Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County
Dawn over Montauk Point Light
Flag of Suffolk County
Official seal of Suffolk County
Map of New York highlighting Suffolk County
Location within the U.S. state of New York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°56′N 72°41′W / 40.94°N 72.68°W / 40.94; -72.68
Country United States
State New York
Founded1683
Named forSuffolk, England
SeatRiverhead
Largest townBrookhaven
Government
 • ExecutiveEdward P. Romaine (R)
Area
 • Total2,373 sq mi (6,150 km2)
 • Land912 sq mi (2,360 km2)
 • Water1,461 sq mi (3,780 km2)  62%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,525,920
 • Density1,637.0/sq mi (632.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts1st, 2nd
Websitewww.suffolkcountyny.gov
[1]
Map
Interactive map of Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County (/ˈsʌfək/) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. It comprises the eastern two-thirds of Long Island, bordered to its west by Nassau County, to its east by Gardiners Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, to its north by Long Island Sound, and to its south by Great South Bay.

As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was 1,525,920,[1] its highest decennial count ever, making Suffolk the fourth-most populous county in the State of New York, or the most populous if the New York City boroughs are not considered counties. Its county seat is Riverhead,[2] though most county offices are in Hauppauge.[3] The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, the origin of its earliest European settlers.

Suffolk County incorporates the easternmost extreme of the New York City metropolitan area. The geographically largest of Long Island's four counties and the second-largest of New York's 62 counties, Suffolk County is 86 miles (138 km) in length and 26 miles (42 km) in width at its widest (including water).[4] Most of the island is near sea level, with over 1,000 miles of coastline.[5]

Like other parts of Long Island, the county's high population density and proximity to New York City has resulted in a diverse economy, including industry, science, agriculture, fishery, and tourism. Major scientific research facilities in Suffolk County include Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Huntington, and Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Plum Island. The county is home to Stony Brook University in Stony Brook and Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale.

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts - Suffolk County, New York". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Suffolk County Government". Suffolk County, New York. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  4. ^ About Suffolk County on the county website Archived May 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).