Calverton is a census-designated place and hamlet in Suffolk County, New York nestled on the eastern side of Long Island. It borders both Riverhead Town and Brookhaven Town.
It has been known as Baiting Hollow Station during the Long Island Rail Road was built in 1844, but its original Native American name was Conungum or Kanungum, meaning “fixed line” or “boundary”.
Population
According to data from 2020, the population of Calverton, NY was 5.28k with a median age of 59 and a median household income of $53,498. Over the course of the year, the population of Calverton, NY decreased by 24.4% from 6,987 to 5,280, and the median household income decreased by 2.78% from $55,026 to $53,498.
These statistics suggest a significant decline in both population and income over the past year in Calverton, NY.
Demographics
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
| White (Non-Hispanic) | 83.1% |
| White (Hispanic) | 8.13% |
| Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) | 5.89% |
| Two+ (Non-Hispanic) | 1.74% |
| Asian (Non-Hispanic) | 1.17% |
Additional information on language, poverty, and foreign-born residents in Calverton, NY is also provided:
| Information | Data |
| Primary Shared Language at Home | No households reported speaking a non-English language as the primary |
| Percentage of Foreign-Born Residents | 9.02% |
| Common Racial/Ethnic Groups in Poverty | White, followed by Hispanic and Black |
Source: Data USA – Calverton NY
History
Calverton has close ties to the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant. The US Navy purchased 6,000 acres around Calverton in 1953 to test and finish jets. Nelson Rockefeller proposed using the base as New York’s 4th metropolitan airport in 1965, but this proposal was rejected by Grumman and local opposition. In 1978, 1,000+ acres of the base were used to create a national cemetery – the biggest and busiest US cemetery.
In 1995, after Northrop acquired Grumman, the base was liquidated. 1996 saw it being used for reconstructing TWA Flight 800 debris from a crash 20 miles south of Calverton. Skydive Long Island then moved here, with skydivers now being the main source of air traffic at the airport.
Debates raged in 2007 over what should be done with the land – either an EPCAL Centre with a NASCAR track or an indoor ski resort and water park – both rejected eventually by Riverhead Town Board in 2010. Today this area is being developed as an industrial/office park where many medium-sized industrial companies have opened such as Crown Recycling and a Federal Express Distribution Center.
Economy
Employment in Calverton, New York, saw a significant decline from 2019 to 2020, dropping 29.7%. This reduced the number of employees from 3.13k to 2.2k.
The three most common job groups by the number of people living in Calverton were sales & related occupations (435 people), office & administrative support occupations (333 people), and building & grounds cleaning & maintenance occupations (193 people).
The population of civilian workers aged 16 or older was 2,428 with a median income of $42,067.
Healthcare
Approximately 88.9% of people living in Calverton, NY have some form of health care coverage. 34.4% have employer-based plans, 9.92% have Medicaid plans, 26.6% have Medicare plans, and 18% possess non-group plans. There are no individuals in Calverton with military or VA healthcare plans.
Healthcare in Calverton is heavily subsidized by government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare–which together make up over 50% of the healthcare population–and anti-poverty initiatives which provide access to private insurers for those without the means to pay for it themselves.
Education
Calverton, NY has two public schools but no private or post-secondary school. Test scores in Calverton are 28% lower than the national average, and the average test score for Calverton tests is 35%. On average, 89.6% of people have completed 8th grade and high school education.
Approximately 25.4% of people in Calverton hold a bachelor’s degree. This rate is slightly higher than the surrounding metropolitan area and New York state as a whole.
How to Get to Calverton?
Driving is the quickest and most inexpensive way to get from New York to Calverton, taking about an hour and a half and costing $13-$19. Alternatively, Hampton Jitney Inc. operates a direct bus every four hours with the trip taking almost as long but costing $27-$40. Long Island Rail Road also runs a train service that departs New York Penn Station once weekly.
For those who wish to go from Calverton to Manhattan, driving can be done in just over an hour at a cost of $13-$19. Alternatively, Hampton Jitney Inc. runs buses every four hours which take around one hour and fifty-two minutes at a price of $27-$40, or Long Island Rail Road’s trains departing from Speonk to Jamaica every three hours.
Quality of Life
Families will enjoy the parks in Calverton which provide great recreational facilities. Indian Island Park and Cycle Beer & Soda offer a perfect place to picnic or take an energetic walk with kids. For working parents, there are childcare options such as Papa Nick’s and Long Island Headstart nearby.
Dining is made easy in Calverton. Green Earth Grocery provides coffee for early morning commutes while McDonald’s, Barrow Food House, and Joe’s Garage and Grill make great spots for lunch or dinner with friends. For a casual night out, these eateries make it possible to have a fun time together!
Points of Interest
Calverton, New York is home to a variety of parks and reserves that offer ample opportunities for recreation and exploration. Here are some points of interest in the area:
- Calverton Pine Barrens State Forest: is a 191-acre preserve for unspoiled nature with a range of activities like hunting, skiing, snowshoeing, motorcycling, and animal viewing.
- Robert Cushman Murphy County Park: spans 2,200 acres, this is the first natural park in Suffolk County and part of the Peconic River Watershed.
- Grumman Memorial Park: this is a beautiful serene park honoring those who worked for Grumman Aerospace Corporation with an F-14 Tomcat memorialized in the film Top Gun.
- Splish Splash Water Park: is selected by The Travel Channel as one of the Best Water Parks in America, this 96-acre waterpark offers thrilling rides and attractions for everyone.
- Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center: features over 200 species, interactive displays, a shark tank, a jellyfish exhibit, a sea lion show, and more.
- Calverton Ponds Preserve: this is a 350-acre rare wetland hosting 26 rare plants plus amphibians, fish, and moths. This place is perfect for quiet hikes through unique natural communities.
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