Is St. James, NY a Good Place to Live?
St. James is a small city of 13,733 in New York, with a median household income of $142,448 and a 4.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: St. James stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether St. James is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. James 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: 112.5St. James's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. James costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | St. James, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $597,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,034 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 89.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $142,448 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSt. James'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
St. James is served primarily by SMITHTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | St. James, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | SMITHTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 7 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 51.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
St. James sees average highs of 39.6°F in January and 83.0°F in July, with 48.1 inches of annual precipitation and 31.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | St. James, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.6°F |
| Average High — July | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 31.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | St. James, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,733 | — |
| Median Age | 46.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 32.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 88.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 4.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in St. James
St. James, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: