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 14,218 students · in-state tuition $7,340 · 36% graduate · median earnings $54,024 (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: Fire Island National Seashore, 10 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ronkonkoma
Ronkonkoma has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fire Island National Seashore (10 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fire Island National Seashore
National Seashore
10 mi awaySagamore Hill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
20 mi awayWeir Farm National Historical Park
National Historical Park
36 mi awaySaint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
37 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
43 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
44 mi awayGateway National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
45 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
45 mi awayCities Near Ronkonkoma
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ronkonkoma?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ronkonkoma FAQ
Is Ronkonkoma, New York affordable?⌄
Ronkonkoma's median rent is $2,345/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $121,673/year. Median home value is $489,100.
Is Ronkonkoma, New York safe?⌄
Ronkonkoma 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 Ronkonkoma, New York?⌄
Suffolk County, which includes Ronkonkoma, 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 Ronkonkoma, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Ronkonkoma is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,345/month and median household income is $121,673/year. The median home value is $489,100. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ronkonkoma, New York?⌄
The average commute in Ronkonkoma is 32 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