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Is Shelter Island, NY a Good Place to Live?
Shelter Island is a small town of 2,564 in New York, with a median household income of $98,902 and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Shelter Island stands out for solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Shelter Island is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Shelter Island city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Shelter Island's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Shelter Island costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Shelter Island, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $940,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $98,902 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeShelter Island's violent crime rate is 81.3 per 100,000 residents — 79% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Shelter Island is served primarily by SHELTER ISLAND UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 5.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Shelter Island, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | SHELTER ISLAND UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 5.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 86.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Shelter Island sees average highs of 39.2°F in January and 81.9°F in July, with 49.8 inches of annual precipitation and 26.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Shelter Island, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.2°F |
| Average High — July | 81.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Shelter Island, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,564 | — |
| Median Age | 40.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 62.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 8.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 30.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Shelter Island
Shelter Island, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: