Wading River is a somewhat small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of New York. With a population of 7,731 people and just one neighborhood, Wading River is the 223rd largest community in New York.
Housing costs in Wading River are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in New York.
Wading River is neither predominantly blue-collar nor white-collar, instead having a mixed workforce of both blue-collar and white-collar jobs. Overall, Wading River is a town of professionals, service providers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Wading River who work in teaching (13.46%), office and administrative support (8.27%), and management occupations (7.96%).
Also of interest is that Wading River has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.
A relatively large number of people in Wading River telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 17.03% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.
Wading River is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.
In Wading River, however, the average commute to work is quite long. On average, people spend 34.86 minutes each day getting to work, which is significantly higher than the national average.
The education level of Wading River ranks among the highest in the nation. Of the 25-and-older adult population in Wading River, 41.75% have at least a bachelor's degree. The typical US community has just 21.84% of its adults holding a bachelor's degree or graduate degree.
The per capita income in Wading River in 2022 was $59,702, which is upper middle income relative to New York, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $238,808 for a family of four. However, Wading River contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
Wading River is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Wading River home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Wading River residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Wading River also has a sizeable Hispanic population (people of Hispanic origin can be of any race). People of Hispanic or Latino origin account for 13.64% of the town’s residents. Important ancestries of people in Wading River include Irish, German, Italian, Polish, and English.
The most common language spoken in Wading River is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Slavic languages.
The way a neighborhood looks and feels when you walk or drive around it, from its setting, its buildings, and its flavor, can make all the difference. This neighborhood has some really cool things about the way it looks and feels as revealed by NeighborhoodScout's exclusive research. This might include anything from the housing stock to the types of households living here to how people get around.
is a neighborhood that is on the ocean, a bay, or inlet. Many times, such places have amenities that bring locals and visitors to the waterfront for recreational activities or to check out the scenery. In some densely populated areas that are less financially well-off, the neighborhood waterfront can be relatively industrial and less open to recreation. In addition to being coastal, is a very nautical neighborhood, meaning that it is somewhat historic, walkable, densely populated and on the water. This gives the neighborhood a very nautical feel, with some seaside and shipping feel, which some may really enjoy the sights and sounds of.
Of note is NeighborhoodScout's research finding that the neighborhood has some of the lowest rates of children living in poverty of any neighborhood in the United States. In a nation where approximately 1 in 4 children are living in poverty, the community truly stands out from the rest in this regard.
In addition, is ranked among the top 9.6% of neighborhoods for first-time home buyers to consider in the state of New York according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis. Homes here are priced below median housing values in the state, yet maintain moderate appreciation rates compared to other communities. Buying into the neighborhood is not only an accessible option but an investment opportunity for many first-time home buyers. In addition to being an excellent choice for first-time home buyers, this neighborhood is also a very good choice for highly educated executives and urban sophisticates.
Did you know that the neighborhood has more Irish and Italian ancestry people living in it than nearly any neighborhood in America? It's true! In fact, 28.1% of this neighborhood's residents have Irish ancestry and 20.7% have Italian ancestry.
How wealthy a neighborhood is, from very wealthy, to middle income, to low income is very formative with regard to the personality and character of a neighborhood. Equally important is the rate of people, particularly children, who live below the federal poverty line. In some wealthy gated communities, the areas immediately surrounding can have high rates of childhood poverty, which indicates other social issues. NeighborhoodScout's analysis reveals both aspects of income and poverty for this neighborhood.
The neighbors in the neighborhood in Wading River are wealthy, making it among the 15% highest income neighborhoods in America. NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis reveals that this neighborhood has a higher income than 89.0% of the neighborhoods in America. In addition, 0.0% of the children seventeen and under living in this neighborhood are living below the federal poverty line, which is a lower rate of childhood poverty than is found in 100.0% of America's neighborhoods.
A neighborhood is far different if it is dominated by enlisted military personnel rather than people who earn their living by farming. It is also different if most of the neighbors are clerical support or managers. What is wonderful is the sheer diversity of neighborhoods, allowing you to find the type that fits your lifestyle and aspirations.
In the neighborhood, 46.0% of the working population is employed in executive, management, and professional occupations. The second most important occupational group in this neighborhood is sales and service jobs, from major sales accounts, to working in fast food restaurants, with 24.4% of the residents employed. Other residents here are employed in manufacturing and laborer occupations (18.2%), and 10.9% in clerical, assistant, and tech support occupations.
The most common language spoken in the neighborhood is English, spoken by 86.2% of households. Some people also speak Spanish (8.1%).
Boston's Beacon Hill blue-blood streets, Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish enclaves, Los Angeles' Persian neighborhoods. Each has its own culture derived primarily from the ancestries and culture of the residents who call these neighborhoods home. Likewise, each neighborhood in America has its own culture – some more unique than others – based on lifestyle, occupations, the types of households – and importantly – on the ethnicities and ancestries of the people who live in the neighborhood. Understanding where people came from, who their grandparents or great-grandparents were, can help you understand how a neighborhood is today.
In the neighborhood in Wading River, NY, residents most commonly identify their ethnicity or ancestry as Irish (28.1%). There are also a number of people of German ancestry (22.6%), and residents who report Italian roots (20.7%), and some of the residents are also of Dominican ancestry (4.6%), along with some Polish ancestry residents (3.8%), among others. In addition, 13.6% of the residents of this neighborhood were born in another country.
Even if your neighborhood is walkable, you may still have to drive to your place of work. Some neighborhoods are located where many can get to work in just a few minutes, while others are located such that most residents have a long and arduous commute. The greatest number of commuters in neighborhood spend between 15 and 30 minutes commuting one-way to work (38.5% of working residents), which is shorter than the time spent commuting to work for most Americans.
Here most residents (70.1%) drive alone in a private automobile to get to work. In addition, quite a number also carpool with coworkers, friends, or neighbors to get to work (10.7%) . In a neighborhood like this, as in most of the nation, many residents find owning a car useful for getting to work.