Population 12,303 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in St. James
Household size in St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.84 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.90 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.94 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.71 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in St. James average 2.71 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the New York area as a whole, where it has 2.79 people. Household size has dropped from 2.84 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.0 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.0 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.3 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.7 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
St. James skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 42.7 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 40 of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people are older.
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 St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.4% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.9% of households in St. James, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.5 points, even as the national share fell.
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 St. James
Renters in St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
St. James is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 13.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than four in ten owners (43.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.2% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in St. James: just 4.8% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in St. James is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Still, homes here are newer than in the New York area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1962. The median year built has moved up from 1966 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
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 St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,375 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,294 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,094 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,547 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,171 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in St. James runs $2,547 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,171 a month from 2006–10, an 85% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 35.6% 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 northeast 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 St. James
Bachelor's degrees in St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.4% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.2% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.6% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in St. James: 50.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 8.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.4% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.8% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.5% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in St. James: 95.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Compared with other New York cities, St. James has a higher share of high school graduates than most.
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 St. James
| Period | St. James | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in St. James has been low: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.2 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
St. James 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. James | 2.71 | 48.3 | 5.9% | 13.3% | 4.8% | 1971 | $2,547 | 50.6% | 95.5% | 3.3% |
| Head of the Harbor | 3.02 | 44.6 | 6.0% | 3.2% | 20.6% | 1976 | $2,340 | 65.3% | 93.5% | 1.2% |
| Nesconset | 3.00 | 43.1 | 6.2% | 11.0% | 1.3% | 1977 | $2,334 | 53.2% | 95.3% | 2.6% |
| Village of the Branch | 3.29 | 47.0 | 1.5% | 1.5% | 8.7% | 1967 | $2,274 | 64.4% | 98.8% | 3.1% |
| Lake Grove | 3.00 | 41.8 | 9.4% | 21.9% | 2.7% | 1971 | $1,821 | 44.4% | 94.9% | 5.3% |
| Stony Brook | 2.84 | 34.2 | 3.0% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 1965 | $3,142 | 72.1% | 97.8% | 6.7% |
| Nissequogue | 2.70 | 46.4 | 10.8% | 12.3% | 13.9% | 1977 | $3,283 | 62.9% | 98.2% | 3.0% |
| Stony Brook University | 2.82 | 28.9 | 2.3% | 9.5% | 8.5% | 1965 | $3,501 | 40.0% | 90.3% | 0.0% |
| Smithtown | 2.94 | 45.9 | 4.7% | 13.8% | 4.0% | 1969 | $2,296 | 51.7% | 95.9% | 3.1% |
| Centereach | 3.31 | 39.3 | 8.8% | 12.6% | 7.7% | 1970 | $2,419 | 36.4% | 92.5% | 5.6% |
| Lake Ronkonkoma | 2.69 | 43.2 | 8.8% | 32.7% | 6.2% | 1971 | $2,207 | 28.8% | 93.6% | 6.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cherryville, NC · Waynesburg, PA · Waynesboro, GA · Wayland, MI · Waupun, WI · Wauchula, FL · Watertown, CT · Wabash, IN · Villas, FL · Villanova, PA
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 St. James. 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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