Suffolk County, New York Income Statistics
Suffolk County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
B
Suffolk County Around averageAmong the top 3 wealthiest counties in New York
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Suffolk County | New York Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $131,515 | $86,556 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $81,909 | $70,316 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 22.4% | 16.7% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 28.0% | 17.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Suffolk County is about 52% higher than in New York. Income has been growing faster in Suffolk County (4.8%/yr) than in New York (4.5%/yr).
About 22% of adults in Suffolk County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the New York average of 17%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Suffolk County, New York grew by 54.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $131,515 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Suffolk County
| Metric | Suffolk County | New York Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.529 | 0.557 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $91,412 | $77,531 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $74,792 | $67,892 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.2% | 12.4% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Suffolk County, it is 0.529, lower than New York's 0.557, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Suffolk County, New York. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $581,700 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Suffolk County, New York has narrowed from about 27% to 18% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $515 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Suffolk County | New York Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.5% | 15.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 28 | 22 |
Approximately 36,585 people are unemployed in Suffolk County, New York.
The average commute time in Suffolk County is 25 minutes, shorter than the 28 minutes in New York.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Suffolk County, New York has fallen from 6.4% to 4.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.2% in 2019.
Suffolk County, NY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Suffolk County, NY is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 1,451,500 residents against a local median of 308,890. Suffolk County, NY's median household income, at $131,515, runs 45% above the $90,469 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.8%/yr against a local median of 3.7%/yr, 30% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Suffolk County, NY is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves sit within $20,493 of each other on median household income, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Suffolk County, NY, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Suffolk County, NY has the highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County, NY | 1,451,500 | $131,515 #1/6 | 4.8%/yr #1/6 | 4.7% #2/6 | 0.529 #3/6 |
| South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 516,000 | $91,696 | 4.4%/yr | 5.9% | 0.536 |
| Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT | 163,295 | $107,450 | 3.7%/yr | 4.0% | 0.513 |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT | 308,890 | $90,469 | 3.4%/yr | 6.9% | 0.565 |
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT | 439,566 | $87,330 | 3.5%/yr | 5.8% | 0.530 |
| Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 252,265 | $86,956 | 3.8%/yr | 4.7% | 0.525 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Suffolk County, New York has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than New York, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Suffolk County, New York.
How Rich Is Suffolk County, New York?
Suffolk County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $131,515, about 52% higher than the New York average of $86,556.
How fast is household income rising in Suffolk County, New York?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Suffolk County, New York rose 55%, from $85,063 to $131,515. Over the same years, income here lagged behind New York as a whole: +55% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Suffolk County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Suffolk County, New York was $129,206, up 5% from $122,653 in 2022. The New York median that year was $85,199.
What was the median household income in Suffolk County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Suffolk County, New York was $105,971. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $131,515.
How many people earn six figures in Suffolk County, New York?
Yes. 22% of adults in Suffolk County, New York earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 4), against 17% (about 1 in 6) in New York. 28% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 17% in New York.
Is unemployment high in Suffolk County, New York?
Unemployment in Suffolk County, New York is only 4.7%, well below the New York rate of 6.4%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Suffolk County, New York?
The Gini coefficient in Suffolk County is 0.529. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Suffolk County, New York?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Suffolk County, New York has narrowed from about 27% to 18% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $515 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →