Another notable thing is that Southold is a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Southold’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.
In addition, Southold is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates". Urban sophisticates are people who are both educated and wealthy, and thus tend to be older, richer, and more established than young professionals. "Urban sophisticates" is not just about being educated and well-off financially: it is a point of view and state of mind, one that you might call 'urbaneness'. But such people can and do regularly live in small towns, suburbs and rural areas, as well as in big cities. They read, support the arts and high-end shops, and love travel.
Southold is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Southold’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.
Southold 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 Southold, a lot of people use taxis to get to work every day though Southold is a relatively small town. Those that ride taxis are primarily traveling out of town to good jobs in other cities.
Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in Southold. 51.76% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.
The per capita income in Southold in 2022 was $73,710, which is wealthy relative to New York and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $294,840 for a family of four.
Southold is a very ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Southold home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Southold residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Southold also has a sizeable Hispanic population (people of Hispanic origin can be of any race). People of Hispanic or Latino origin account for 16.29% of the town’s residents. Important ancestries of people in Southold include Irish, German, Italian, English, and Polish.
In addition, Southold has a lot of people living here who were born outside of the US (15.55%).
The most common language spoken in Southold is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Polish.
