Is Stony Brook, NY a Good Place to Live?
Stony Brook is a small city of 12,501 in New York, with a median household income of $145,487 and a 3.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Stony Brook 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 Stony Brook is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Stony Brook 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: 112.5Stony Brook's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Stony Brook costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Stony Brook, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $576,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,831 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 89.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $145,487 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeStony Brook'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
Stony Brook is served primarily by THREE VILLAGE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Stony Brook, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | THREE VILLAGE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Stony Brook 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 | Stony Brook, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.6°F |
| Average High — July | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 31.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Stony Brook, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,501 | — |
| Median Age | 45.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 33.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 11.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 22.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: