Brookhaven, New York

Brookhaven, New York
Town
Town of Brookhaven
Clockwise from top-left: Stony Brook University, mill in Frank Melville Park in Setauket, Stony Brook Village Center, Old Field Point Light, downtown Port Jefferson, Miller homestead in Miller Place, and the Long Island Museum
Seal
Location in Suffolk County
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Coordinates: 40°49′N 72°56′W / 40.817°N 72.933°W / 40.817; -72.933
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Suffolk
First settled	1655
Incorporated	1686
Town Seat	Farmingville
Government
• Type	Civil township
• Body	Brookhaven Town Council
• Supervisor	Daniel J. Panico (R)
Area [1]
• Total	531.54 sq mi (1,376.68 km2)
• Land	259.44 sq mi (671.93 km2)
• Water	272.11 sq mi (704.75 km2)
• Rank	1st (when water area included)
Elevation	79 ft (24 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	485,773
• Rank	3rd
• Density	1,873.4/sq mi (724.18/km2)
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00
Area code(s)	631, 934
FIPS code	36-10000
GNIS feature ID	0978758
Website	www.brookhavenny.gov

Brookhaven is a large suburban town in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. With a population of 488,497 as of 2022,^[2] it is the second most populous town in the United States and in New York (after Hempstead, in the adjacent Nassau County) and the third most populous community in the state.^[3]

The first settlement in what is now Brookhaven was known as Setauket. Founded as a group of agricultural hamlets in the mid-17th century, Brookhaven first expanded as a major center of shipbuilding in the 19th century. Its proximity to New York City facilitated the establishment of resort communities, followed by a post-war population boom. In the 2020 census record, Brookhaven contained 485,773 people.^[4]

The township is home to two renowned research centers, Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Combined these two research centers are approximately 50% of the Town's top ten employer's employee count. Tourism is also a major part of the local economy. The largest traditional downtowns are located in Port Jefferson, a regional transportation hub for the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry, and Patchogue. The area has long been serviced by the Long Island Rail Road.