Sound Beach Homes for Sale
Sound Beach is a hamlet and census-designated place located in the Town of Brookhaven in Riverhead County. A very small city with a suburban feel, Sound Beach has just one neighborhood—a 2.7 square mile stretch of all land. A charming place to buy a home in Suffolk County, this coastal town is perfect for anyone who appreciates rural nature in all its beauty complete with gorgeous North Shore beaches.
History of Sound Beach
Sound Beach’s rolling hills and heavily treed properties started in 1929 as a stunt by the Daily Mirror, which purchased more than 1,000 acres of land. A decade later—before rail service discontinued over a lack of business—20-by-100-foot lots began advertising for only $89.50. To promote subscriptions, the newspaper sold tiny lots to city residents looking to escape the sweltering city heat.
Life was primitive back then, when residents used kerosene lamps and outhouses rather than electricity or running water. After World War II, Sound Beach’s original cottages changed to year-round houses. Legal battles emerged over public access to narrow beaches at the foot of cliffs on the Long Island Sound. Today, locals know Sound Beach for being a great, reasonably priced place to buy a Long Island home and enjoy its unique, off-the-beaten-path character.
Demographics
A total population of 7,944 people includes 2,511 households and 1,869 families. Residents of this Suffolk County town are typically middle-aged adults around 45 years old who take home a $78,879 median income. Families average 3.7 people and a $109,525 median household income.
Sound Beach is one of the most well-educated cities in America with 46.01% of residents holding at least a bachelor’s degree—double the rate than most areas across the country.
The per capita income is $43,067—or $172,268 for a family of four—which is upper-middle income relative to New York and wealthy relative to the U.S.
Schools, business, and the local economy.
Sound Beach has no schools of its own. The lines run down the middle of the community. Half of the students attend school in Miller Place and the other half attends Rocky Point. Both school districts spend $8,932 per student and assign 18 students to a teacher.
Sound Beach’s business section is marked by a bright-red, 4-foot-tall, smiling plaster tomato with outstretched arms and legs, which sits atop Rubino’s Pizza Restaurant as a staple of the town.
A 6.1% unemployment rate combined with positive job growth makes for a strong local economy. A mixed workforce of both blue and white-collar jobs includes professionals, sales and office workers, and service providers.
The more popular careers include teaching (11.39%), sales (10.13%), and office and administrative support (9.34%). More Sound Beach residents work in computers and math than 95% of U.S. residents. There are also more artists, designers, and media professionals than 90% of communities in the country. A rich population of artists helps shape Sound Beach’s unique character and charm.
If you want to buy a home in Sound Beach, Long Island, expect a 20.5% higher cost of living than the U.S. average. The average commute is 36.2 minutes. Local public transit is widely used with train riders primarily traveling out of town to good jobs in other cities.
Real estate numbers
33.7% of homes were built in 1939 or earlier. Most housing units in Sound Beach are occupied by owners (89%)—not renters. The median home value is $329,800, which represents 6.1% home appreciation over the last decade and 18.3% appreciation in the last year.
A various mix of house styles including Tudor, Victorian, Contemporary, and Ranch-style architecture reach price ranges upwards of $1.9 million. Based on current real estate numbers and trends across Suffolk County, now is a good time to buy a Sound Beach home.
Sound Beach switched from a seller’s market to a neutral market over the last year. Today, most Sound Beach homes for sale sell under asking (67%) while the rest sell over asking (22%), and at asking (11%). Most homes sell in under 30 days (44%) with the remainder selling over 90 days (22%), and in 30 to 90 days (33%). The average time on the market is 21 days and buyers can expect to pay 101% of the seller’s asking price.
Setting and lifestyle
Sound Beach is a great place for residents to enjoy family-oriented services within a safe community. Children attend good public schools and most adults are college educated. A high rate of owner-occupied single-family homes reflects stability in the community while a low crime rate with no registered sex offenders since 2007 makes Sound Beach a great place to raise a family.
Sound Beach embodies a nautical setting with somewhat historic parts and areas that touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water like inlets and bays where residents can take in the scenery and enjoy waterfront activities.
Top pros and cons
Pros
An above-average livability score makes Sound Beach a nice place to buy a Long Island home. The cost of living is lower than the national average and most New York cities. Low crime and poverty combined with good education give residents a strong sense of overall happiness.
Cons
The population size in Sound Beach is very small. Population growth has declined steadily over the past five years, which is often linked to worsened economic conditions.
Best dining in Sound Beach
Inferno the Restaurant is where Sound Beach residents enjoy old-fashioned, hand-crafted burgers and specialty sandwiches from around the country. Sound Beach Diner is well known for its great service, friendly staff, enjoyable atmosphere, fair prices, and delicious dishes from nicely cooked sandwiches to tasty pancakes.
TJ McBrews—known as the “Superbeermarket”—is a specialty grocery store featuring craft beer on tap, a Growlers Bar with cider, weekly beer menu, and 6 and 4-packs of craft beer, snacks, juices, ice cream, and more. Wine and liquor drinkers can head to North Country Wine & Spirits, the friendly neighborhood wine and liquor store that offers gift baskets and certificates for all occasions.
Buy a Sound Beach home with Team Rita on your side.
Ready to explore Sound Beach homes for sale? Contact us today to search our database of local Suffolk County housing inventory, schedule an open house, or explore our featured properties for sale.
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Lot Size22,652 sqft
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Home Size2,500 sqft
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Beds4 Beds
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Baths3 Baths
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Year Built2024
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Days on Market1
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Lot Size6,099 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds3 Beds
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Baths2 Baths
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Year Built1973
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Days on Market2
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Lot Size3,921 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds3 Beds
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Baths2.5 Baths
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Year Built2024
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Days on Market3
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Lot Size13,940 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds3 Beds
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Baths1 Bath
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Year Built1974
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Days on Market4
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Lot Size3,921 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds2 Beds
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Baths1 Bath
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Year Built1930
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Days on Market5
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Lot Size7,841 sqft
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Home Size3,154 sqft
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Beds5 Beds
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Baths3 Baths
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Year Built2024
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Days on Market10
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Lot Size6,099 sqft
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Home Size1,724 sqft
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Beds2 Beds
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Baths
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Year Built1942
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Days on Market12
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Lot Size10,019 sqft
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Home Size1,539 sqft
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Beds3 Beds
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Baths2 Baths
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Year Built1977
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Days on Market12
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Lot Size10,019 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds3 Beds
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Baths2 Baths
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Year Built1952
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Days on Market15
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Lot Size6,099 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds3 Beds
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Baths1 Bath
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Year Built1950
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Days on Market18
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Lot Size3,921 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds1 Bed
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Baths1 Bath
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Year Built1935
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Days on Market36
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Lot Size5,228 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds2 Beds
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Baths2.5 Baths
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Year Built1930
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Days on Market37
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Lot Size6,099 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds2 Beds
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Baths1 Bath
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Year Built1929
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Days on Market37
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Lot Size10,019 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds3 Beds
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Baths2.5 Baths
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Year Built1998
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Days on Market47
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Lot Size11,326 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds2 Beds
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Baths1 Bath
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Year Built1985
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Days on Market73
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Lot Size7,841 sqft
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Home Size
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Beds3 Beds
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Baths1 Bath
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Year Built1962
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Days on Market271
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(all data current as of
10/5/2024)
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.