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Amityville: Low taxes, downtown resurgence, daytime activities, nightlife draw buyers

Amityville Beach overlooks South Oyster Bay to the west, with... — Amityville Beach overlooks South Oyster Bay to the west, with Jones Beach in the distance, and the Great South Bay to the east. Credit: Rick Kopstein

By Aidan JohnsonSpecial to NewsdayJuly 14, 2026 10:43 am

THE SCOOP With a total area of less than 2.5 square miles, Amityville is packed with personality and activity, offering a plethora of daytime and nighttime events extending from its beautiful beaches to its bustling business district.

A "suburban environment with a hometown feel" is a draw for residents and visitors alike, according to village mayor Michael O'Neill. With "generations of families that are still living in the village," O'Neill said, people can come and enjoy the close-knit nature that the community of around 9,600 provides.

At the western end of Suffolk County, Amityville lets people enjoy its proximity to Nassau County's offerings while still having the benefit of Suffolk's lower property taxes, according to real estate agent Nichole Plummer.

The village has a train stop on the Babylon Branch of the LIRR, and its own police, public works and volunteer fire departments.

Route 110 forks at "the Triangle" in downtown Amityville. Credit: Rick Kopstein

Nicknamed "The Friendly Bay Village," its heart can be found on Route 110, called Broadway in Amityville, where the roughly four-block business district lies.

Over the past five years, Amityville has seen a resurgence in its nightlife, aided by its two music venues, Amity Music Hall and The Warehouse, both on Broadway, and welcoming new restaurants such as The Grand Lobby and Mesita.

Park Avenue houses mom-and-pop shops, small businesses and eateries like Cornucopia's Noshery, bottom. Credit: Rick Kopstein

Amityville also offers an abundance of daytime activities, including their annual July 3rd Celebration held on Broadway from Oak Street to Ireland Place and hosts vendors, food trucks, live music and family activities. Every Friday during the summer, the village has Fridays on the Greene, held on Greene Avenue.

"We close it down on Friday afternoons, we put out tables and chairs and bands come to play," O'Neill said of Fridays on the Greene, describing it as "a must-attend Friday event" for both residents and visitors.

Salt Box Path is a small enclave of petite salt... — Salt Box Path is a small enclave of petite salt box-style houses in Amityville. Credit: Rick Kopstein

At the Amityville Municipal Bathing Beach Park, there is more to do than just enjoy the cool tides and sunny shores; on Wednesday nights, the village holds their Supper by the Bay, where people are invited to enjoy live music and food at the snack bar.

When the weather cools down in autumn, the village hosts their Haunted Harvest and the Rotary Apple Festival, and the weekly Saturday farmer's market will be held until October 24.

Amityville attracted influential and well-known people, during its golden age from the late 1800s to the 1920s, with Amityville Village Historian Joe Guidice describing it as "the Hamptons of its time,"

"Famous people had come to Amityville and Annie Oakley was one of them," he said.

Oakley's close friend, actor Fred Stone, was also a resident of the village.

Houses along Homestead Avenue, top, and Riverside Avenue in Amityville. Credit: Rick Kopstein

The village became infamous following the 1974 murders in what became known as the Amityville Horror House. The crime and house seeped into pop culture through a horror movie series named after it, but O'Neill said the residents prefer not to talk about it.

"I personally don't like to talk about it because unfortunately what's lost is the fact that there was a horrible tragedy that occurred in the house more than 50 years ago," he said, calling what he views as the capitalization of the event "abhorrent and is very unfortunate."

While Guidice said Amityville has definitely modernized, its roots are far from forgotten.

"If you venture behind Broadway or Merrick Road and south of Merrick Road, you will find some niches around that are plucked from another century," he said.

SALE PRICES Between June 23, 2025, and June 22, 2026, there were 180 home sales with a median sale price of $623,000, according to OneKey MLS. During the same period a year earlier, there were 168 home sales with a median sale price of $599,950.

CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are six condos, priced between $247,999 and $889,000, on the market.

OTHER STATS

Population 9,588

Median age 52.1

Median home value $635,000

Monthly LIRR ticket from Amityville $356.50

School districts, graduation rates Amityville (79%), Copiague (86%)

Libraries Amityville, Copiague

Transit Suffolk County Transit Routes 1, 2, 4, 10

Sources: 2024 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR; data.nysed.gov; Suffolk County Transit

RECENTLY SOLD

$997,500