Living in Riverhead, NY
Small city in New York
Riverhead is a small city in New York, home to about 36,000 people, with 1.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Riverhead a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 8 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Safe: violent crime is 0.3× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Mild summers: highs around 82°F
- Low natural disaster risk: 14 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $3,080 state income tax per resident, 1.77% property tax
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $643k, and rent is $3,560 a month
- Weaker public schools: test results below the US average
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Riverhead ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Riverhead: common questions
What is the cost of living in Riverhead?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $643k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,560 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 113, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Riverhead?
New York collects about $3,080 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.77% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Riverhead safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.3× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in Riverhead?
Public schools in Riverhead test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 15 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in Riverhead?
Riverhead has cold winters: winter days average around 42°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 27″ of snow a year.
Does Riverhead 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 0.15 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Riverhead?
The nearest major airport is JFK, about 60 mi away.
How Riverhead scores
Each bar compares Riverhead 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).
Places like Riverhead
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).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in New York.
Is Riverhead right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.