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Living in
Shirley.
Shirley 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 Shirley
Shirley appeals to people seeking suburban Long Island living with water access and reasonable stability, though it's not without practical trade-offs. The median home value sits around $425,000 with median rent at $2,056 monthly—pricey by national standards but manageable for the New York area, and the low vacancy rates suggest the market is tight. Most households are married couples with children, and the median age hovers near 40, creating a fairly settled demographic.
Shirley at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Foreign-Born
16.0%
Broadband Internet
92.0%
of households
Population Growth
-2.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.0% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Shirley: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Shirley, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (13.5%), and 20.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.7%
of residents
65 and Older
12.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.9%
of households
Married Couples
57.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.32
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 Shirley
In Shirley, rent runs 27% above the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
47.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$9,187
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
92.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $548,142 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below NY average
Unemployment in Shirley and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Suffolk County, which includes Shirley, is 0.8 percentage points lower than the NY average.
Unemployment rate
Shirley: Suffolk County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Suffolk County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Shirley is about 2% of Suffolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Shirley 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
Commute33.2 min avg
How Shirley residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Shirley, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 48% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP)
Small hub790k passengers boarded in 2025
- 49 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 Shirley, 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 Shirley, 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
Shirley is about 2% 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 Shirley, 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
Shirley is about 2% of Suffolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 26°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Shirley has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and cold winters (avg low 26°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/26°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.2"
Annual Snowfall
31.8"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
104
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
134
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 24°F | 2.97" |
| Feb | 41°F | 25°F | 3.10" |
| Mar | 47°F | 31°F | 4.62" |
| Apr | 58°F | 40°F | 4.06" |
| May | 68°F | 49°F | 3.47" |
| Jun | 77°F | 60°F | 3.70" |
| Jul | 83°F | 66°F | 3.24" |
| Aug | 81°F | 65°F | 3.04" |
| Sep | 74°F | 57°F | 3.90" |
| Oct | 64°F | 46°F | 3.99" |
| Nov | 54°F | 37°F | 3.65" |
| Dec | 45°F | 29°F | 4.50" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Shirley
Uninsured
4.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Shirley's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Long Island Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6 mi away · Patchogue
John T Mather Memorial Hospital of Port Jefferson
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.6 mi away · Port Jefferson
St Charles Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.3 mi away · Port Jefferson
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.
Education13.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Shirley
Shirley's student/teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 18.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Shirley (within 15 miles)
Suffolk County Community College
10.4 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 14,218 students · in-state tuition $7,340 · 36% graduate · median earnings $54,024 (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 Shirley
Shirley 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
33 mi awayWeir Farm National Historical Park
National Historical Park
44 mi awaySaint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
50 mi awayGateway National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
57 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
57 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
57 mi awayLower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
National Historic Site
59 mi awayPublic Libraries in Shirley
Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library
407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley
Cities Near Shirley
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Shirley?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Shirley FAQ
Is Shirley, New York affordable?⌄
Shirley's median rent is $2,056/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $112,788/year. Median home value is $424,900.
Is Shirley, New York safe?⌄
Shirley 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 Shirley, New York?⌄
Suffolk County, which includes Shirley, 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 Shirley, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Shirley is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,056/month and median household income is $112,788/year. The median home value is $424,900. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Shirley, New York?⌄
The average commute in Shirley is 33 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