About 4 miles from the Great South Bay’s waterfront and just a tad closer to Downtown Bay Shore’s thriving shopping and dining scene, North Bay Shore is a quiet suburban neighborhood. “People looking for a place to hang their hat, they want to be close to everything,” says Larry “Love” Gardner, an associate broker at Exit Realty All Pro who has sold homes here for 20 years. “They can get to the train station, they can get to Main Street, they can get to the beach, they can get to Fire Island.” He adds that while people want to be close to these things, they also often want a little separation — and that’s what North Bay Shore offers. Being a little farther from the action and a bit more inland also means that North Bay Shore has lower home prices than other areas in Bay Shore.
North Bay Shore is less than 4 miles from South Shore University Hospital and just under 6 miles from Good Samaritan Hospital. Between this and the community’s highly-rated school system, it’s no surprise that the U.S. Census Bureau reports that 24.7% of residents work in education, health care and social assistance. The busy retail scene in and around North Bay Shore also leaves its mark, as 18.2% of residents work in retail.
5th Avenue is the main drag in North Bay Shore.
Your ticket to Fire Island is out of the Bay Shore Ferry Terminal.
Ducks gather at the Bay Shore waterfront.
Traveling to NY City or points east starts at Deer Park Train Station.
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Abundant hi-ranches and ranch-style homes
North Bay Shore consists mostly of hi-ranches, ranch-style homes and Cape Cods, most of which were built sometime between the 1950s and late 1980s. Gardner says that most lots measure in at about a quarter-acre. Though a few houses sit on a little more, it’s rare to find one on an acre here. “They’re not postage stamps — you’re not knocking on your neighbor’s window next to you to get a cup of sugar,” Gardner says. “You’re still close to each other, but not right up next to each other.” It adds to North Bay Shore’s quiet suburban vibe. The median price of a house here is $595,000, which is higher than the national median of $418,700. It’s lower than the cost of homes in Downtown Bay Shore, though, where the median is $675,000.
This bi-level in North Bay Shore is perfectly landscaped.
This colonial-inspired bi-level in North Bay Shore has a beautiful front porch.
Split-level homes are common in North Bay Shore.
This Cape Cod style home is located in Bay Shore.
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Athletics in Brentwood schools
Although North Bay Shore is tied to Bay Shore in many ways, children living in the community don’t attend Bay Shore schools. Instead, they’re served by the Brentwood Union Free School District. Niche gives the district a B-minus and lists it among the top 25 districts for athletes in New York. Brentwood High School’s boys’ soccer team earned the First Class AAA Boys Soccer Championship in 2023.
Brentwood High School is one of the largest high schools in Suffolk County.
An artistic sign points the way to the entrance at East Elementary School in Brentwood, NY.
The Brentwoood Freshman Center in Brentwood, NY is for ninth grade students only.
The East Middle School in Brentwood, NY has 90% economically disadvantaged students.
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Major highways, nearby Deer Park LIRR station
North Bay Shore is bordered by the Southern State Parkway and Sagtikos Parkway, helping commuters connect to other major highways in just a few minutes. Although the city doesn’t have its own Long Island Rail Road station, it’s just over 2 miles to Deer Park Station. From there, the train reaches Manhattan’s Penn Station in about an hour. Long Island MacArthur Airport is about 14 miles away.
A short drive to most shopping
North Bay Shore doesn’t have a main street lined with businesses; instead, its little collection of restaurants, bars and bakeries are scattered throughout it. For most shopping, though, residents drive 2 miles to South Shore Mall, which has major retailers like Macy’s and Sephora. About 3 miles away, Downtown Bay Shore is brimming with local shops and restaurants.
The Tanger Outlets in Deer Park is an outdoor mall where you bring your dog.
All dogs are welcome at Great South Bay Brewery in North Bay Shore.
Residents from North Bay Shore visit Lowe's for their home improvement needs.
The Peter Pan Diner can be a stop to have breakfast lunch & dinner for North Bay Shore locals.
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Pocket parks, 4 miles to the Great South Bay
North Bay Shore has little pocket parks with an athletic field or court. But it’s only a 4-mile drive to Edgewood Oak Brush Plains State Forest, which offers hiking and biking along the more than 23-mile trail system. It’s also 4 miles to Bay Shore Manor Park, which has a little beach on the Great South Bay, a spray pad during the summer, a boat ramp and a marina. It’s the go-to place when residents are looking to go boating, fishing, swimming or kayaking close to home. Downtown Bay Shore also offers ferries to Fire Island’s famous beaches on the Atlantic Ocean.
Enjoy a beautiful spring day at Commack Road Park.
Clarissa Drive Park is located off of Pine Acres Blvd. in North Bay Shore.
This aerial view shows the size of the fields at Benton Park.
There's a giant soccer field for the neighborhood to enjoy at Chicago Avenue Park.
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Parades, outdoor concerts and community service in Bay Shore
Nearby Bay Shore hosts events throughout the year, including parades for St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day and Halloween. There’s a free summer concert series and Light the Night around the holidays, where residents purchase special candle sets and light them in their windows on a set night. The money earned from the sets goes to the continued beautification of Bay Shore. According to Gardner, the area has a lot of community service events. “I think you can probably say this across the board for most towns on Long Island, we’re very generous people,” Gardner says. “…I think we just tend to be understanding of what it’s like not to have, and when you come from that place, you tend to want to help people more than what you’d usually do.”
Find the perfect pumpkin in the pumpkin patch at the Brightwaters Farm Fall Festival.
All of Tanger outlets is decorated for the Christmas Tree Lighting near Baywood.
Enjoy some live music at the Famous Food Festival.
Reach the speed of light on the Big Slide at the Parish Family Festival.
Hurricane season impacts all of Long Island, bringing a major risk of high winds to North Bay Shore. But because it’s so inland, it only has a minor risk of flooding. North Bay Shore is located in Suffolk County Police Department’s 3rd Precinct, which reported a 39.7% drop in violent crime and a 6.8% decrease in property crime between 2020 and 2021, the most recent data available.
Written By
Christina Norwood
Photography Contributed By
J. Michael DeMeo
Video By
Daniel Willingham
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Carmen Lopez,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
