Places › New York › Central Islip

Living in Central Islip, NY

Suburb in New York

Central Islip is a suburb in New York, home to about 38,000 people, with 3.3 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Central Islip a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 15 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 81°F
  • Easy flying: JFK is 32 mi away
  • Low natural disaster risk: 14 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Weaker public schools: test results well below the US average
  • Higher taxes: about $3,080 state income tax per resident, 2.26% property tax
  • Few dog parks: 7 within 9 mi
  • Fewer graduates: 18% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Central Islip ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
38,000
3.3 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
42°F / 81°F
Average daily highs · 32″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$574k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$3,420/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
113
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,080
State income tax per resident · 2.26% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
14 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
15
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 16 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
18%
2 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
JFK
32 mi away

Living in Central Islip: common questions

What is the cost of living in Central Islip?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $574k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,420 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 113, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Central Islip?

New York collects about $3,080 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.26% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Central Islip safe?

Central Islip isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

How are the schools in Central Islip?

Public schools in Central Islip test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 16 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Central Islip?

Central Islip has cold winters: winter days average around 42°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 32″ of snow a year.

Does Central Islip get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 14 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.17 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Central Islip?

The nearest major airport is JFK, about 32 mi away.

How Central Islip scores

Each bar compares Central Islip with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeBig city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureStrong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingVery expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceFast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingBelow average
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketGood
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyGood
🐕Dog-friendlyPoor
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CultureGood
👮SafetyNo crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Central Islip

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Holbrook, NYSuburb56 $665k$3,350/moNo crime data Carpentersville, ILSuburb60 $292k$2,290/moVery safe Addison, ILSuburb63 $385k$2,290/moVery safe Elgin, ILSuburb58 $336k$2,290/moVery safe West Babylon, NYSuburb64 $665k$3,560/moNo crime data Freeport, NYSuburb65 $680k$3,070/moVery safe

Nearby

Bay Shore, NYSuburb · 5 mi away58 $654k$4,000/moNo crime data Commack, NYSuburb · 6 mi away66 $782k$6,610/moNo crime data Holbrook, NYSuburb · 7 mi away56 $665k$3,350/moNo crime data Deer Park, NYSuburb · 7 mi away65 $676k$2,860/moNo crime data West Islip, NYSuburb · 8 mi away66 $740k$3,560/moNo crime data Centereach, NYSuburb · 8 mi away60 $627k$4,020/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in New York.

Is Central Islip right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.