Population 27,648 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Shirley
Household size in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.29 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.33 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.40 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.35 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Shirley are large by national standards, averaging 3.35 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has crept up from 3.29 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people, only 33 have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.3 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.0 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.9 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.4 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Shirley are younger than 39.9 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 34.5 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Shirley than nationally: 9.8%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Shirley
Renters in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Shirley is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 7.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly a third of owners (31.7%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 4.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Shirley: just 4.7% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 3.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Shirley leans a little older: the median home dates to 1976, against 1980 nationally. Still, homes here are newer than in the wider New York area, where the median home dates to 1962.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,766 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,854 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,895 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,226 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$460 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Shirley runs $2,226 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $460 a month since 2006–10, up 26%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 45.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Shirley
Bachelor's degrees in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.1% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.3% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Shirley: 19.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.2 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Only 26 of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.4% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.6% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.5% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.7% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Shirley is close to the national rate: 88.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the New York area overall (86.9%). Shirley has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of New York cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Shirley
| Period | Shirley | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Shirley is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the wider New York area (6.9%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Shirley compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shirley | 3.35 | 39.9 | 9.8% | 7.9% | 4.7% | 1976 | $2,226 | 19.3% | 88.7% | 5.8% |
| Mastic | 3.48 | 33.1 | 15.7% | 14.3% | 5.5% | 1980 | $1,857 | 18.8% | 86.2% | 9.6% |
| Mastic Beach | 3.18 | 35.5 | 17.9% | 18.0% | 7.0% | 1969 | $2,449 | 23.4% | 89.7% | 4.6% |
| Brookhaven | 2.78 | 51.9 | 10.6% | 12.0% | 7.0% | 1968 | $2,863 | 42.5% | 93.0% | 5.4% |
| Moriches | 1.98 | 43.5 | 14.4% | 48.1% | 14.1% | 1995 | $2,344 | 29.4% | 93.2% | 4.9% |
| Center Moriches | 3.41 | 36.9 | 10.8% | 7.4% | 4.8% | 1982 | $2,431 | 41.4% | 91.8% | 6.0% |
| Yaphank | 2.37 | 39.5 | 5.6% | 28.9% | 2.8% | 1989 | $2,916 | 36.2% | 95.3% | 2.0% |
| North Bellport | 3.40 | 33.5 | 18.6% | 35.0% | 11.8% | 1981 | $2,885 | 19.7% | 82.1% | 10.2% |
| Bellport | 2.17 | 58.1 | 6.9% | 10.1% | 21.5% | 1957 | $2,146 | 69.5% | 97.6% | 1.9% |
| Manorville | 2.82 | 45.6 | 9.0% | 13.5% | 6.2% | 1990 | $2,240 | 34.3% | 96.0% | 1.1% |
| East Patchogue | 2.64 | 43.6 | 6.8% | 26.3% | 6.4% | 1968 | $2,223 | 34.9% | 88.9% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Red Oak, TX · Inkster, MI · Ives Estates, FL · Jackson, MO · Albemarle, NC · Landover, MD · Leisure City, FL · Ponte Vedra, FL · Radcliff, KY · Raymore, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Shirley. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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