Amityville, NY Area Guide

Amityville's history traces back to early European settlement in the 17th century, when the area was known as Huntington South. The village formally adopted the name Amityville in 1846, inspired by resident Samuel Ireland's boat, the Amity. Throughout the 19th century, the village developed as a small commercial and residential hub along the Great South Bay, with the arrival of the Long Island Rail Road in the 1860s cementing its role as a connected waterfront community. Many of the modest homes and buildings from this period still stand along the village's narrow streets, giving the downtown core a distinctly historic character.

Today, the village's historic layers remain visible in its preserved architecture and walkable layout. The Broadway commercial district retains much of its 19th- and early 20th-century building stock, with storefronts that reflect the village's longstanding role as a local gathering place. Several older structures have been adapted for modern use, maintaining the scale and character that define Amityville's streetscape. The waterfront, central to the village's early identity, continues to anchor community life and offers a tangible connection to the maritime heritage that shaped the area's development.

Amityville's dining scene is rooted in independent, locally owned establishments rather than chain restaurants, giving the village a distinctly personal feel at the table. Broadway in the northern part of the village and Merrick Road to the south serve as the primary dining corridors, offering a mix of casual cafes, waterfront taverns, and sit-down restaurants. The area's bayfront setting naturally shapes the menu options, with fresh seafood playing a central role — the retail outlet at B&B Fish and Clam has long been a go-to source for locally caught fish and shellfish. Italian-American cooking is well represented, and warm-weather dining tends to gravitate toward the water, where summer gatherings, live music, and community events round out the experience.

Most Amityville residents rely on a car for daily errands, with the Southern State Parkway serving as the primary route for regional travel and commutes toward New York City. For those heading into Manhattan, the Long Island Rail Road is the preferred option — the nearby Babylon station on John Street offers service into Penn Station, with the ride running roughly an hour. Suffolk County Transit buses also serve the area, and riders can use a MetroCard on the NICE bus to reach other parts of Long Island. While dedicated bike lanes are limited, cycling is common during warmer months, and the village's compact layout makes short trips manageable on foot, particularly along Broadway and Merrick Road. The closest major airport is Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, with John F. Kennedy International Airport reachable in about 45 minutes by car outside of peak traffic hours.

Amityville offers a pleasing mix of village parks and waterfront green space for residents who spend time outdoors. Peterkin Park on Oak Street features a lake, walking paths, and a playground, while James A. Caples Memorial Park serves as the village's hub for both land sports and water activities. At its southern edge, Amityville Municipal Bathing Beach Park draws swimmers, anglers, and boaters, with a pier, boat ramp, and a gazebo available for community events. The Village Triangle, where Broadway and Park Avenue converge, anchors public gatherings with a gazebo and memorial clock tower. Just 12 miles southwest, Jones Beach State Park stretches across six miles of oceanfront beach, offering swimming, picnicking, and ample recreational space along the Atlantic.

Amityville sits within Long Island's South Shore, where rents reflect the broader New York market. One-bedroom apartments average around $2,803 per month, two-bedrooms around $3,379, and three-bedrooms near $3,841. Studios average approximately $3,181. These figures run below the statewide New York average for one-bedrooms, which hovers near $3,027. The village's housing stock blends single-family homes with smaller apartment buildings, and rental prices have shown moderate year-over-year growth across all unit sizes. The median household income is approximately $92,359, providing context for what residents typically carry into the local rental market.

Merrick Road and Broadway form the backbone of Amityville's retail scene, where chain pharmacies share the streetscape with small boutique shops and independently owned businesses. The corridors reflect the village's close-knit character, leaning heavily on mom-and-pop stores rather than large retail chains. From specialty shops to waterfront-oriented outfitters suited to life on Great South Bay, the mix caters well to everyday needs and leisure browsing. The Amityville Farmers' Market, held at the 9/11 Memorial Park from mid-June through late October, rounds out the shopping calendar with fresh local produce and a community gathering point that draws residents together through the warmer months.