Data in Detail: Long Island

Oyster Bay North Hempstead Hempstead Babylon Smithtown Islip East End Brookhaven Huntington Long Island Nassau County Suffolk County

Data for Nassau County

Immigrant Share of Economic Output Matches Immigrant Share of Population

Immigrants are a vital part of the social, economic, and cultural life of Long Island communities. Despite facing serious challenges, immigrants account for a share of economic output that is about the same as the immigrant share of population—in fact, it is slightly larger. Several factors combine to make the immigrant economic output robust. First, immigrants typically come to the United States as young adults, so they are a bigger share of the labor force than their share of the population. Immigrants are also more likely than their U.S.-born counterparts to be business owners, contributing not only to their own well-being but also to the vibrancy of the towns they live in.

Region Demographic Immigrant Count Immigrant Share
Babylon Population 40,000 19%
Babylon Labor Force 28,000 23%
Babylon Working Age  32,000 22%
Babylon Business Owners 1,000 27%
Babylon Resident Economic Output  -- 21%
Brookhaven Population 63,000 13%
Brookhaven Labor Force 40,000 16%
Brookhaven Working Age  50,000 16%
Brookhaven Business Owners 1,000 16%
Brookhaven Resident Economic Output  -- 15%
East End Population 26,000 16%
East End Labor Force 17,000 21%
East End Working Age  20,000 21%
East End Business Owners 1,000 22%
East End Resident Economic Output  -- 17%
Hempstead Population 187,000 23%
Hempstead Labor Force 123,000 28%
Hempstead Working Age  143,000 27%
Hempstead Business Owners 5,000 32%
Hempstead Resident Economic Output  -- 25%
Huntington Population 28,000 14%
Huntington Labor Force 18,000 16%
Huntington Working Age  20,000 16%
Huntington Business Owners 1,000 19%
Huntington Resident Economic Output  -- 15%
Islip Population 72,000 21%
Islip Labor Force 49,000 27%
Islip Working Age  58,000 26%
Islip Business Owners 1,000 29%
Islip Resident Economic Output  -- 23%
North Hempstead Population 67,000 28%
North Hempstead Labor Force 44,000 36%
North Hempstead Working Age  50,000 34%
North Hempstead Business Owners 3,000 41%
North Hempstead Resident Economic Output  -- 33%
Oyster Bay Population 57,000 17%
Oyster Bay Labor Force 35,000 20%
Oyster Bay Working Age  42,000 20%
Oyster Bay Business Owners 2,000 25%
Oyster Bay Resident Economic Output  -- 19%
Smithtown Population 10,000 9%
Smithtown Labor Force 6,000 10%
Smithtown Working Age  7,000 10%
Smithtown Business Owners 465 15%
Smithtown Resident Economic Output  -- 10%
Nassau County Population 311,000 22%
Nassau County Labor Force 202,000 28%
Nassau County Working Age  234,000 27%
Nassau County Business Owners 9,000 32%
Nassau County Resident Economic Output  -- 25%
Suffolk County Population 238,000 16%
Suffolk County Labor Force 159,000 20%
Suffolk County Working Age  187,000 19%
Suffolk County Business Owners 6,000 21%
Suffolk County Resident Economic Output  -- 17%
Long Island Population 549,000 19%
Long Island Labor Force 361,000 23%
Long Island Working Age  421,000 23%
Long Island Business Owners 16,000 27%
Long Island Resident Economic Output  -- 21%
Region
Most Immigrants Work in Middle- or Upper-Wage Jobs

Another reason immigrants play a robust economic role is that immigrants work in a wider range of jobs than is often recognized, as dish washers, construction workers, nurses, accountants, computer engineers, and more. In fact, most immigrants on Long Island work in middle- or upper-wage jobs. True, immigrants are less likely to be in middle- and upper-wage jobs than their U.S.-born neighbors, and more likely to be in low-wage jobs. But the difference is less extreme than some may imagine. In only one Long Island town, Islip, are slightly under half of immigrants in middle- or upper-wage jobs. Low-wage jobs are defined in relation to the Long Island median earnings for full-time workers. Those who make under $44,000 per year, two thirds of the median, are considered low-wage workers. Those who make between two thirds ($44,000) and double the median ($130,000) are considered middle-wage workers. And those making over $130,000 are considered upper-wage workers. Cost of living is high on Long Island, so even a family with two middle-wage workers may struggle to make ends meet.

Share of Immigrants

Region Earnings Range Number Share of Immigrants
Long Island Low Wage 105,000.000 40%
Long Island Middle Wage 128,000.000 48%
Long Island Upper Wage 30,000.000 12%
Long Island Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 159,000.000 60%
Babylon Low Wage 9,000.000 46%
Babylon Middle Wage 10,000.000 50%
Babylon Upper Wage 1,000.000 4%
Babylon Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 11,000.000 54%
Brookhaven Low Wage 12,000.000 40%
Brookhaven Middle Wage 15,000.000 49%
Brookhaven Upper Wage 3,000.000 11%
Brookhaven Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 18,000.000 60%
East End Low Wage 5,000.000 47%
East End Middle Wage 5,000.000 43%
East End Upper Wage 1,000.000 10%
East End Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 6,000.000 53%
Hempstead Low Wage 35,000.000 39%
Hempstead Middle Wage 46,000.000 51%
Hempstead Upper Wage 9,000.000 10%
Hempstead Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 56,000.000 61%
Huntington Low Wage 4,000.000 33%
Huntington Middle Wage 6,000.000 47%
Huntington Upper Wage 3,000.000 21%
Huntington Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 8,000.000 67%
Islip Low Wage 19,000.000 52%
Islip Middle Wage 16,000.000 44%
Islip Upper Wage 2,000.000 4%
Islip Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 17,000.000 48%
North Hempstead Low Wage 9,000.000 29%
North Hempstead Middle Wage 16,000.000 50%
North Hempstead Upper Wage 7,000.000 21%
North Hempstead Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 23,000.000 71%
Oyster Bay Low Wage 10,000.000 37%
Oyster Bay Middle Wage 13,000.000 48%
Oyster Bay Upper Wage 4,000.000 15%
Oyster Bay Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 17,000.000 63%
Smithtown Low Wage 1,000.000 28%
Smithtown Middle Wage 2,000.000 51%
Smithtown Upper Wage 1,000.000 21%
Smithtown Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 3,000.000 72%
Nassau County Low Wage 54,000.000 36%
Nassau County Middle Wage 75,000.000 50%
Nassau County Upper Wage 20,000.000 13%
Nassau County Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 95,000.000 64%
Suffolk County Low Wage 51,000.000 44%
Suffolk County Middle Wage 54,000.000 47%
Suffolk County Upper Wage 10,000.000 9%
Suffolk County Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 64,000.000 56%
Region Earnings Range Number Share of Immigrants

Share of U.S. Born

Region Earnings Range Number Share of U.S. Born
Long Island Low Wage 205,000.000 27%
Long Island Middle Wage 415,000.000 55%
Long Island Upper Wage 129,000.000 17%
Long Island Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 648,000.000 72%
Babylon Low Wage 20,000.000 32%
Babylon Middle Wage 37,000.000 59%
Babylon Upper Wage 6,000.000 9%
Babylon Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 43,000.000 68%
Brookhaven Low Wage 40,000.000 28%
Brookhaven Middle Wage 89,000.000 62%
Brookhaven Upper Wage 15,000.000 10%
Brookhaven Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 103,000.000 72%
East End Low Wage 12,000.000 29%
East End Middle Wage 22,000.000 54%
East End Upper Wage 7,000.000 18%
East End Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 30,000.000 71%
Hempstead Low Wage 55,000.000 25%
Hempstead Middle Wage 128,000.000 59%
Hempstead Upper Wage 33,000.000 15%
Hempstead Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 162,000.000 75%
Huntington Low Wage 13,000.000 21%
Huntington Middle Wage 34,000.000 55%
Huntington Upper Wage 15,000.000 24%
Huntington Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 49,000.000 79%
Islip Low Wage 29,000.000 31%
Islip Middle Wage 54,000.000 59%
Islip Upper Wage 9,000.000 10%
Islip Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 63,000.000 69%
North Hempstead Low Wage 12,000.000 22%
North Hempstead Middle Wage 27,000.000 50%
North Hempstead Upper Wage 14,000.000 27%
North Hempstead Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 41,000.000 78%
Oyster Bay Low Wage 17,000.000 19%
Oyster Bay Middle Wage 52,000.000 57%
Oyster Bay Upper Wage 21,000.000 23%
Oyster Bay Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 74,000.000 81%
Smithtown Low Wage 6,000.000 17%
Smithtown Middle Wage 23,000.000 61%
Smithtown Upper Wage 8,000.000 21%
Smithtown Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 31,000.000 83%
Nassau County Low Wage 84,000.000 23%
Nassau County Middle Wage 207,000.000 57%
Nassau County Upper Wage 69,000.000 19%
Nassau County Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 276,000.000 77%
Suffolk County Low Wage 132,000.000 27%
Suffolk County Middle Wage 286,000.000 58%
Suffolk County Upper Wage 74,000.000 15%
Suffolk County Middle Wage or Higher (Middle + Upper Combined) 360,000.000 73%
Region Earnings Range Number Share of U.S. Born

For more detailed information on how immigrants fare in Long Island’s economy, and for a fuller explanation of the methodology, download the full report.