Central Islip, NY

243 Apartments for Rent

"New York is the biggest collection of villages in the world." (- Alistair Cooke)

While New York City may contain a collection of what Alistair Cooke calls villages, its surrounding environs are made up of things called towns or even the archaic-sounding hamlets. Central Islip is one of those hamlets. Although City-Data notes the place is stocked with more than 34,000 residents, it never attained official city status. It instead remains a "hamlet" in the bigger town of Islip in the county of Suffolk on that elongated branch of land known as Long Island. Just because it lacks city status doesnt mean there’s nothing happening around those parts. For starters, Central Islip is located smack dab in the center of an island, which means two long stretches of beach are less than 10 miles to your north or south. The hamlet also makes a perfect place to land when you want to enjoy a slightly less congested and polluted environment than "the city," while remaining close enough to hop on a train or the highway for work or a shopping spree.

The Nabes of Central Islip

The biggest beauty of Central Islip, besides the not-too-far-away beaches, of course, is the proximity to big sister New York City. In less than two hours you can be in the heart of the Big Apple mayhem yet paying a rent that would make Manhattanites drool. You’re not going to get off all that easily, Neighborhood Scout says, since you do get a relatively quick 50-mile train ride or highway drive to Broadway plays, cool cafes, and whatever other amenity you want from the Big A.

Town Center: Despite its central-sounding location, this nabe is actually in the northeast corner of Central Islip. The name may instead apply to the bustling nature of the area, which boasts higher rent than more than 82 percent of the areas throughout the entire state.

Joshua Path/Glenmore Avenue: Travel east of Town Center and you find another pretty packed area on the northwest corner of Central Islip. Actually, all of Central Islip is gong to be packed just because, well, its 50 miles from the I-love-NY-crowd. Rents in the Joshua-Glenmore zone are decidedly less expensive than Town Center, and even less expensive than 68 percent of the entire state. Youll find a comingling of a wide range of income status.

Ferndale Avenue/Banana Street: Head south out of the Joshua zone and you’ll find, yes, Banana Street. While its unclear if the Banana Street name draws people to this zone, it is clear that vacancies in this area are typically pretty lean. Vacancy rates for rental property have dipped down to fewer than 2 percent and the costs are higher than nearly 97 percent of the other nabes in New York. The Banana Street area is apparently delicious for many.

Irving Street/Carleton Avenue: Remember the term yuppies? Well, plenty of them live here. This smallish west-central area contains a high percentage of young, upwardly mobile singles. Despite the upwardly mobile status, the rates on rental homes and two bedroom apartments in the area are generally not as upward-reaching as other areas, only more expensive than about 41 percent across the state.

Bishop McGann Drive/Carleton Avenue: As evidenced by sharing the border of Carleton Avenue, the Bishop McGann area is not far from the Irving Street crowd. Renting an apartment in this south-central area of Central Islip isnt that far off, either.

Nicoll Avenue/Messina Street: This east-central area of Central Islip boasts older and well-established buildings and a middle-upper income sector. With loads of homes built in the stretch between 1940 and 1969, you may find a tidbit of a historical feel, although rent prices are pretty modern. Its still one of the less expensive zones of Central Islip.

Connequot Avenue/Windsor Place: With a strange shape that includes a sweet little Florida-looking peninsula, living in the Connequot Avenue area may saddle you with an equally strange voting district. The area makes up the southeastern side of Central Islip and comes with rents that are higher than about 67 percent of the rest of the state. You’ll also get that historic feel you enjoyed around the Nicoll Avenue zone.

Life in Central Islip

Get used to strange politics, not only due to the odd peninsula shape of the Connequot Avenue area but due to all the equally odd designations kicking around. You’re sure to get a crash course on townships versus cities and all that other jargon. Remember, youll be living in a hamlet, which sounds like a place that should be small and sweet -- although Central Islip is not all that small. Size-wise, City-Data says the hamlet only covers a shade more than 7 square miles, but youll be cozy with your neighbors since the area packs in about 4,700 people per single square mile. That’s still a load of breathing room compared to your Manhattan pals, and dont forget your beaches and the savings on the rent!